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The Canadian provinces of British Columbia has unveiled plans to revise its Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) selection criteria by introducing three new immigration streams, slated to come into effect from January 2025.
These new immigration streams will supplant the existing International Graduate and International Postgraduate streams, to fortify the province’s economy and extend assistance to international workers and students.
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Notably, British Columbia intends to uphold its focus on attracting candidates with job offers in priority sectors such as healthcare, construction, and early childhood education.
Overview of the Three Immigration Streams:
1. The Bachelor’s stream targets recent graduates holding bachelor’s degrees from eligible post-secondary institutions, coupled with a full-time job offer.
2. The Master’s Stream caters to recent graduates with master’s degrees from eligible post-secondary institutions, irrespective of their field of study, along with a minimum one-year full-time job offer.
3. The Doctorate stream is tailored for graduates and candidates of PhD programs from eligible post-secondary institutions.
Additionally, heightened language proficiency requirements are expected for most streams, aiming for a minimum Canadian Language Benchmark level 8 in the new graduate streams, while current levels vary by occupation/category but are generally lower.
The government is set to provide comprehensive updates on these revisions in late 2024, with ongoing reporting on pertinent developments.
Key Insights into the BC Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP):
The BC Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP) serves as an economic immigration program, empowering the province to select economic immigrants who will reside in British Columbia and help address job vacancies or establish businesses.
This program targets skilled workers, entrepreneurs, investors, and workers in sectors experiencing labor shortages, aiming to facilitate their permanent residence in Canada along with their families.
The BC PNP encompasses two principal components:
1. Skills Immigration caters to workers and recent graduates possessing the skills, experience, and qualifications sought by employers in British Columbia.
2. Entrepreneur Immigration is tailored for seasoned entrepreneurs intending to establish and actively manage businesses within the province.
