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BC PNP · British Columbia

British Columbia PNP.

Care, Build and Innovate — targeted draws against published occupation lists.

British Columbia rebuilt its nominee program on 23 April 2026 around three objectives — Care, Build and Innovate — tied to the province’s Look West strategy. Targeted invitations are now issued against published occupation lists rather than broad general draws, and 36 occupations in health care, childcare, education and veterinary care plus 9 construction trades carry the priority. The 2026 allocation is 6,254 after a federal top-up of 1,000 announced on 18 August, against the 9,000 the province had requested; B.C. says it plans to use the full allocation by 31 December 2026.

Two published lists do different jobs and are easy to confuse. The Care/Build priority lists decide who receives a targeted invitation. The separate Health Authority eligible-occupation list — 44 NOCs — decides who can enter that stream at all. A candidate can sit on one and not the other. The registration pool held 8,306 registrations at 4 August 2026, with only 289 scoring 140 or above.

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Licensed RCIC — serving B.C. from Ontario
6,254
2026 nomination
allocation
+600
CRS points from
a nomination
200
SIRS
maximum
2
Ontario offices —
Brampton & London
The program

How the BC PNP works.

British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program, run by WelcomeBC (Province of B.C.) with IRCC. You qualify under a stream, get selected or nominated, then IRCC decides your PR. Official site →

Scoring

SIRS · out of 200

SIRS is scored out of 200, and the wage of your B.C. job offer alone is worth 55 of them. 2026 cut-offs have eased steadily across every targeted category: health from 108 in May to 84 in August, construction trades from 108 to 88, childcare from 115 to 102, and the Innovate points draw from 138 in February to 132 in August.

2026 snapshot

Allocation & fees

2026 nomination allocation6,254
Application fee$1,750

SIRS draws run near-weekly under the Care, Build & Innovate framework. Figures change — verify on the official site. Data checked 2026-08-23.

Live tracker

British Columbia in 2026, by the numbers.

LIVE SYNC
Invitations to apply
4,970 invitations · 47 rounds6,254 allocation
What to watch nextEvery 2026 round is counted here, back to the 13 January Entrepreneur draw and the 4 February Innovate rounds - read from the WelcomeBC invitations page and its archive, not just the rolling window WelcomeBC shows by default. Two rounds published as "fewer than 5" are counted as 4 each.
Recent rounds
DateRoundInvited
Aug 25, 2026 116 PointsEntrepreneur Immigration — Base 11
Aug 25, 2026 116 PointsEntrepreneur Immigration — Regional 5
Aug 20, 2026 —Innovate: High Economic Impact — wage route ($55/hr) 337
Aug 20, 2026 132 PointsInnovate: High Economic Impact 265
Aug 6, 2026 88 PointsBuild: Construction 187
Aug 6, 2026 102 PointsCare: Childcare 183
Program status

Skills Immigration invitations are issued by category - Care (childcare, health, veterinary), Build (construction trades) and Innovate (high economic impact) - plus a temporary rural/remote health initiative. Entrepreneur Immigration runs on its own schedule.

Figures are checked against the authority's own page · last verified Aug 27, 2026. Verify before you rely on them. Compare every province ›

Where people settle in British Columbia

BC awards SIRS points for jobs outside Metro Vancouver, so the same profile scores higher in the north or the interior.

Vancouver

The largest labour market, and the most competitive: Metro Vancouver scores lowest on the regional factor.

Victoria

Provincial capital on Vancouver Island: public sector, health care and marine industries.

Kelowna

Okanagan technology, agriculture and tourism, with regional points above Metro Vancouver.

Prince George

Northern hub for forestry, transport and health care, and the top of the regional points scale.

Living in British Columbia is what the BC PNP is for: a nomination ties you to this province, and you are expected to settle here. Talk to a licensed RCIC before you commit to a destination.

Score yourself

BC PNP points calculator (SIRS)

British Columbia scores Skills Immigration registrations out of 200 through the Skills Immigration Registration System. Fill this in to see your score, the breakdown, and how it sits against the invitation cut-offs British Columbia actually issued in 2026.

