British Columbia has issued new invitations to candidates in its Express Entry BC, Skills Immigration, and Entrepreneur streams.

British Columbia invited 46 immigration candidates to apply for a provincial nomination for permanent residence on July 28.

The British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP) Tech Pilot draw selected 34 candidates under the Express Entry BC and Skills Immigration categories.

Selected candidates were from either the Skilled Worker or the International Graduate subcategories and were required to have a minimum provincial score of 80.

The BC PNP Tech Pilot is a fast-track immigration pathway for in-demand tech workers and international students. It operates through B.C.’s existing provincial immigration streams.

In order to be considered eligible for this program, candidates need to have a valid job offer of at least 12 months in one of the Tech Pilot’s 29 eligible occupations.

To apply for the Skills Immigration or Express Entry BC categories candidates must first create a profile through the BC PNP’s online portal and register under its Skills Immigration Registration System (SIRS). Applicants are evaluated and issued a score based on factors such as level of education, work experience, proficiency in English and location of employment.

Express Entry candidates who receive a nomination from British Columbia will be given an additional 600 points toward their Express Entry Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score and are effectively guaranteed an Invitation To Apply (ITA) in a future federal Express Entry draw.

The BC PNP also issued 12 ITAs in a draw for its Entrepreneur Immigration stream. The minimum score requirement for this draw was between 123 and 125, depending on the category.

The Entrepreneur Immigration stream is for experienced business people seeking a pathway to Canadian permanent residence and who can establish themselves in B.C. and invest in and operate a commercially viable business that can provide significant benefits to the provincial economy.

Under this stream, candidates are assessed based on factors such as business and/or work experience, personal net worth, adaptability, and their business proposal.