Immigration to British Columbia for skilled professionals
Professionals with a job offer in British Columbia can immigrate to Canada through the provincial Skilled Worker program.
The Skilled Worker stream helps managers, technicians, workers, and other professionals obtain permanent residency in British Columbia. This program is designed for qualified workers with experience who can contribute to the province's economy.
Requirements
There are two ways to participate in the Skilled Worker stream:
- for candidates with an Express Entry profile who qualify for one of the federal programs;
- for candidates without a profile.
You must meet the following criteria:
- receive a permanent job offer from a British Columbia employer for a skilled occupation in TEER 0, 1, 2, or 3 categories of the NOC classification;
- have a salary offer that matches the wage levels in British Columbia for that occupation;
- have 2 years of full-time work experience in a skilled occupation;
- demonstrate the ability to support yourself and your dependents (see below);
- for NOC category 2 and 3 occupations: provide language test results with a minimum score of 4 on the Canadian CLB scale.
*University professors and instructors may obtain a time-limited work contract.
Those participating in the stream through Express Entry must additionally meet the minimum requirements of one of the three federal programs:
Candidates with in-demand occupations may immigrate through the skilled worker stream with simplified requirements.
Candidate Assessment
British Columbia uses a points-based system to select candidates, with a maximum of 200 points available. Invitations are sent to the most successful candidates. British Columbia awards points based on the following factors:
1. Human capital factors:
- work experience related to the offered position — up to 40 points;
- education — up to 40 points;
- English or French language proficiency — up to 40 points.
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2. Economic factors:
- offered salary — up to 55 points;
- employer's location in British Columbia — up to 25 points.
Candidates with an Express Entry profile are first evaluated based on Express Entry criteria, then on British Columbia's criteria.
Financial Requirements
Candidates must demonstrate sufficient funds to support themselves and their family after moving. The amount depends on where the applicant intends to live. Amounts are in Canadian dollars.
| Number of family members | Greater Vancouver Area | Rest of the province |
| 1 | $29,380 | $24,486 |
| 2 | $36,576 | $30,482 |
| 3 | $44,966 | $37,473 |
| 4 | $54,594 | $45,499 |
| 5 | $61,920 | $51,604 |
| 6 | $69,835 | $58,201 |
| 7 or more | $77,751 | $64,798 |
Application Process
To participate in the Skilled Worker immigration stream, candidates must create a profile on the British Columbia provincial website, fill in their information, and attach documents. Their application will then be reviewed. If a candidate qualifies for one of the federal programs, they must first create a profile in the Express Entry system.
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Learn about other streams of the British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program in the article "Immigration to British Columbia — Canada's Provincial Program (BC PNP)".