In the same occupation as your B.C. job offer, within the last 10 years.
Only counts for your highest level of education.
Your lowest of the four abilities sets the level.
Worth up to 55 points — the single biggest factor. One point per whole dollar from $16, maxing at $70.
Eligible occupations

BC PNP eligible NOC codes for 2026

British Columbia publishes two different occupation lists that are easy to confuse. The Care and Build priority lists decide who receives a targeted invitation to apply. The separate Health Authority list decides who can enter that stream at all. A third list bars some occupations outright. Search across all of them below.

Browse all 106 listed occupations

Care — health care 31

Priority health occupations for targeted Care draws.
NOC 2021Occupation
30010Managers in health care
31100Specialists in clinical and laboratory medicine
31101Specialists in surgery
31102General practitioners and family physicians
31110Dentists
31112Audiologists and speech-language pathologists
31120Pharmacists
31121Dietitians and nutritionists
31200Psychologists
31201Chiropractors
31202Physiotherapists
31203Occupational therapists
31204Kinesiologists and other professional occupations in therapy
31209Other professional occupations in health diagnosing and treating
31300Nursing coordinators and supervisors
31301Registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses
31302Nurse practitioners
31303Physician assistants, midwives and allied health professionals
32101Licensed practical nurses
32102Paramedical occupations
32103Respiratory therapists, clinical perfusionists and cardiopulmonary technologists
32111Dental hygienists and dental therapists
32112Dental technologists and technicians
32120Medical laboratory technologists
32121Medical radiation technologists
32122Medical sonographers
32123Cardiology and electrophysiological diagnostic technologists
32200Traditional Chinese medicine practitioners and acupuncturists
33101Medical laboratory assistants and related technical occupations
33102Nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates
41300Social workers

Nurse aides under NOC 33102 must be registered with the BC Care Aide & Community Health Worker Registry to receive a targeted invitation.

Care — childcare 1

Priority childcare occupation for targeted Care draws.
NOC 2021Occupation
42202Early childhood educators

Early childhood educators must hold a one-year or five-year ECE certificate issued by the ECE Registry.

Care — education 2

Priority education occupations for targeted Care draws.
NOC 2021Occupation
41220Secondary school teachers (French-speaking)
41221Elementary school and kindergarten teachers (French-speaking)

French-speaking only. You must be employed in B.C.’s public K-12 system and hold CLB 5 or higher in French.

Care — veterinary care 2

Priority veterinary occupations for targeted Care draws.
NOC 2021Occupation
31103Veterinarians
32104Animal health technologists and veterinary technicians

Animal health technologists and veterinary technicians under NOC 32104 need a valid professional designation.

Build — construction trades 9

Priority construction trades for targeted Build draws.
NOC 2021Occupation
72106Welders and related machine operators
72200Electricians (except industrial and power system)
72201Industrial electricians
72300Plumbers
72301Steamfitters, pipefitters and sprinkler system installers
72310Carpenters
72400Construction millwrights and industrial mechanics
72401Heavy-duty equipment mechanics
72402Heating, refrigeration and air conditioning mechanics

All nine require a valid trade certificate issued by SkilledTradesBC, or a SkilledTradesBC apprenticeship, matching the job offered.

