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BCPNP - British Columbia PNP - Skilled Worker (SW) Stream
One of the PNP streams of British Columbia that can be both aligned or not with Express Entry
Home > Permanent Residence > Provincial Nominee Programs (PNP) > British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BCPNP) > BCPNP - Skilled Worker (SW) Stream
The guide below takes a deep look into one of the streams of the British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BCPNP), the Skilled Worker (SW) stream. The guide will go through an overview of the stream, its eligibility requirements, how it works, the documentation needed, its cost and processing times.
Overview of the Skilled Worker (SW) stream
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There are two Skilled Worker (SW) streams under British Columbia's PNP:
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The SW streams have minimum eligibility requirements, however, British Columbia does not send Invitations to Apply to every candidate that meets these minimum criteria. In fact, BCPNP conducts periodic SW draws, and each draw has its own minimum threshold score (out of 200, details in section below) for each of the two SW streams. If you score 135 points or more, you are assured to receive an invitation in the next draw.
More information is available in the Draw History section of this guide.
If nominated under the Express Entry category, a candidate will receive an additional 600 CRS points in their Express Entry profile, thus guaranteeing an Invitation to Apply.
More information is available in the Draw History section of this guide.
If nominated under the Express Entry category, a candidate will receive an additional 600 CRS points in their Express Entry profile, thus guaranteeing an Invitation to Apply.
Eligibility Requirements
As said earlier, meeting the following minimum eligibility requirements does not necessarily mean that you will receive an invitation to apply from the BCPNP. Each draw has a minimum threshold score, and you will receive an invitation only if your score is equal or above the threshold score.
There are 4 categories of general eligibility requirements under the Skilled Worker (SW) stream, summarized below:
1. Job Offer
You must hold an offer of indeterminate, full-time employment from an eligible BC employer. The Job Offer must be in an NOC code Skill Type/Level 0, A or B.
The wage stated on your Job Offer must be at market rate and comparable to the rate paid to workers with a similar level of experience and training for equivalent jobs in BC (bonuses, commissions, tips, housing allowance, etc. are not considered part of your wage).
In the five years preceding your application, and throughout the BCPNP application process, you and your spouse/partner must not have held a combined ownership/equity stake of more than 10% in the BC company that has offered you employment.
2. Work experience
You need at least 2 years of directly related full-time (or full-time equivalent) work experience in your Job Offer's NOC code (Skill Type/Level 0, A or B), and, if applicable, the credentials and qualification requirements of the position.
If the experience was in a co-op work, it can still be eligible if it was paid and full-time.
You can find more information about directly related work experience in the sub-factor 2.(i) of the SIRS below.
3. Language
If the Job Offer's NOC code is of Skill Type/Level 0 or A, you do not need language results to be eligible (BCPNP can still ask you to pass a language test, at their own discretion). However, to claim points in the sub-factor 2.(iii) of the SIRS, you need French or English language test results.
If the Job Offer's NOC code is of Skill Level B, you will need to have a Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) score of at least 4 to be eligible.
More information about language proficiency is available in the SIRS section below.
4. Minimum income requirements
You must demonstrate that you meet minimum income requirements according to your (i) gross annual wage in the Job Offer, (ii) location of residence in BC, and (iii) number of dependants.
You can include your spouse/partner's gross annual wage if they work in BC.
Bonuses, commissions, tips, housing allowance, etc. are not included when calculating your wage.
The annual wage is calculated as: (hourly rate) x (hours worked per week (max 40h)) x (52 weeks a year).
The minimum income requirements as set by BCPNP are presented in the table below:
There are 4 categories of general eligibility requirements under the Skilled Worker (SW) stream, summarized below:
1. Job Offer
You must hold an offer of indeterminate, full-time employment from an eligible BC employer. The Job Offer must be in an NOC code Skill Type/Level 0, A or B.
The wage stated on your Job Offer must be at market rate and comparable to the rate paid to workers with a similar level of experience and training for equivalent jobs in BC (bonuses, commissions, tips, housing allowance, etc. are not considered part of your wage).
In the five years preceding your application, and throughout the BCPNP application process, you and your spouse/partner must not have held a combined ownership/equity stake of more than 10% in the BC company that has offered you employment.
