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PROVINCIAL NOMINEE PROGRAMS

BCPNP Invites 56 Candidates in Recent Tech Draw

British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BCPNP) has issued 56 invitations to candidates eligible under the BC PNP Tech program.

July 13th BC PNP draw results: invitations

To submit an Expression of Interest to BCPNP tech, candidates must have a qualifying job offer in one of B.C.’s 29 eligible tech occupations. Once a profile is submitted, candidates must also meet the minimum selected Skills Immigration Registration System (SIRS) score, which may change from draw to draw.

The minimum SIRS score selected in this draw has remained at 80; this is the same score that has been targeted in past BC PNP Tech rounds of invitations since March this year. 

Express Entry BC categories (EEBC) minimum SIRS score:

  • Skilled Worker: 80
  • International Graduate: 80

BC Skills Immigration categories minimum SIRS score: 

  • Skilled Worker: 80
  • International Graduate: 80

Impact of COVID-19 on B.C. tech occupations

A report on the impact of COVID-19 on various occupations in Canada has been released by the government of Canada. The report revealed an improvement in employment for some of the following tech occupations in B.C:

2171 Information systems analysts and consultants

This occupation has fared well overall since the beginning of the pandemic. Employment for this particular NOC code saw a 32% increase from April 2019 to April 2020. This is likely due to the nature of this role. Since the pandemic caused many people to work from home, these companies required innovative technology and secure access to data.

2174 Computer programmers and interactive media developers

Similarly, computer programmers and interactive media developers saw an overall increase in employment since the pandemic began. Employment was 15% higher in April 2020 compared to April 2019. Like NOC 2171, the pandemic created a demand for this role as employers required innovated computer software to accommodate their employees working from home.

6221 Technical sales specialists – wholesale trade

Travel restrictions and other disruptions caused by the pandemic resulted in a 59% decrease in employment in NOC 6221 from April 2019 to April 2020. However, reports show that employment for this occupation has improved significantly since May.

What is the benefit of BCPNP Tech?

In response to a labour market demand for certain tech occupations, the BC PNP Tech program offers a fast-tracked pathway to foreign workers and international students that can fill this gap.

The BC PNP Tech programs holds weekly draws with consistently lower points requirements than non-tech draws. Those with a qualifying tech job offer also benefit from faster application processing times. Overall, these candidates are in a stronger position to receive a nomination and more quickly than non-tech candidates.

Do I need an LMIA for this program?

British Columbia’s Provincial Nominee Program (BCPNP) offers work permit support letters to successful nominees. These letters allow applicants to apply for a work permit. In other words, these applicants do not require a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA). This is the result of a provincial-federal agreement that allows the province to issue these letters and bypass the lengthy LMIA process. However, BC employers must still fill a Job Offer form, which requires some details of the company’s recruitment efforts to hire a Canadian permanent resident or citizen.

Lauren Boorman

Lauren is a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant based in Montreal with a particular focus on researching and writing about the latest updates in immigration news.

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