General Requirements for the B.C. Skills Immigration Stream:

Applicants in the Skills Immigration Stream must meet the following general requirements, in addition to the specific requirements for the category under which they are applying:

1. General Requirements:

• The applicant must be qualified for the offered position, with the BC PNP referring to the National Occupational Classification (NOC), Work BC, or industry standards to determine the minimum qualifications for an occupation.
• The job offer must be in an eligible occupation with a wage rate that meets industry standards and aligns with rates offered by B.C. employers for the same occupation.
• Applicants must not have an ownership or equity stake of more than 10% in the B.C. company that made the job offer in the five years preceding and throughout the entire BC PNP application process.
• Benefit B.C. economically through their employment, which may include transferring knowledge and skills to Canadians, building the workforce for a significant project, creating or maintaining jobs for Canadians, and supporting the development of proprietary new products.
• Meet minimum income requirements.
• Submit a complete application and the $700 application fee if invited to apply.
• Applicant’s employment must not adversely affect the settlement of a labour dispute or the employment of anyone involved in a labour dispute.
• Applicant’s employment must not prevent the training or employment of a Canadian citizen or permanent resident.
• Candidates will not receive a nomination if they are:
• Prohibited from entering Canada.
• In Canada, without a valid legal status. If an applicant’s status has expired and they cannot demonstrate that they have applied for a restoration of status within the 90-day eligibility period, the applicant will be considered out of status.
• Working in Canada without authorization.
• Have an unresolved refugee claim in Canada.
• Under a removal order in or outside of Canada.

Minimum Eligibility Criteria:

To be eligible for the Entry Level and Semi-Skilled (ELSS) Category under the British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP), applicants must meet the following criteria:

2. Have received an indeterminate, full-time employment offer from an eligible B.C. employer in an eligible occupation, classified as NOC TEER 4 or 5 under the National Occupational Classification (NOC) system. ELSS-eligible occupations are divided into three key sectors,

(a) tourism and hospitality,

(b) trucking and

(c) food processing.

3. Have been employed full-time in an ELSS eligible occupation for at least nine consecutive months immediately before applying with the same B.C. employer supporting the application.
4. Individuals working in the Northeast Development Region of B.C. in any C or D-level occupation (excluding live-in caregivers) may be eligible for this category. Eligibility is not restricted to professions in the tourism/hospitality, long-haul trucking, or food processing industries in the Northeast Development Region of B.C.
5. Maintain full-time employment throughout the application process.
6. Demonstrate the ability to meet minimum income requirements and pay for housing and living expenses in British Columbia. That can be assessed using the income and employment prospects, location of residence in B.C., number of dependents, and English language ability.
7. Have completed secondary education and any licensing or certification required for the job.
8. Long-haul truck drivers must have a valid B.C. Class 1 driver’s licence, air brake endorsement, and other certification(s) (such as certification for transporting dangerous goods).
9. Submit language proficiency test results showing proficiency in English of at least Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 4 in all components (listening, speaking, reading, writing).

Additionally, if the applicant is no longer eligible to work for the supporting employer when receiving an Invitation to Apply for the BC PNP but still has status in Canada (for example, as a visitor) or has left Canada. In that case, the applicant may submit an application as long as meeting the conditions at registration for the BC PNP. The job offer remains valid throughout the application process.

Employers Eligibility Requirements:

To be eligible, B.C. employers must meet specific requirements and responsibilities, including:

• Be established in B.C.
• Meet domestic labour market recruitment requirements.
• Offer full-time, permanent employment (except for BC PNP Tech occupations, university professors, lecturers, and post-doctoral fellows working for a public university in B.C.).
• Offer a wage in line with industry standards.
• Provide a signed job offer.
• Complete and sign the employer declaration form.
• Submit supporting documents about the business.
• Follow laws and regulations.