2. Work experience
You need at least 2 years of directly related full-time (or full-time equivalent) work experience in your Job Offer's NOC code (Skill Type/Level 0, A or B), and, if applicable, the credentials and qualification requirements of the position.
If the experience was in a co-op work, it can still be eligible if it was paid and full-time.
You can find more information about directly related work experience in the sub-factor 2.(i) of the SIRS below.
3. Language
If the Job Offer's NOC code is of Skill Type/Level 0 or A, you do not need language results to be eligible (BCPNP can still ask you to pass a language test, at their own discretion). However, to claim points in the sub-factor 2.(iii) of the SIRS, you need French or English language test results.
If the Job Offer's NOC code is of Skill Level B, you will need to have a Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) score of at least 4 to be eligible.
More information about language proficiency is available in the SIRS section below.
4. Minimum income requirements
You must demonstrate that you meet minimum income requirements according to your (i) gross annual wage in the Job Offer, (ii) location of residence in BC, and (iii) number of dependants.
You can include your spouse/partner's gross annual wage if they work in BC.
Bonuses, commissions, tips, housing allowance, etc. are not included when calculating your wage.
The annual wage is calculated as: (hourly rate) x (hours worked per week (max 40h)) x (52 weeks a year).
The minimum income requirements as set by BCPNP are presented in the table below:
| # of dependants | Greater Vancouver Regional District | Rest of British Columbia |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 22,804 CAD | 19,006 CAD |
| 2 | 28,390 CAD | 23,659 CAD |
| 3 | 34,902 CAD | 29,087 CAD |
| 4 | 42,376 CAD | 35,316 CAD |
| 5 | 48,062 CAD | 40,054 CAD |
| 6 | 54,205 CAD | 45,175 CAD |
| 7 or more | 60,350 CAD | 50,296 CAD |
Specific requirements for the Express Entry category:
You need to qualify to one of the three federal programs to be eligible to the SW stream. To understand the eligibility criteria of these three programs, click either on FSW, FST or CEC.
There are discrepancies between the minimum requirements under the federal programs and the SW stream, so you need to satisfy to the strictest of the two. Language proficiency and level of education requirements are examples of such discrepancies.
If you need to understand how the Express Entry system works, you can follow our 10-step guide.
The Skills Immigration Registration System (SIRS)
You need to register on BCPNP Online (through the SIRS) and fill in the various forms, then you are given a score out of 200 points, that depends on two factors and six sub-factors. Below is the summary table that will let you know how the score is calculated:
| Factors | Sub-factors | Maximum Points |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Economic Factors | (i) Skill Level of the BC Job Offer | 60 |
| (ii) Wage of the BC Job Offer | 50 | |
| (iii) Regional District of Employment | 10 | |
| 2. Human Capital Factors | (i) Directly Related Work Experience | 25 |
| (ii) Highest Level of Education | 25 | |
| (iii) Language | 30 | |
| Total | 200 |
Each sub-factor's point distribution is explained in detailed below.
1. Economic Factors
1.(i). Skill Level of the BC Job Offer
You can learn more about the National Occupational Classification (NOC) codes here. Maximum points that you can claim for this sub-factor are 60 points.
| 1.(i). Skill Level of the BC Job Offer | Points |
|---|---|
| NOC Skill Level A | 25 |
| NOC Skill Level B | 10 |
| NOC Skill Level C or D | 5 |
| Additional Points | |
| NOC Skill Type 00 (Senior Management) | 15 |
| Occupation identified in the B.C. High Demand Occupations List | 10 |
| Currently working full-time in B.C. for the employer in the same NOC code as the Job Offer | 10 |
1.(ii). Wage of the BC Job Offer
The points of this sub-factor depend on the annual wage in the Job Offer. You can claim up to 50 points.
