The Canadian province of British Columbia (BC) is situated alongside the Pacific coast. It is Canada’s major driver of industry and commerce along the eastern coast of North America. Consequently, it has become the premier Canadian destination for many immigrants wishing to immigrate to Canada’s eastern seaboard.
The socio-economic capital of BC is Vancouver. Vancouver has the highest population and population density, the largest metropolitan GDP, GDP per capita, and the highest number of companies and business establishments in the entirety of the Canadian east coast.
The factors above, coupled with the abundant natural resources and the highly educated populace, have created a socioeconomic environment that thrives on and capitalizes on any economic opportunities presented.
This has enabled Vancouver to have one of Canada’s highest per capita employment rates, especially in specialized technical occupations.
Despite this, Vancouver has still had to deal with the growing labor shortages in key sectors of the service economy, such as caregivers, retail workers, salespeople, and general workers.
These occupations require vast amounts of unskilled and semi-skilled labor and are essential to the health of any economy.
Partnering with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), BC’s provincial government has several provincial nominee programs to attract eligible workers to augment the province’s labor force. Each PNP is roughly divided according to the type of occupation and your connections to BC.
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BC PNP’s Streams for Immigrants with Job Offers
If you have a job offer in a skilled or in-demand occupation, the best way for you to immigrate to Columbia would be through utilizing the BC PNP or the British Columbia Skills Immigration Stream.
BC tries to cater to the vast majority of the labor classes while also aiming to meet specific labor shortages unique to the province’s borders.
Should BC find your candidacy before your application promising, it will issue an eligibility assessment that you will have to fill out based on your:
- Work experience
- Education
- Language proficiency
- Hourly wage
- Job location in BC
- Medical clearance
- Police clearance
A lot of job offers from BC employers will but do not require a Labor Market Impact Assessment.
The program aims to help foreign workers and graduates contribute to the BC economy and provides an immigration pathway for tech workers and skilled refugees. Find out how you can land a job in BC here.
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BC Tech Pilot
The BC provincial government created this tech pilot in collaboration with Canada’s Ministry of Jobs, Trade and Technology to address the skills labor shortage in BC. It also speeds up the application process for skilled workers and international students who want to obtain permanent residency in Canada.
At the moment, BC has 29 occupations listed as in demand for the BC PNP Tech Pilot program. Weekly draws are conducted by the province to regularly replenish the labor reserves of the province and the eligible candidates in its PNP pools.
Eligibility Requirements
The eligibility requirements for the BC Tech Pilot can be outlined as follows:
- EE (Express Entry)
- Not necessary
- Ties to the Province
- Not needed
- Offer of Employment
- Yes – Must have at least a year’s offer of employment in one of the 29 eligible occupations.
- Proficiency with language
- Requirements for Express Entry (For FSWP and CEC (CLB 7); For FSTP (CLB 4)
- Education Levels
- Requirements for Express Entry (High School, Tertiary Qualification, and On-the-job-training or Job-specific training)
- Work Experience
- At least two years of related work experience
- Age
- Requirements for Express Entry
- Funds/Income for Settlement in Canada
- Income/Settlements funds as proof of financial self-sufficiency
- Processing Times for applications (average)
- At least Six months for Express Entry or for BC PNP online, at least 2 to 3 months
BC Entrepreneur Stream
The BC Entrepreneur Stream deals with immigration visa streams that involve attracting foreign members of the business community who can contribute to Canada’s economy by providing employment opportunities through their work streams.
Suppose you are an experienced entrepreneur who intends to invest in and actively manage an eligible business in BC. In that case, you can use the BC Entrepreneur to move to and start a business in the province. Individuals must have business ownership and management experience. You should also demonstrate that you can:
- Establish yourself in BC
- Invest in businesses that are existing or new; and
- Contribute economically to the province by employing BC’s citizens and permanent residents.
Eligibility Requirements
The BC Entrepreneur Stream eligibility requirements are as follows:
- Requirements for Express Entry option:
- Not needed
- Ties to Province:
- Not needed
- Job offer:
- Not needed
- Language Proficiency:
- In English or French, must be CLB4/NCLC4 or higher
- Education levels:
- Must have Post-secondary education or Business Experience that is sufficient for at least 3 of the past five years and 100% business ownership
- Occupational experience:
- Owned or managed a business for at least three years (within the last ten years)
- Age requirement:
- No needed
- Funds or income for settlement:
- Not needed
- Investment funds requirement:
- Have a minimum of CAD 200,000 or at least CAD 600,000 Personal Net Worth
- Processing Times for application (on average):
- 15 – 19 months
Do You Qualify?
Entrepreneur Regional Pilot
To start a new business in BC, you can obtain permanent residence through this immigration pilot.
Eligibility Requirements
The BC Entrepreneur Regional Pilot eligibility requirements are as follows:
- Option for Express Entry:
- Not needed
- Ties to the Province:
- Not needed
- Offer of employment:
- Not needed
- Language Proficiency:
- In English or French must be CLB4/NCLC4 or Higher
- Education levels:
- Sufficient Business Experience or Post-secondary education for at least 3 of the past five years and owned a business wholly (100%)
- Occupational Experience:
- Must have owned or managed a business for at least three years in the past five years
- Age requirements:
- Not needed
- Funds or income for settlement:
- Not needed
- Funds for Investment:
- Must be a minimum of CAD 100,000 or have a personal net worth of at least CAD 300,000
- Application processing times (on average):
- 15 – 19 months
Strategic Projects Category
Existing business owners and heads of foreign-owned corporations who want to establish a separate business entity in BC can move there and eventually obtain Canadian permanent residence through the Strategic Projects Category.
