British Columbia’s 2026 Provincial Nominee Program (BCPNP) has set specific nomination targets for health‑care and early‑childhood‑education workers, outlining how a sizable share of the province’s skilled‑worker allocations will be directed toward these sectors.
2026 nomination targets
- Health‑care workers: 1,620 – 2,015 nominations (≈ 25.9 % – 32.2 % of the total 6,254 nomination spaces)
- Early childhood educators (ECE, NOC 42202): 360 – 440 nominations (≈ 5.8 % – 7.0 % of the total)
- Combined share: 31.7 % – 39.3 % of all 2026 BCPNP nominations
For comparison, in 2025 the province issued 1,435 health‑care nominations and 409 ECE nominations, together representing 29.7 % of the 6,214 nominations that year.
Priority health‑care occupations (31 NOCs)
| NOC code | Occupation |
|---|---|
| 31112 | Audiologists and speech‑language pathologists |
| 32123 | Cardiology technologists and electrophysiological diagnostic technologists |
| 31201 | Chiropractors |
| 32111 | Dental hygienists and dental therapists |
| 32112 | Dental technologists and technicians |
| 31110 | Dentists |
| 31121 | Dietitians and nutritionists |
| 31102 | General practitioners and family physicians |
| 31204 | Kinesiologists and other professional occupations in therapy and assessment |
| 32101 | Licensed practical nurses |
| 30010 | Managers in health care |
| 33101 | Medical laboratory assistants and related technical occupations |
| 32120 | Medical laboratory technologists |
| 32121 | Medical radiation technologists |
| 32122 | Medical sonographers |
| 33102 | Nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates* |
| 31302 | Nurse practitioners |
| 31300 | Nursing coordinators and supervisors |
| 31203 | Occupational therapists |
| 31209 | Other professional occupations in health diagnosing and treating |
| 32102 | Paramedical occupations |
| 31120 | Pharmacists |
| 31303 | Physician assistants, midwives and allied health professionals |
| 31202 | Physiotherapists |
| 31200 | Psychologists |
| 31301 | Registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses |
| 32103 | Respiratory therapists, clinical perfusionists and cardiopulmonary technologists |
| 41300 | Social workers |
| 31100 | Specialists in clinical and laboratory medicine |
| 31101 | Specialists in surgery |
| 32200 | Traditional Chinese medicine practitioners and acupuncturists |
*Candidates in NOC 33102 must be registered with the BC Care Aide & Community Health Worker registry to qualify for nomination.
Child‑care sector focus
- Only one occupation is targeted: early childhood educators (NOC 42202).
- Eligibility requires a one‑ or five‑year ECE certificate issued by the provincial ECE registry.
Other prioritized sectors
The province also highlighted education, veterinary care, and construction as priority sectors for 2026, though specific nomination targets for these were not disclosed in the 2025 statistical report.
Geographic distribution
- At least 35 % of skilled‑worker nominations must go to candidates outside Metro Vancouver.
- In 2025 the province exceeded this floor, allocating 38 % of nominations to non‑metro areas.
Invitation and approval statistics (as of 25 August 2026)
- Health‑care invitations: 474
- Early childhood educator invitations: 451
Total priority‑sector invitations: 925 - Overall BCPNP invitations (all worker streams): 4,838
- 2025 approval rate: 6,195 of 6,553 worker‑stream applications were nominated (94.5 %). Data on 2026 approval rates have not yet been released.
Path to permanent residence through the BCPNP
- Eligibility: Meet the criteria for at least one BCPNP worker stream (full‑time job offer from a BC employer is mandatory).
- Expression of interest (EOI): Submit an EOI via the BCPNP Online User Portal.
- Scoring: Profiles are scored on work experience, language ability, job‑offer wage, etc., and entered into a registration pool.
- Draws: Periodic draws invite candidates who meet the draw’s thresholds to apply for nomination.
- Application: Invited candidates must submit a complete nomination 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.
These figures and procedures outline how British Columbia is directing a substantial portion of its 2026 immigration allocations toward health‑care and child‑care professionals, while also maintaining broader geographic and sectoral goals.
Source article: www.cicnews.com
