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BC PNP International Post-Graduate Stream
Summary:
The British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP) offers several streams and the International Post-Graduate stream is one of the Skills Immigration program. This category is for individuals who have obtained a master’s or doctoral degree in the natural, applied, or health sciences from a British Columbia institution, or are a PhD candidate at a public B.C. post-secondary institution. The International Post-Graduate stream is unique in that applicants do not need a job offer from an employer to apply to this program. In this article, we will provide an overview of the International Post-Graduate stream, including its eligibility requirements, how it works, the documentation needed, its cost, and processing times.
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:
- 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 International Post-Graduate Category under the British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP), applicants must meet the following eligibility criteria in addition to the general requirements for the BC Skills Immigration Stream:
- Have obtained a master’s or doctoral degree from an eligible British Columbia institution within the three years preceding the application to the BC PNP in one of the following fields:
- Agriculture, or agriculture operations and related sciences,
- Biological and biomedical sciences,
- Computer and information sciences, and support services,
- Engineering, or Engineering technology and engineering-related fields,
- Health professions and related programs,
- Mathematics and statistics,
- Natural resources conservation, and
- Physical sciences.
- For the Doctorate Program, there are enlisted public universities and colleges, that offer Ph.D. programs eligible in the BC PNP International Post-Graduate Category.
- The applicants must demonstrate that they have the ability and intent to live, work, and economically establish in B.C.
- Provide evidence that they intend to reside permanently in B.C., such as-
- the length of current or previous periods of residence in B.C.,
- the applicant’s connections to B.C. through work, study, or family,
- a description of any settlement activities that the applicant has undertaken (finding a job or place to reside),
- current employment in B.C., and employment search details (prospective employers, applications, networking efforts, business development, etc.),
- community involvement,
- an applicant’s ability to be financially self-sufficient in B.C., or
- a plan to obtain or maintain legal authorization to work in B.C.
- Have, or be eligible for, legal immigration status in Canada.
- Regulatory or professional doctorates, such as Juris Doctor (J.D.) and Doctor of Medicine (M.D.), are not eligible under this stream.
- To use the Express Entry BC option, applicants must have an IRCC Express Entry Profile Number and a Job Seeker Validation Code.
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Required Supporting Documents:
- The nominee applicant must provide the following:
- Copy of Express Entry Candidacy from IRCC (if using Express Entry BC)
- Copy of Canadian immigration records (if applicable)
- Copy of biographical page of passport
- Current photograph
- Copy of Labour Market Impact Assessment (if applicable)
- Copy of official education transcripts and/or education certificates (diploma, degree etc.); Recent graduates can provide a letter from your B.C. post-secondary institution showing the completion of required courses if a certificate is unavailable, and letters must be on the school’s official letterhead;
- Copy of Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) (if applicable)
- Copies of any occupational licenses or certificates
- Current resume/C.V.
- Evidence of intent to settle and find employment in B.C.
- Copy of spouse’s Canadian Work Permit (if applicable)
- Copies of spouse’s two most recent pay stubs in Canada (if applicable)
- Copy of spouse’s employment offer letter from a Canadian employer (if applicable)
Application Process:
The application process for the BC PNP Skill Immigration Stream involves four main steps: registration, invitation, application, and decision. Here is a brief overview of each step:
- If the applicant meets the requirements for the International Post-Graduate Stream, does not have to submit a registration and can apply directly in BCPNP Online system;
- Create a profile with the BC PNP Online system and apply within three years of graduating.
- Register for the International Graduate stream category.
- Receive a score based on the information.
- Get invited to apply.
- Submit an application within 30 days of receiving an invitation to apply.
- The BC PNP office will review the application.
- Receive a nomination from the BC PNP.
- Apply for permanent residence to the IRCC.
Processing Times and Fees:
The processing time for the International Post-Graduate (IG) stream of the British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BCPNP) is estimated to be around two to three months, and the application cost is $1,475 CAD. However, some applications may need more time to be processed if they are more complex or require more documents and information.
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