On 3rd June 2019, the British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program announced that the Tech Pilot will be extended till June 2020 to allow BC employers to continue to recruit and retain skilled immigrants to fill skills shortages in key occupations in the BC technology industry.
BC PNP Tech Pilot
British Columbia’s Tech Pilot was introduced in 2017, with the intention to support the economic growth of the burgeoning tech industry in the province. Since the demand for workers in this industry could not be fulfilled by the local BC population, the Tech Pilot provides a pathway for Canadian permanent residence to overseas skilled workers who possess valid job offers from BC employers in technology occupations, and to qualified tech entrepreneurs – in order to sustain growth and generate employment in this sector.
BC PNP Streams
The Tech Pilot is not a separate stream or category of the British Columbia PNP. Candidates are required to apply under an existing BC PNP stream to be considered for the Tech Pilot. The various streams of the BC PNP include:
- Skills Immigration
- Express Entry BC
- Entrepreneur Immigration
- Entrepreneur Immigration – Regional Pilot
BC PNP Tech Pilot Job Requirements
Canada immigration aspirants applying under the Skills Immigration category must possess a valid job offer from a BC employer, preferably in one of the 29 key technology occupations demonstrated to be highly in-demand in the tech sector.
The offer should be of employment for a duration of one or more years, of which at least 120 days must be remaining at the time of application. Long term job offers that are permanent or do not specify an end date are also accepted.
BC PNP Draws
After registering online with the BC PNP, the candidate is attributed a point score based on relevant selection criteria.
On a weekly basis, highest-scoring registrants are invited to apply for nomination to the province. Invitations are only extended if the BC employer and the skilled worker can satisfy the eligibility requirements of the program.
Within 30 days of receiving the invitation, the registrant must apply for nomination to the BC PNP, and submit a $700 CAD processing fee.
Processing Time
Most BC PNP applications are processed within 2-3 months. Tech Pilot applications are typically processed within a shorter timeframe. Applicants who possess a job offer in one of the 29 key technology occupations are prioritised.
If the application is approved, the British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program will issue a nomination to the candidate. Nominees can then apply for permanent residence to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada under the expedited Provincial Nominee Class. Some individuals may also be allowed to work in BC on a temporary work permit throughout the permanent residency process.
