Most Canadian provinces and territories, except for Nunavut and Quebec, leverage Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs) to target skilled immigrants for their regions. These programs allow local governments to select candidates whose skills directly address pressing labour market needs and demographic trends.
Quebec, with its distinct French-speaking majority, has a special agreement with the federal government (IRCC) regarding immigration. This agreement grants them greater control over economic immigration to Canada within the province, eliminating the need for a separate PNP.
For example, British Columbia issued a total of 39 invitations on April 16, 2024 to apply under the following immigration streams:
Skilled Worker
Skilled Worker - Express Entry British Columbia (EEBC) option
International Graduate
International Graduate – EEBC option
Entry Level and Semi-Skilled
All of these streams, except the Entry Level and Semi-Skilled stream, require a minimum score of 132 to qualify for an invitation in the April draw. The Entry Level and Semi-Skilled required a score of 107.
Additionally, the following professions received invitations:
Childcare
Construction
Healthcare
Veterinary care
In total about 40 invitations were issued with a minimum score being 80 and maximum 97 in this draw.
Generally, Skills Immigration streams in British Columbia is based on one or more of the following factors:
Education – level and field of education and where it was completed
Eligible professional designations in B.C.
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
Strategic priorities – factors that address specific labour market needs in B.C. or support government pilot projects and initiatives.
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide for educational purposes only. It does not create a lawyer-client relationship. For your specific circumstances, please contact a specialist.