| 1.(ii). Wage of the BC Job Offer | Points |
|---|---|
| 100,000 CAD or more | 50 |
| 97,500 to 99,999 CAD | 38 |
| 95,000 to 97,499 CAD | 37 |
| 92,500 to 94,999 CAD | 36 |
| 90,000 to 92,499 CAD | 35 |
| 87,500 to 89,999 CAD | 34 |
| 85,000 to 87,499 CAD | 33 |
| 82,500 to 84,999 CAD | 32 |
| 80,000 to 82,499 CAD | 31 |
| 77,500 to 79,999 CAD | 30 |
| 75,000 to 77,499 CAD | 29 |
| 72,500 to 74,999 CAD | 28 |
| 70,000 to 72,499 CAD | 27 |
| 67,500 to 69,999 CAD | 26 |
| 65,000 to 67,499 CAD | 25 |
| 62,500 to 64,999 CAD | 24 |
| 60,000 to 62,499 CAD | 23 |
| 57,500 to 59,999 CAD | 22 |
| 55,000 to 57,499 CAD | 21 |
| 52,500 to 54,999 CAD | 20 |
| 50,000 to 52,499 CAD | 19 |
| 47,500 to 49,999 CAD | 18 |
| 45,000 to 47,499 CAD | 17 |
| 42,500 to 44,999 CAD | 16 |
| 40,000 to 42,499 CAD | 15 |
| 38,750 to 39,999 CAD | 14 |
| 37,500 to 38,749 CAD | 13 |
| 36,250 to 37,499 CAD | 12 |
| 35,000 to 36,249 CAD | 11 |
| 33,750 to 34,999 CAD | 10 |
| 32,500 to 33,749 CAD | 9 |
| 31,250 to 32,499 CAD | 8 |
| 30,000 to 31,249 CAD | 7 |
| 28,750 to 29,999 CAD | 6 |
| 27,500 to 28,749 CAD | 5 |
| 26,250 to 27,499 CAD | 4 |
| 25,000 to 26,249 CAD | 3 |
| 24,999 CAD or less | 0 |
1. (iii). Regional District of Employment
This sub-factor allocates points based on the region of employment specified in the Job Offer. You can claim up to 10 points.
| 1.(iii). Regional District of Employment | Points |
|---|---|
| Stikine, Central Coast, Northern Rockies, Mount Waddington, Skeena-Queen Charlotte, Powell River, Sunshine Coast, Kootenay-Boundary, Alberni-Clayoquot | 10 |
| Kitimat-Stikine, Bulkley-Nechako, Squamish-Lillooet, Strathcona, Columbia-Shuswap, East Kootenay | 8 |
| Peace River, Comox Valley, Cariboo, Central Kootenay | 6 |
| Okanagan-Similkameen, Cowichan Valley, North Okanagan, Fraser-Fort George | 4 |
| Thompson-Nicola, Nanaimo, Central Okanagan, Capital, Fraser Valley | 2 |
| Greater Vancouver | 0 |
2.(i). Directly Related Work Experience
You can earn points on this sub-factor if you have work experience in the same NOC code as the one related to your Job Offer, either inside or outside Canada. You may earn still earn these points if your work experience is in an NOC code related to the one in the Job Offer, and if its Skill Level is equal or above the one of the Job Offer's NOC code (example: work experience as a senior manager in the financial service field (NOC 0013) and the Job Offer is for a financial sales representative (NOC 6235)). You can claim up to 25 points.
| 2.(i). Directly Related Work Experience | Points |
|---|---|
| 60 months or more | 15 |
| 48 to 59 months | 12 |
| 36 to 47 months | 9 |
| 24 to 35 months | 6 |
| 12 to 23 months | 3 |
| 12 months or less | 1 |
| None | 0 |
| Additional Points | |
| At least 12 months in Canada | 10 |
2.(ii). Highest Level of Education
You can earn a maximum of 25 points with your highest educational credential. You have two options if your credential is not Canadian:
- Claim the points for your highest non-Canadian credential (for example 11 points for a Bachelor's Degree) without any Canadian equivalency points.
- Claim the additional 4 points if you get an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) from a recognized service provider for your foreign credential. However, you can only select the credential level given to you on the ECA report.
| 2.(ii). Highest Level of Education | Points |
|---|---|
| Master’s or Doctorate/PhD | 17 |
| Postgraduate Certificate or Diploma (after Bachelor's Degree) | 11 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 11 |
| Post-secondary Diploma/Certificate (Trades) | 11 |
| Associate Degree | 4 |
| Post-secondary diploma/certificate | 2 |
| Secondary (High) school or less | 0 |
| Additional Points | |
| Post-secondary education completed in BC | 8 |
| Post-secondary education completed in Canada (outside of BC) | 6 |
| Educational Credential Assessment from a qualified supplier | 4 |
| Successfully completed the Industry Training Authority British Columbia (ITABC’s) challenge certification process | 4 |
2.(iii). Language
You can earn up to 30 points depending on your language proficiency in French or English. You need to pass an approved language test, and your scores can be translated to Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB). Points are awarded according to the lowest CLB score obtained in each of the four competencies: listening, speaking, reading and writing.
