New BC PNP Tech Draw Invites 74 Immigration Candidates

B.C. invited 74 tech workers to apply for a provincial nomination on September 21. B.C. has now issued over 8,661 invitations to apply for a provincial nomination since the start of 2021. The BC PNP Tech is a stream under the British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP), through which the invitations were issued. Candidates invited through B.C’s Tech draws have to meet certain criteria of one of British Columbia’s Express Entry BC and Skills immigration categories, which are managed by the Skills and Immigration Registration System (SIRS).

Candidates who received invitations in this draw were from the Skilled Worker and International Graduate subcategories and needed a minimum provincial score of 80. Invited candidates now have 30 calendar days to apply for the nomination. In 2021 so far, British Columbia has issued over 8,661 invitations to apply for provincial nomination. To know more about the PNP draw and other immigration pathways contact us at Vashist Immigration, our licensed consultants will help you with the procedures.

BC PNP Tech program

The BC PNP Tech was launched in May 2017 as a pilot project following a labor market study that found the biggest issue facing B.C.’s technology sector was access to talent. B.C made it a permanent program after the success of the project. The program is built to enable employers in British Columbia’s technology sector to continue to attract and select international talent when there is a dearth of qualified workers locally. The BC PNP Tech is a fast-track immigration pathway for in-demand tech workers and international students. Candidates need to be registered in one of B.C.’s existing provincial immigration streams and have a valid job offer of at least 12 months in one of 29 eligible occupations to qualify for the stream.

Unlike other BC PNP streams, job offers under the BC PNP Tech must be for a minimum of one year, with at least 120 days remaining at the time of application to the BC PNP. It must also be full-time and from an eligible employer in the province. Invitations through the province’s tech program are sent out weekly to the candidates who are top scorers and who meet the eligibility requirements.

Candidates who are invited to apply for a provincial nomination will need to submit a complete application. Once this is done, most tech applications will be processed within two to three months. If they are approved, candidates will receive a nomination confirmation that can be used to apply for permanent residence from Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) under the Provincial Nominee Program Class.PNP candidates earn 600 points for their score in the Comprehensive Ranking System and thus have a very good chance of obtaining an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for permanent residence via Express Entry.