British Columbia: Provincial Nominees Program Canada Immigration News

British Columbia Launches Express Entry Stream: No Job offer Needed for Certain Categories

The province of British Columbia (B.C.) announced Express Entry British Columbia to its Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP) for Canadian immigration. This allows the province to nominate 1,350 more candidates for Canadian permanent residence through the BC PNP than was the case in 2014. ...Read more

This new stream aligns with the federal government’s Express Entry immigration selection system. It is expected that it will significantly reduce application processing times. The Express Entry British Columbia allows eligible applicants to receive priority processing of both their B.C. PNP application, and if nominated, their permanent residence application.
Potential candidates will have to meet minimum provincial eligibility criteria for one of the following
B.C. PNP Categories
International Post Graduates
International Graduates
Skilled Workers (including Health Care Professionals)

In addition, candidates must also be eligible for one of the federal economic immigration programs in order to enter the Express Entry pool:

Federal Skilled Worker Program
Federal Skilled Trades Program
Canadian Experience Class

Apply without a job offer

B.C. employers are seeking workers with graduate degrees in the sciences, and the government of B.C. has reacted accordingly. Candidates do not require a job offer in order to be eligible under the International Post Graduate category.

Individuals with a master’s or doctoral degree in the sciences received within the past two years from an eligible program at a post-secondary institution in B.C. may be eligible to apply under the International Post Graduate category, as long as the post graduate degree was obtained in one of the following natural, applied or health sciences:

Agriculture
Biological and biomedical sciences
Computer and information sciences and support services
Engineering
Engineering technology
Health professions and related clinical sciences
Mathematics and statistics
Natural resources conservation and research
Physical sciences

Candidates must provide evidence of their intention to reside in B.C. This evidence may include:
the length of any previous and/or current period of residence in B.C.;
connections to B.C. through work, study or family; and/or
a description of any actions taken to settle in B.C., such as finding a job or place to live.

international skilled workers category

International skilled workers having post-secondary education/training and employment experience in a professional, management, technical, trade or other skilled occupation can apply in this category. The candidate’s occupation must be classified under the National Occupational Classification (NOC) matrix as skill level 0, A, or B.

Candidates must have a full-time permanent qualifying job offer in a skilled occupation from a B.C. employer. Candidates with a job offer in a regulated occupation that requires mandatory certification or licensing must demonstrate that they meet provincial requirements for the particular occupation when they make their application under this category.

Temporary foreign workers program changes

New rules to strengthen Canada’s Temporary Foreign Worker Program came into effect on April 1, 2011. Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) and Human Resources and Skills Development Canada (HRSDC) will be making significant changes to the current procedures impacting both foreign workers and Canadian employers.

New IELTS Requirements for Applicants in Skilled Workers Class.

Canadian government has decided to reduce the IELTS score requirement for Canadian Immigration Points system. Immigration Canada has now decreased the IELTS band requirement criteria for Canada Skilled worker Immigration points. Minimum IELTS score requirement for 4 points of Immigration has now been reduced.