Eligibility Requirements
The BC Strategic Projects Category eligibility requirements are as follows:
- Option for Express Entry:
- Not needed
- Ties to the Province:
- Not needed
- Job offer:
- Not needed
- Language Proficiency:
- In English or French, must be (CLB 4) or higher
- Education levels:
- Important staff members need to have relevant qualifications for the position they’re in
- Occupational Experience:
- Staff members in key positions need relevant senior/executive experience and should already be employed by a foreign corporation.
- Age requirements:
- Not needed
- Funds for settlement:
- Not needed
- Investment equity funds:
- Have a minimum of CAD 500,000
- Application Processing Times on average:
- 15 – 19 months
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If you Studied in Canada
International Graduate
Students who have graduated from a Canadian university or college in the last three years and want to settle permanently in BC can do so through the International Graduate stream.
The International Graduate eligibility requirements are as follows:
- Offer of employment:
- Yes. This is needed (TEER 0, 1, 2, or 3)
- Language Proficiency:
- Requirements for Express Entry (TEER 0 or 1 – CLB 7; TEER 2 or 3 – CLB 4)
- Education levels:
- Must have qualifications in Tertiary education (degree, diploma, or certificate) bestowed by a Canadian institution in the last three years
- Occupational Experience:
- No
- Age requirements:
- Requirements for Express Entry
- Funds for settlements:
- Yes
- Average Application Processing Times:
- Six months for Express Entry or BC PNP Online for 2 to 3 months
If you Studied Outside of Canada
Skilled Worker
Skilled workers are in huge demand in BC. They are critical to the continued growth of local industries and the complicated administrative and managerial competencies needed to keep them going.
Placing a premium on attracting these workers, the following are the general eligibility requirements for skilled workers if they wish to immigrate to BC.
- Job offer:
- Yes
- Language Proficiency:
- Requirements for Express Entry(CLB 7 for FSWP and CEC; CLB4 for FSTP
- Education levels:
- Requirements for Express Entry( qualification from a tertiary institution, high school diploma, and job-specific training or on-the-job-training)
- Occupational Experience:
- Two years at least of work experience related to the occupation
- Age requirements:
- Requirements for Express Entry
- Funds for settlement:
- Yes. It is needed
- Average Application Processing Time:
- At least Six months for Express Entry; or (BC PNP Online) of at least 2 to 3 months
Health Authority
BC needs eligible workers for its critical healthcare system. Foreign healthcare workers must meet the following eligibility requirements.
- Ties to the Province:
- Yes
- Job offer:
- Yes, if offered by a specialized health occupation e.g, clinical pharmacist
- Language Proficiency:
- Requirements for Express Entry(TEER) 0 or 1 – CLB 7; TEER 2 or 3 – CLB 4)
- Education levels:
- Requirements for Express Entry(qualifications from a tertiary institution, high school diploma, and job-specific training or on-the-job-training)
- Occupational Experience:
- Related work experience of at least two years
- Age requirements:
- Requirements for Express Entry
- Funds or income for Settlement in Canada:
- Yes
- Average Application Processing Time:
- A least six months for Express Entry; or (BC PNP Online) for 2 to 3 months
Find Your Pathway
If you Work in Tourism, Hospitality, or Food Processing
Much like Canada’s highly populated and urbanized regions, BC requires many unskilled and semi-skilled labor to perform the essential job in each province. This presents the greatest number of opportunities for a lot of people to move to Canada as long as they meet the following minimum eligibility requirements
The eligibility criteria for these occupations include:
- Options for Express Entry:
- Not needed
- Ties to the Province:
- Yes. It is needed
- Job offer:
- Yes, for sectors such as tourism/hospitality, long-haul trucking, and food processing
- Language Proficiency:
- Yes, it is needed – CLB 4
- Education levels:
- Yes (a secondary qualification or high school diploma and certification or licensing that is required by the occupation)
- Occupational Experience:
- You need to have been employed for at least nine consecutive months in BC right before submitting your application
- Age requirements:
- Not needed
- Income/Settlement Funds:
- Yes
- Average Application Processing Times:
- At least 2-3 months for BC Provincial Nominee Program Online)
BC In-Demand Occupations
BC has a set of in-demand occupations that are unique to the province. If you search for a job offer or study in BC to obtain a job there, you must understand the list of occupations needed in the province. Here is a list of BC’s in-demand occupations.
Why Choose to Move to British Columbia?
BC is the sole major province in Canada that provides a relatively good standard of living and is famous for providing its permanent resident citizens with the following benefits.
- Abundant employment opportunities (low unemployment rate)
- Low crime rates
- Highly quality, free education
- Cheap, Effective healthcare system
- Fulfilling lifestyle and culture with thriving festivals in music, film, etc.
If these aspects of BC life are attractive to you, then take the chance to immigrate to Canada today!
Get Ready to Live Your Best Life in British Columbia!
Don’t waste time, and move to BC today. We advise using the services of one of our accredited Regulated Canadian immigration Consultants (RCICs), who can assist you throughout the application process and ensure that all tasks needed for your application are done on time and as effectively as possible.
Ready to Start Your Journey?
FAQs
What is the Average Wage for an Unskilled Worker in BC?
According to Talent.com, the average salary for an unskilled worker in BC is $37,538.
Which City has the Highest Number of Skilled Workers in BC?
With its burgeoning Tech industry valuation, Vancouver attracts the highest number of skilled workers in BC.