Health Authority stream — eligible occupations 46

Occupations that qualify for the direct-entry Health Authority stream.
NOC 2021Occupation
30010Managers in health care
31100Specialists in clinical and laboratory medicine
31101Specialists in surgery
31102General practitioners and family physicians
31103Veterinarians
31110Dentists
31111Optometrists
31112Audiologists and speech-language pathologists
31120Pharmacists
31121Dietitians and nutritionists
31200Psychologists
31201Chiropractors
31202Physiotherapists
31203Occupational therapists
31204Kinesiologists and other professional occupations in therapy and assessment
31209Other professional occupations in health diagnosing and treating
31300Nursing coordinators and supervisors
31301Registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses
31302Nurse practitioners
31303Physician assistants, midwives and allied health professionals
32100Opticians
32101Licensed practical nurses
32102Paramedical occupations
32103Respiratory therapists, clinical perfusionists and cardiopulmonary technologists
32104Animal health technologists and veterinary technicians
32109Other technical occupations in therapy and assessment
32110Denturists
32111Dental hygienists and dental therapists
32112Dental technologists and technicians
32120Medical laboratory technologists
32121Medical radiation technologists
32122Medical sonographers
32123Cardiology and electrophysiological diagnostic technologists
32124Pharmacy technicians
32129Other medical technologists and technicians
32200Traditional Chinese medicine practitioners and acupuncturists
32201Massage therapists
32209Other practitioners of healing
33100Dental assistants and dental laboratory assistants
33101Medical laboratory assistants and related technical occupations
33102Nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates
33103Pharmacy technical assistants and pharmacy assistants
33109Other assisting occupations in support of health services
41300Social workers
41301Therapists in counselling and related specialized therapies
42201Social and community service workers

Dental assistants under NOC 33100 must be licensed — unlicensed chairside assistants are not eligible. Nurse aides under 33102 must be on the BC Care Aide Registry. Social and community service workers under 42201 need a diploma or degree in social services or community health.

Temporary Rural/Remote Health Support Initiative 3

The only occupations below TEER 3 anywhere in the BC PNP.
NOC 2021Occupation
64410Security guards and related security service occupations
65310Light duty cleaners
65312Janitors, caretakers and heavy-duty cleaners

You must be a direct employee of a B.C. public health authority — contractors are not eligible — working full-time for nine consecutive months in a rural or remote location. Registration closes 11:59pm on 7 October 2026.

Ineligible under every Skills Immigration stream 12

A job offer in any of these means refusal.
NOC 2021Occupation
12100Executive assistants
12101Human resources and recruitment officers
12200Accounting technicians and bookkeepers
13100Administrative officers
13110Administrative assistants
13111Legal administrative assistants
13112Medical administrative assistants
62010Retail sales supervisors
62020Food service supervisors
63101Real estate agents and salespersons
41302Religious leaders
42204Religious workers

In effect for applications submitted after 13 June 2026. British Columbia has said it will expand both this list and its list of ineligible employers.

Transcribed from WelcomeBC’s Skills Immigration Program Guide effective 10 June 2026 and the BC PNP selection-of-workers page. Occupation lists change — confirm on welcomebc.ca before you file. There is no current priority technology occupation list; the last technology draw ran on 3 December 2024.

Pathways

BC PNP streams, criteria and process.

Choose the stream that fits your profile. Criteria and open or closed status change often — we confirm what is live before you file.

Stream

Skilled Worker

Indeterminate full-time job offer in an eligible NOC TEER 0–3 occupation, plus two years of skilled experience in the last ten and CLB 4. Registered in SIRS and invited by score. EEBC option available.

Stream

Health Authority

Select health workers employed by one of B.C.’s public health authorities. No registration and no invitation — you apply directly if you meet the criteria. 44 eligible NOCs. Health authority support is discretionary and only delegated signatories may sign the Employer Declaration Form.

Stream

Temporary Rural/Remote Health Support Initiative

Security guards (64410), light duty cleaners (65310) and janitors and heavy-duty cleaners (65312) directly employed by a health authority in rural or remote B.C. Nine consecutive months full-time with the same employer required. Up to 250 nominations; registration closes 11:59pm 7 October 2026. No EEBC option.

Stream

Entrepreneur Immigration — Base

Start or take over a business anywhere in B.C. $600,000 personal net worth, $200,000 investment, at least one job created, CLB 4.

Stream

Entrepreneur Immigration — Regional

Start a business outside Metro Vancouver in a participating community. $300,000 net worth, $100,000 investment, community referral and a mandatory exploratory visit.

