British Columbia's Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP) held its inaugural skills immigration draw for 2025 on May 8, focusing on candidates deemed to have "high economic impact" potential for the province. Prior to this, all BC PNP draws in 2025 had been exclusively for entrepreneur immigration streams.

Draw Results and Cap Implications

A total of 94 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) for provincial nomination were issued in this single draw. Candidates were invited based on meeting one of two criteria:

• Holding a minimum wage of $105/hour, while currently working for their supporting employer in a skilled job that was classified at National Occupation Classification (NOC) Training Education Experience and Responsibilities (TEER) level 0; OR
• Holding a minimum score of 150 points, according to the BC PNP’s candidate scoring system.

The 94 ITAs were reportedly split evenly between these two criteria, with 47 invitations issued under each.

This draw significantly impacts the limited allocations for this specific pathway. The BC PNP had previously announced its intention to nominate only "approximately 100" candidates through its high-economic skills immigration pathway in 2025. This cautious approach is a direct response to a substantial reduction in provincial nomination allocations from the federal government. Assuming all 94 invited candidates successfully apply and are approved, this pathway's cap for the year is now nearly reached.

The BC PNP has advised that future high economic impact skills immigration draws may consider different factors, including:

• Education – specifically the level and field of education, and where it was completed;
• Professional designation in British Columbia;
• Language skills;
• Occupation;
• Duration and skill level of work experience;
• Wage and/or skill level of job offer;
• Intent to live, work, and settle in a specific region in British Columbia; and/or
• Strategic priorities – specifically, factors that address specific labour market needs in B.C., or support government pilot projects and initiatives.

Broader Outlook for the BC PNP

For 2025, the BC PNP plans to accept only 1,100 net new applications for provincial nomination in total. With the high-economic impact pathway nearing its limit, the remainder of BC PNP’s provincial nominations for the year are expected to be allocated primarily to:

• Front-line healthcare workers and managers in healthcare; and
• Entrepreneurs.

Significant Changes to BC PNP Streams

British Columbia has also recently announced major changes impacting multiple immigration streams within the BC PNP. These adjustments include:

• A pause on general and priority occupations draws for 2025;
• The waitlisting of applications under the International Post-Graduate (IPG) Stream received between September 2024 and January 2025;
• The postponement of three new student immigration streams until the restoration of the BC PNP’s provincial allocation;
• New limitations on the Health Authority Stream to front-line healthcare workers and managers in healthcare only; and
• The exclusion of Early Childhood Educator Assistants from education draws, creating a new focus on Early Childhood Educators (ECEs).

These comprehensive changes underscore the significant impact of reduced federal allocations on British Columbia's immigration strategy, forcing a more targeted approach to nominee selection in 2025. Prospective immigrants are advised to stay updated on the latest BC PNP announcements.