VICTORIA – The Province is updating the BC Provincial Nominee Program to do what it can to best meet its workforce priorities, and provide as much fairness and clarity as possible, following the federal government’s decision to reduce the nomination allocation spots.

B.C. had fully met its allocation for 2024 to nominate 8,000 workers and entrepreneurs who support provincial priorities, and the Province has requested an allocation of 11,000 for 2025. In January 2025, B.C.’s 2025 allocation was cut to 4,000 by the federal government, significantly affecting the Province’s ability to meet its workforce needs.

As part of the updated approach, the Province will process the majority of its application inventory and accept approximately 1,100 new applications this year, mainly for positions that contribute directly to the delivery of health-care services, such as doctors, nurses and allied-health professionals.

The nominee program is the only tool that allows B.C. to nominate new immigrants in high-demand jobs to stay in the province. The vast majority of applicants already live and work in B.C. It is intended to help address labour demands in priority sectors, such as health care, child care, construction and housing. The Province will continue to advocate for the federal government to restore the BC Provincial Nominee Program allocation to previous levels, to support B.C.’s efforts to attract and retain in demand professionals.

Learn More:

For the latest BC Provincial Nominee Program guide, visit: https://www.welcomebc.ca/immigrate-to-b-c/guides-forms-reports-documents

For more information about the program, visit: https://www.welcomebc.ca/immigrate-to-b-c/about-the-bc-provincial-nominee-program

For Canada’s 2025-2027 immigration levels plan, visit: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/news/2024/10/20252027-immigration-levels-plan.html

And: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/news/notices/supplementary-immigration-levels-2025-2027.html

A backgrounder follows.

The Province is making changes to the BC Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP) in 2025 to process existing applications and accept new applications in the highest-priority jobs, making the best use of the reduced allocation.

Management of existing applications

• The program will process all applications received in 2024 for streams that require a job offer, so people who are working in B.C. and have submitted a nominee program application with the support of their employer can get a decision in 2025.
• All international post-graduate (IPG) applications received before Sept. 1, 2024, will be processed in 2025.
• IPG applications received between Sept. 1, 2024, and Jan. 7, 2025, when the stream closed, will be waitlisted and processed only when more nominee program nominations become available by the federal government.
  • In March 2024, the BC PNP announced that the IPG stream would close at the end of 2024.
  • By the time the IPG stream was closed, the BC PNP had received more than double the IPG applications than it did in 2023.
  • Most IPG applicants qualify for a three-year post-graduate work permit, which allows them to remain in Canada for an extended period following the completion of their studies.
  • The ministry is seeking support from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada to extend the work permits of the individuals whose immigration status will expire soon.

New applications

• While the health-authority stream continues to accept new applications, it is now restricted to a limited number of health-care positions. The BC PNP program guide provides a detailed description of which health occupations are now eligible under the health-authority stream.
• Due to the limited nomination space, no general or priority-occupation invitations to apply (ITA) are planned in 2025. ITAs will be issued to approximately 100 candidates with the highest economic-impact potential.

Other program updates

• The launch of previously announced student streams will remain on hold for the time being.
• Going forward, the BC PNP will distinguish between early childhood educator and early childhood educator assistant.
• Enhanced guidelines will be developed for social and community service workers, with greater emphasis on the qualifications for this role.

Existing applicants and individuals interested in the program are encouraged to refer to the latest BC PNP program guide for eligibility requirements: https://www.welcomebc.ca/immigrate-to-b-c/guides-forms-reports-documents