Stream

Entrepreneur Immigration — Strategic Projects

For foreign corporations establishing B.C. operations, providing a PR pathway for up to five key staff.

Express Entry

A BC PNP nomination = +600 CRS

Through the Express Entry BC (EEBC), an enhanced nomination adds 600 points to your Comprehensive Ranking System score — in practice, a guaranteed invitation to apply in the next Express Entry round.

Try the CRS calculator →
Answers

BC PNP FAQ.

Which occupations get targeted invitations under Care?
Thirty-six, across health care, childcare, education and veterinary care. Health care is by far the largest group, and each of the smaller groups carries its own condition — early childhood educators need an ECE Registry certificate, teachers must be French-speaking in the public K-12 system with CLB 5 in French, and veterinary technicians need a valid professional designation. The full list of codes and titles is in the eligible occupations table above.
Which construction trades are targeted under Build?
Nine trades, and all of them carry the same condition: you need a valid trade certificate issued by SkilledTradesBC, or a SkilledTradesBC apprenticeship, matching the job you have been offered. Without that certification the targeted Build draws are closed to you regardless of your score. The codes and titles are listed in the eligible occupations table above.
Which occupations are ineligible for the BC PNP?
Twelve occupations are refused under every Skills Immigration stream for applications submitted after 13 June 2026, covering administrative roles, bookkeeping, retail and food service supervision, real estate sales and religious occupations. Unlicensed dental assistants are excluded separately. British Columbia has said it will expand both this list and its list of ineligible employers. The full list is in the eligible occupations table above.
What are the current SIRS cut-off scores?
They vary sharply by draw type and have eased through 2026. At the 6 and 20 August rounds: Care health 84, Care childcare 102, Care education 68, Care veterinary 72, Build construction trades 88, and Innovate on points 132. The Innovate wage route carries no score at all — it needs a job offer in TEER 0–3 at $55 an hour and $110,000 a year, down from $70 and $145,000 in February. The temporary rural/remote initiative drew at 50 points in its only round so far.
How is the SIRS score calculated?
Out of 200. Human capital gives up to 120: directly related work experience 40, highest education 40, language 40. Economic factors give up to 80: hourly wage 55 and area of employment 25. Metro Vancouver scores zero for location; Squamish, Abbotsford, Agassiz, Mission and Chilliwack score 5; the rest of B.C. scores 15, with 10 more for regional experience or regional alumni status. The grid was not changed in the 2026 restructure, though B.C. reserves the right to change it.
Do I need to register for the Health Authority stream?
No. It is the one direct-entry stream: if you meet the criteria you submit an application without registering in SIRS and without waiting for an invitation. That is why no Health Authority rows appear in the published draw tables. The catch is that health authority support is discretionary — each authority decides which applications it will back, and only a small number of delegated individuals can sign your Employer Declaration Form.
What is a good SIRS score for the BC PNP in 2026?
There is no single pass mark \u2014 each category draws at its own number, so a \u201Cgood\u201D score is one that clears the category you actually sit in. Through 2026 that has meant roughly 84 for Care health, 102 for Care childcare, 88 for Build construction trades and 132 for Innovate on points. A score in the 120s is strong for most categories and thin for Innovate. The registration pool held 8,306 registrations at 4 August 2026, and only 289 of them scored 140 or above, so scores well below that are invited every round.
How can I increase my SIRS score?
Wage and location move the score fastest. Every whole dollar of hourly wage above $16 is one point, to a maximum of 55 at $70 an hour, so negotiating a dollar more is worth the same as a full extra point of language or experience. Moving the job out of Metro Vancouver is worth 15 rather than 0, and prior regional work or graduating from a regional institution adds 10 more \u2014 up to 25 from location alone. After that: a language retest to the next Canadian Language Benchmark is worth 4 to 5 points a band, a credential assessment and a B.C. or Canadian credential add up to 8, and a year of Canadian experience or currently working full-time for the employer adds 10 each. Because every factor is capped, the highest-value move is usually the one where you are furthest from the cap.