| 2.(iii). Language score | Points |
|---|---|
| CLB10 or more | 30 |
| CLB9 | 26 |
| CLB8 | 22 |
| CLB7 | 18 |
| CLB6 | 14 |
| CLB5 | 10 |
| CLB4 | 6 |
| Below CLB4 or no test results | 0 |
Application Process Summary
For a better understanding of the process, below is a list of the steps involved in obtaining Permanent Residence through the two Skilled Worker (SW) streams.
(i) For the Express Entry category, candidates must:
(ii) For the Skills Immigration category (not aligned with Express Entry), candidates must:
(i) For the Express Entry category, candidates must:
- Meet the eligibility requirements of the federal FSW, FST or CEC programs.
- Generate their Express Entry profile, and specify their interest in the province by selecting "British Columbia" or “All Provinces and Territories”.
- Qualify for the minimum SW stream eligibility requirements and register a profile in BCPNP Online.
- Obtain an invitation to apply directly in their BCPNP Online profile.
- Apply to the SW stream within 30 days of receiving the invitation to apply, by submitting their application through BCPNP Online (filling in forms and uploading required documents).
- Accept the British Columbia provincial nomination (after the BCPNP processes their application) within 30 days of receiving it on their Express Entry profile.
- Obtain an additional 600 CRS points in the Express Entry profile to receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA).
- Apply for permanent residence through your Express Entry profile.
(ii) For the Skills Immigration category (not aligned with Express Entry), candidates must:
- Qualify for the minimum SW stream eligibility requirements and register a profile in BCPNP Online.
- Obtain an invitation to apply directly in their BCPNP Online profile.
- Apply to the SW stream within 30 days of receiving the invitation to apply, by submitting their application through BCPNP Online (filling in forms and uploading required documents).
- Apply for Permanent Residence to the federal government (IRCC) within 6 months of receiving the nomination. Candidates need to apply on paper to IRCC, and include the nomination documents received from BCPNP.
Required Supporting Documents
After receiving your invitation to apply through your BCPNP Online profile, you will have 30 calendar days to submit a full application to the BCPNP, including supporting documentation and paying the application fees.
All required documents must be uploaded on your BCPNP Online profile. Specific requirements for documents are explained in detail here.
All required documents must be uploaded on your BCPNP Online profile. Specific requirements for documents are explained in detail here.
Application Fees
The fee for this stream is set at 1,150 CAD. It can only be paid by a credit or debit card.
Application fees can only be refunded if the applicant withdraws his/her application before processing starts.
Application fees can only be refunded if the applicant withdraws his/her application before processing starts.
Processing Times
Based on 80% of cases, the processing times for a Skilled Worker stream application are estimated to be between 60 to 90 days. However, some applications may need more time to be processed if more complex or necessitate more documents and/or information.
Draw History
You can check out our awesome Live PNP Monitor to see the latest news and draw history on both Skilled Worker (Express Entry and Skills Immigration categories) streams, as well as for all the other PNP streams.
Do I have to stay in the Province?
This is a tricky question and there are multiple situations that can happen. You can learn more about this subject on our dedicated article: Can I move to another province?
Does the Stream have In-Demand jobs?
Some streams target specific NOC codes, meaning that if you have experience in those in-demand jobs, you either (i) have more chances to be invited or (ii) that you can be eligible to the stream.
In the case of the Skilled Worker stream, it is a special case. Indeed, under the Tech Pilot, if your job offer is in one of the NOC Tech codes, your application can enjoy faster processing times. You can find out about the Tech Pilot NOC codes and other provinces' targeted jobs in our in-demand NOC codes article.
In the case of the Skilled Worker stream, it is a special case. Indeed, under the Tech Pilot, if your job offer is in one of the NOC Tech codes, your application can enjoy faster processing times. You can find out about the Tech Pilot NOC codes and other provinces' targeted jobs in our in-demand NOC codes article.
