British Columbia issued at least 357 invitations on June 2 through the British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program, targeting skilled workers in care and construction occupations as well as entrepreneurs seeking to start or acquire businesses in the province.
The draw was the province’s first selection round of June and its 12th round of selections in 2026. Six of those rounds have been through the Skills Immigration category, and six through the Entrepreneur Immigration category.
Skills Immigration Draw
The Skills Immigration draw accounted for 342 of the invitations issued.
The selection aligned with British Columbia’s new provincial immigration priorities announced on April 23, 2026, especially the “Care” and “Build” objectives. These priorities are intended to attract talent and address critical labour market needs.
The invitations were issued across education, health, veterinary, and construction trades occupations.
| Core objective | Occupational category | Number of NOCs targeted | Invitations issued | Minimum score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Care | Education | 1 | 91 | 111 |
| Care | Health | 31 | 117 | 100 |
| Care | Veterinary | 2 | 6 | 92 |
| Build | Construction trades | 9 | 128 | 101 |
Of the 342 Skills Immigration invitations, 37.4% went to workers in construction trades. The remaining invitations went to healthcare and care-related services.
As of June 2, British Columbia had issued 2,485 invitations through the Skills Immigration category in 2026.
Education Occupation Targeted
The education draw targeted:
- 42202 — Early childhood educators
Early childhood educators are eligible for a targeted invitation only if they hold a one-year or five-year ECE certificate issued by the ECE Registry.
Health Occupations Targeted
The health draw targeted 31 National Occupational Classification codes, including:
- 30010 — Managers in health care
- 31100 — Specialists in clinical and laboratory medicine
- 31101 — Specialists in surgery
- 31102 — General practitioners and family physicians
- 31110 — Dentists
- 31112 — Audiologists and speech-language pathologists
- 31120 — Pharmacists
- 31121 — Dietitians and nutritionists
- 31200 — Psychologists
- 31201 — Chiropractors
- 31202 — Physiotherapists
- 31203 — Occupational therapists
- 31204 — Kinesiologists and other professional occupations in therapy
- 31209 — Other professional occupations in health diagnosing and treating
- 31300 — Nursing coordinators and supervisors
- 31301 — Registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses
- 31302 — Nurse practitioners
- 31303 — Physician assistants, midwives, and allied health professionals
- 32101 — Licensed practical nurses
- 32102 — Paramedical occupations
- 32103 — Respiratory therapists, clinical perfusionists, and cardiopulmonary technologists
- 32111 — Dental hygienists and dental therapists
- 32112 — Dental technologists and technicians
- 32120 — Medical laboratory technologists
- 32121 — Medical radiation technologists
- 32122 — Medical sonographers
- 32123 — Cardiology technologists and electrophysiological diagnostic technologists
- 32200 — Traditional Chinese medicine practitioners and acupuncturists
- 33101 — Medical laboratory assistants and related technical occupations
- 33102 — Nurse aides, orderlies, and patient service associates
- 41300 — Social workers
Applicants with a job offer under NOC 33102 must be registered with the BC Care Aide & Community Health Worker Registry to be considered for a targeted invitation.
Veterinary Occupations Targeted
The veterinary draw targeted:
- 31103 — Veterinarians
- 32104 — Animal health technologists and veterinary technicians
Animal health technologists and veterinary technicians under NOC 32104 with valid professional designation also received targeted invitations.
Construction Trades Targeted
The construction trades draw targeted nine occupations:
- 72106 — Welders and related machine operators
- 72200 — Electricians, except industrial and power system
- 72201 — Industrial electricians
- 72300 — Plumbers
- 72301 — Steamfitters, pipefitters, and sprinkler system installers
- 72310 — Carpenters
- 72400 — Construction millwrights and industrial mechanics
- 72401 — Heavy-duty equipment mechanics
- 72402 — Heating, refrigeration, and air conditioning mechanics
To receive a targeted invitation, workers in construction trades must have a valid trade certificate issued by SkilledTradesBC or have a trades apprenticeship registered with SkilledTradesBC. The certificate or apprenticeship must correspond with the job offer.
Entrepreneur Immigration Draw
British Columbia also invited at least 15 entrepreneurs through the Entrepreneur Immigration Base Stream and Regional Stream.
| Stream | Invitations issued | Minimum score |
|---|---|---|
| Base | 15 | 117 |
| Regional | 5 | 117 |
The article states that at least 15 entrepreneurs were invited, while the stream breakdown lists 15 invitations through the Base Stream and 5 through the Regional Stream.
The minimum score for both streams was 117.
The Base Stream result was the highest number of entrepreneurs invited through a single Base Stream draw in 2026 so far.
The Base Stream is for foreign nationals planning to launch a new business or buy an existing business anywhere in British Columbia.
The Regional Stream is for individuals seeking to establish a new business outside the Metro Vancouver Regional District.
As of June 2, British Columbia had conducted 10 Entrepreneur Immigration draws in 2026:
- Six through the Base Stream
- Four through the Regional Stream
By that date, the province had issued at least 64 invitations through the Entrepreneur Immigration category in 2026.
Practical Significance
The June 2 draw reflects British Columbia’s current focus on healthcare, care-related occupations, construction trades, and entrepreneurship.
For skilled workers, the draw shows that targeted invitations are tied not only to occupation but also to additional professional requirements, such as ECE certification, care aide registry registration, veterinary designation, or SkilledTradesBC certification or apprenticeship registration.
For entrepreneurs, the draw confirms continued activity in both province-wide and regional business immigration streams, with the Base Stream seeing its largest single draw of 2026 so far.
Source article: www.cicnews.com
