British Columbia held its first selection round under the new Temporary Rural/Remote Health Support initiative (TRHSI) on July 23, inviting 60 cleaning and security workers employed by a provincial health authority to apply for a provincial nomination.
The draw used the lowest cut‑off score of the year—50 points—and marks the launch of a one‑time effort to nominate up to 250 health‑authority cleaners and security staff.
Eligibility criteria
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Occupations – Applicants must be employed in one of the following National Occupational Classification (NOC) codes:
- Janitors, caretakers, and heavy‑duty cleaners – NOC 65312
- Light‑duty cleaners – NOC 65310
- Security guards and related occupations – NOC 64410
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Work experience – A minimum of nine months of full‑time employment in an eligible occupation with the same employer is required. Time spent in Canada on a study permit, co‑op placements, or any leave longer than two weeks does not count toward this requirement.
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Job offer – Candidates must hold a regular, indeterminate, full‑time job offer at the time of registration and must retain that position throughout the application process.
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Location – The job must be in a qualifying rural or remote region. The following regional districts are excluded from the initiative:
- Central Okanagan Regional District
- Metro Vancouver Regional District
- Capital Regional District
- Exceptions for the excluded districts include Galiano Island, Mayne Island, Pender Island, Salt Spring Island, and Saturna Island.
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Education & income – Applicants must possess a high school diploma and meet the minimum income requirement for the full nine‑month period preceding registration and application submission. General requirements for the BC Skills Immigration (SI) stream also apply.
Application timeline and process
- Registration period: June 15 – August 31 2026.
- Support requirement: Applications must be endorsed by an authorized representative of the applicant’s health authority. The eight public health authorities that may sponsor candidates are:
- First Nations Health Authority
- Fraser Health
- Interior Health
- Island Health
- Northern Health
- Providence Health Care
- Provincial Health Services Authority
- Vancouver Coastal Health
Full details on job‑offer requirements are outlined in the BCPNP Skills Immigration guide, sections 3.5 and 6.6.
Program context
The TRHSI falls under the “Care” pillar of BC’s three‑pillar strategy for 2026, which also includes Build (infrastructure) and Innovate (economic growth). The initiative was announced on April 23 as part of a broader restructuring of the British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BCPNP), shifting nomination priorities toward healthcare and trades workers and eliminating several student‑related streams.
The restructuring responds to a reduction in the federal annual allocation for provincial nominations. BC’s annual quota fell from 8,000 nominations in 2024 to 5,254 in 2026 (the same level as 2025 after two temporary increases). The province initially requested 9,000 nomination slots for 2026.
Source article: www.cicnews.com
