British Columbia’s Provincial Nominee Program (BCPNP) issued 602 invitations on August 20 for candidates meeting the province’s “innovate” objective, which targets high‑earning and high‑scoring skilled workers.
Draw overview
- Total invitations: 602
- Selection criteria:
- Job‑offer + wage: TEER 0–3 occupations with a wage of at least $55 per hour (≈ $110,000 per year) – 337 invitations
- Registration score: Minimum 132 points – 265 invitations
- High‑earning share: 59.98 % of the invitations were for the wage‑based category, the highest proportion of such invitations in any 2026 Skills Immigration draw.
Context within the 2026 allocation
- The draw was BC’s largest selection round of 2026.
- Earlier in August, the province announced an additional 1,000 nominations, raising the annual allocation to 6,254 slots.
- To date, BC has issued 3,260 invitations based on the two criteria above, and 4,926 invitations overall to skilled workers and entrepreneurs in 2026.
Registration pool statistics (as of August 4, 2026)
| Score range | Registrations |
|---|---|
| 0‑59 | 212 |
| 60‑69 | 373 |
| 70‑79 | 739 |
| 80‑89 | 1,219 |
| 90‑99 | 1,468 |
| 100‑109 | 1,651 |
| 110‑119 | 1,332 |
| 120‑129 | 1,023 |
| 130‑139 | 241 |
| 140‑149 | 38 |
| 150+ | 10 |
| Total | 8,306 |
How the BCPNP works
- Expression of interest (EOI): Candidates submit a registration through the BCPNP Online User Portal.
- Scoring: Profiles are scored on factors such as work experience, language ability, wage level, education, professional designation, occupation, and alignment with provincial labour‑market priorities.
- Draws: Periodic draws invite candidates to apply for provincial nomination based on one or more of the above factors.
- Application window: Invited candidates must submit a complete application within 30 days.
- Nomination certificate: Successful applicants receive a provincial nomination, which can be used to apply to the federal government for permanent residence.
Recent draw trends
- In 2026 BC has held 12 Skills Immigration selection rounds:
- 7 based on wage/job‑offer and points,
- 4 occupation‑specific draws,
- 1 targeted cleaners and security staff under the Temporary Rural/Remote Health Support Initiative (a time‑limited PR pathway introduced in July).
Candidates meeting the wage threshold or achieving a registration score of 132 points or higher are the most likely to receive invitations in upcoming draws, given the recent emphasis on high‑economic‑impact profiles.
Source article: www.cicnews.com
