The BC PNP Skills Immigration stream is an economic immigration option intended for people with the skills, experience and qualifications needed by B.C. Employers. This stream is designed for individuals who are committed to live and work in B.C. and become permanent residents of Canada.
Individuals who are currently working in B.C. in an eligible occupation in the tourism/hospitality, long-haul trucking or food processing industry OR working in the Northeast Development Region of the province in any entry level or semi-skilled occupation may qualify. Interested individuals must have valid immigration status or work with authorization in order to qualify.
The list of eligible occupations includes:
Occupations in Travel and Accommodation
Hotel Front Desk Clerks
Tour and Recreational Guides and Casino Occupations
Tour and Travel Guides, Outdoor Sport and Recreational Guides and Casino Occupations
Occupations in Food and Beverage Service
Maîtres d’hôtel and Hosts/Hostesses, Bartenders, Food and Beverage Servers, Food Counter Attendants, Kitchen Helpers and Related Occupations. Note that if the individual is working as a chef or cook, they must apply under the Skilled Worker category.
Cleaners (Employed Directly by Hotels/Resorts)
Light Duty Cleaners, Specialized Cleaners, Janitors, Caretakers and Building Superintendents, Support Occupations in Accommodation, Travel and Facilities Set-Up Services
Other Service Occupations (Employed Directly by Hotels/Resorts)
Dry Cleaning, Laundry and Related Occupations, Other Service Support Occupations
Food Processing
Process Control and Machine Operators, Food and Beverage Processing, Industrial Butchers and Meat Cutters, Poultry Preparers and Related Workers, Fish and Seafood Plant Workers, Testers and Graders, Food, Beverage and Associated Products Processing; Labourers in Food, Beverage and Associated Products Processing, Labourers in Fish and Seafood Processing
Long-Haul Truck Drivers
Eligibility Requirements for Employees
In addition to meeting general requirements to qualify for the BC PNP, an individual must have the following:
1) B.C. Work experience in an eligible occupation
- Must be employed and working full-time (at least an average of 30 hours a week, year round) with the B.C. employer supporting the application in any ELSS-eligible occupation for at least 9 consecutive months immediately prior to registering to the BC PNP.
- The BC PNP may allow for changes in employment from one ELSS-eligible occupation to a different ELSS-eligible occupation with the same employer.
- Annual vacation leave will generally count toward meeting this 9 consecutive month employment requirement.
- Employment that is part of a program of study or obtained using a Study Permit or Off Campus Work Permit does not qualify towards work experience.
- The individual must maintain full-time employment with the employer in C. throughout both the BC PNP and the permanent residence processes.
- Registrants who are no longer authorized to work for the supporting C. employer at the time they receive an invitation to apply, and who maintain legal status in Canada or leave Canada, may submit an application provided they meet certain criteria.
2) An offer of indeterminate, full-time employment from and eligible B.C. Employer, in and eligible NOC C or D occupation, at a wage that meets industry standards
- The employer must provide the individual with a written offer of employment on official company Specific information is required in the offer of employment.
- The wage stated on the offer of employment must be at market rate and comparable to the rate paid to workers with a similar level of experience and training for equivalent jobs in BC.
- There must be an employee/employer relationship. Independent contractors are not eligible.
- If the employee was hired based on a positive federal Labour Market Impact Assessment, the wage must be equal to or greater than the wage stated in the offer of employment and on the Labour Market Impact Assessment.
- The employer must meet employer requirements.
3) Evidence that the individual meets minimum income requirements
- The individual must demonstrate that they meet minimum income requirements according to their annual wage in B.C., location of residence in B.C. and number of dependents.
- Entry Level and Semi-Skilled applicants must be able to demonstrate a history of meeting the applicable minimum income requirements for at least 9 consecutive months prior to submitting a registration and/or applications.
4) Completion of secondary education and any licensing or certification required for the job
- At a minimum, the individual must have successfully graduated from high school either within or outside of Canada. There are additional requirements for long-haul truck.
5) Language proficiency
- The individual must submit valid language test results showing they have obtained a minimum score equal to or greater than a benchmark 4 under the Canadian Language Benchmark in all four competencies: listening, speaking, reading and writing.
Employer Requirements
The Skills Immigration streams are largely employer-driven and are designed to help B.C. businesses attract and retain international workers to meet B.C.’s labour market needs.
Employers must issue a written offer of employment, complete employer sections of the application forms and notify the BC PNP if there are any changes in the employee’s employment status.
General
1) The employer must be established as an employer in good standing in B.C.
- Employers must have one of the following business structures: incorporated or extra provincially registered OR registered as a limited liability partnership in B.C. OR an eligible public sector or non-profit employer.
- Must be permanently established in C. as defined by the federal Income Tax Act.
- Must have operated in C. for at least two years if the employee is registering under the ELSS category.
2) Have indeterminate, full-time employees
- Located within the Greater Vancouver Regional District (GVRD), must have at least 5 indeterminate, full-time employees (or full-time equivalents) in B.C.
- Located outside the GVRD, must have at least 3 indeterminate, full-time employees (or full-time equivalents) in B.C.
3) Have a history of good workplace and business practices
- In addition, the employer must be financially sound and may be asked to provide financial statements prepared by a certified professional accountant.
4) Sign an employer declaration
- Must sign a declaration that the company meets all of the requirements, has been in operation in B.C. for at least 2 years, and is complying with B.C. and federal employment, immigration, health, and safety laws and regulations.
5) Meet domestic labour market recruitment requirements
- Must demonstrate that genuine and bona fide efforts were made to recruit from the local labour market, and that hiring the individual will not adversely affect employment or development opportunities for Canadian citizens and permanent residents.
6) A job offer for a full-time, indeterminate position
- Contract positions are not eligible.
7) Offer a market wage that meets industry standards
- Wage stated in offer of employment must meet certain standards.
If you are a B.C. employer interested in employing individuals with the skills and experience required for these high-demand occupations, please contact Bruce J. Harwood from our Immigration Group.