What does the BC PNP cost, and how long does it take?
Registration is free. The Skills Immigration application fee is $1,750, raised from $1,475 on 22 January 2026, and a request for review is $500. Entrepreneur Immigration is $300 to register and $3,500 to apply. B.C. targets 3 months for around 80% of Skills Immigration applications, 1 month for post-nomination requests and 6 months for reviews. There is no BC PNP employer fee.
How long is my registration valid, and how long do I have after an invitation?
A registration stays in the pool for 12 months or until you are invited. After an invitation you have 30 calendar days to submit a complete application. You must also tell the BC PNP within 15 days if your job offer changes. Unverified accounts are deleted after 30 days of inactivity.
Is the Entry Level and Semi Skilled stream really gone?
Yes. The 23 April 2026 announcement declared it officially closed, but in practice it had already stopped — its last invitations were issued on 10 December 2024. The International Graduate and International Post-Graduate streams closed earlier still, with final IG invitations in November 2024 and IPG applications accepted only to 7 January 2025. B.C. has confirmed it will not launch new student streams, though study in B.C. still earns extra registration points.
What are my realistic odds in the pool?
At 4 August 2026 the pool held 8,306 registrations. Only 10 scored 150 or above and 38 scored 140–149, while 1,651 sat in the 100–109 band and 1,468 in the 90–99. Against 2026 cut-offs that ranged from 68 to 132 depending on category, the category you qualify for matters far more than raw score — a veterinary technician at 72 and an Innovate candidate at 132 are both invited in the same month.
Does the job offer have to be permanent?
Generally yes — full-time at 30 hours a week or more, year-round, with no defined end date. The exception is Appendix A of the Program Guide, which allows limited-term offers of at least one year with 120 days still remaining at application, for university professors at public B.C. universities with a doctorate, public K-12 teachers, and a long list of technology, engineering and screen-industry occupations. You also cannot hold 10% or more ownership of the employer supporting you.
How much of the allocation is left?
B.C. does not publish it. The 2026 allocation is 6,254 and the province says it plans to use all of it by 31 December 2026, but the most recent published statistical report is for 2024 — there is no 2025 or 2026 nominations-issued figure. Anyone quoting a remaining-nominations count for B.C. is inferring it, not sourcing it.
Does a BC PNP nomination guarantee permanent residence?
No. British Columbia nominates you, but Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) makes the final permanent-residence decision after its own admissibility, medical and security checks.
How does the BC PNP connect to Express Entry?
If you're nominated through the Express Entry BC (EEBC), an Express-Entry-aligned stream, you receive 600 additional CRS points, which effectively guarantees an invitation to apply in a following Express Entry round.
What is the BC PNP scoring system?
SIRS scored out of 200. SIRS is scored out of 200, and the wage of your B.C. job offer alone is worth 55 of them. 2026 cut-offs have eased steadily across every targeted category: health from 108 in May to 84 in August, construction trades from 108 to 88, childcare from 115 to 102, and the Innovate points draw from 138 in February to 132 in August.
Can CHK Immigration help if I'm not in Ontario?
Yes. We're a licensed RCIC practice based in Brampton and London, Ontario, and we assist clients applying to provincial programs across Canada, working remotely and by video.

BC PNP eligibility review

Would British Columbia actually invite you?

Send a few details and a licensed RCIC will tell you where you would rank under SIRS, which BC PNP stream fits, and whether another province is a faster route.

  • Scored against the live BC PNP cut-offs, not last year’s
  • A written shortlist of the streams you realistically qualify for
  • Reviewed by a CICC-licensed Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant; fees and thresholds verified September 2026
  • Consultations are fee-based; you get the fee and available times by reply

CHK Immigration Services — Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant (CICC). Offices in Brampton and London, Ontario. Submitting this form does not create a client–consultant relationship; IRCC makes all final decisions.

Prefer to talk first? Call 647-948-7200 or book a paid consultation.

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