PART 02: British Columbia (BC PNP)

Last week I mentioned that I would be taking a look at each Provincial Nominee Program as it is currently; But I should make a general disclaimer - the information contained on this blog, in any of the blog postings, is for information only. In no way does it constitute legal advice and in no way am I making proclamations that the information is thorough. Reading, is one of those things that can be interpreted in a number of different ways - and so I urge readers to take the information with a grain of salt.

So, time to dive in; The British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP) is developed around 2 main categories: Strategic Occupations and Business Immigration. Like many PNP programs, the emphasis is on skilled workers and entrepreneurs willing to make an investment in the province. Both of these categories are further divided into a number of different subcategories, each category with its own requirements. (Dont worry if you begin to suffer from tunnel vision, I think that's supposed to happen as you navigate link after link.)

Strategic Occupations: Under this stream, the applications are considered to be "Joint" applications, that is the employer and the prospective employee must file an application together, for the prospective employee's immigration and subsequent permenant residence.

1. Skilled workers: Managers, professionals, technologists and technicians, skilled trades
2. International graduates: Recent graduates of recognized BC post-secondary institutions
3. Designated health professionals: Registered nurses, midwives, registered psychiatric nurses, and physicians
4. Entry level and semi-skilled pilot project: Select occupations in tourism/hospitality, food processing, and long-haul trucking.
   

• For the differences between these streams (and there are plenty of differences), there are some common elements:
• the employer has offered, and the nominee applicant has accepted permanent and full-time employment in an eligible occupation
• the nominee applicant is qualified to do the job
• the wage offered is competitive with BC wage rates for the occupation
• the nominee applicant’s occupation offers good long-term prospects
• the employer is financially sound, with a history of good business and human resource practices, and has been operating in BC for at least one year ( two years for an Entry-Level and Semi-Skilled employer) and currently has at least five full-time employees
• the nominee applicant may not own 10% or more of the supporting employer company
• the employment of a foreign worker will be of significant economic benefit to BC
• the nominee applicant has the ability to become economically established in BC
• the employment of a foreign worker will not adversely affect the settlement of a labour dispute, or the employment of anyone involved in any such dispute
• the employer has actively recruited locally to fill the position
• if the nominee applicant is currently in Canada, they must maintain legal immigration status throughout the process and must not be subject to a removal order.
• the nominee applicant does not have an active refugee claim
• if the nominee applicant is currently outside Canada, they must not be prohibited from entering Canada and must have legal status in the country in which they are currently residing

Business Immigrants: The basic criteria for consideration under all three of the business categories relates to business eligibility:

• The primary purpose of the business is to earn profits from active income from the supply of products/services;
• The business' sustained commercial viability must be probable;
• The business must provide economic benefit to BC by contributing to one of the following:
  increasing the exports of goods/services; increasing value-added manufacturing, processing, or primary resource activity; increasing BC tourism; increasing research and development and technology commercialization; creating innovative approaches to traditional businesses; servicing an underserved regional market; transferring skills, technology, and know-how to BC

You can read more about the BC PNP Program Here.

http://www.welcomebc.ca/en/immigration/index.html

Next Up Alberta...

*Remember this information contained in this post and on this blog is for information only and does not constitute legal advice. *