British Columbia Issues 108 Invitations to Eligible Tech Workers

The British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP) organizes regular Tech draws to invite skilled workers in the technology sector. 

What is the Tech draw?

The BC PNP Tech was introduced in May 2017 as a pilot when a labor market study revealed that the province’s technology sector struggled to access talented workers. The project turned out to be highly successful, and British Columbia recently declared it a permanent program. Employers in the provincial tech industry will now be able to attract and choose talented international workers in the absence of qualified local workers via this program.

The BC PNP Tech is popular among international students and in-demand tech workers because it acts as a fast-track immigration pathway. Interested candidates can get themselves registered in any of the existing provincial immigration streams. To qualify, they also have to secure a valid job offer spanning 12 months or more in any of the 29 eligible professions listed by the province.

Latest draw

Canada held the latest PNP draw on October 5 and issued a total of 108 invitations to skilled tech workers. The invited candidates will now be able to submit their applications for a provincial nomination. They have to satisfy the eligibility requirements of either the Express Entry BC or the Skills immigration category of the province. The Skills and Immigration Registration System (SIRS) manages both these programs.

The October 5 draw saw candidates in the International Graduate and Skilled Worker subcategories receiving invitations, and the minimum provincial score cutoff was 70. The invited candidates can apply for their nomination within 30 days.

British Columbia has already invited more than 9,000 candidates to apply for provincial nomination in 2021.