Being the westernmost province of Canada, British Columbia is bound by the United States. This Canadian province is home to the “Silicon Valley” of the country, Vancouver, which is popular for technology and innovation. British Columbia is very popular among new immigrants for its high standard of living, competitive wages, and low crime rate. Moreover, the province has a diverse and multicultural population, with almost 27% of its total population account for immigrants.
The province boasts many attractions, including Stanley Park, Capilano Suspension Bridge, and Whistler Ski Resort, with a lot of exciting and fun things to do. Furthermore, the province is home to Simon Fraser University and the University of British Columbia, which rank among the Top 20 Universities in the country, and both are preferred by international students. British Columbia also creates and offers numerous low and high-skilled job opportunities for foreign workers who are willing to live and work in Canada and want to apply for immigration through the British Columbia Provincial Nomination Program (BC PNP).
Are you willing to work and live in this ethnically and linguistically diverse province? It is best to start with researching the in-demand jobs in the province. If you obtain an in-demand job offer, you will secure higher possibilities of being invited to apply for permanent residency in the province. However, before discussing the in-demand jobs, we suggest you learn more about the framework of the BC PNP so that you can determine your eligibility.
The British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP): Framework
The BC PNP serves as an immigration pathway for foreign nationals who want to obtain permanent residency in the province. Under the BC PNP, there are four immigration streams through which candidates can receive a Provincial Nomination if they have an in-demand job. There are numerous in-demand occupations in the province, including tech workers, healthcare professionals, food processors, truck drivers, and other low-skilled jobs. Check the below immigration streams under this program:
- Entry-level and Semi-skilled Category
- Healthcare Professional Category
- Express Entry BC – Skilled Worker
- British Columbia Tech Pilot
Entry-level and Semi-skilled Category
Applicants under this category include semi-skilled foreign workers with in-demand jobs in diverse industries, including tourism, food processing, long-haul trucking, hospitality, and many other low-skill industries. Candidates must have a valid full-time offer of employment from a British Columbian employer to be eligible to apply under this category.
Check the below list of in-demand occupations under this category with their NOC codes:
1. Health occupations
| Patient service associated, nurse aides, and orderlies | |
| Dental assistants | |
| Health services – other supporting occupations |
2. Occupations in Finance, Business, and Administration
| Accounting and other clerks | |
| Collectors | |
| Messengers, Couriers, and door-to-door | |
| General office support workers | |
| Desktop publishing operators and other occupations | |
| Dispatchers | |
| Court clerks | |
| Insurance, Banking, and other financial clerks | |
| Workers – Inventory and Purchasing control | |
| Letter carriers | |
| Data entry clerks | |
| Library clerks and assistants | |
| Payroll administrators | |
| Personnel clerks | |
| Postal, Mail, and related workers | |
| Production logistics co-ordinators | |
| Publication, Correspondence, and regulatory clerks | |
| Receptionists | |
| Shippers and receivers | |
| Statistical clerks and Survey interviewers | |
| Storekeepers and parts persons | |
| Transportation crew and route schedulers |
3. Occupations related to Education, Government Service, Religion, and Social Science
| Officers – Correctional service | |
| Housekeepers, home support workers, and other occupations | |
| Teacher assistants – Elementary and secondary school | |
| Bailiffs and Sheriffs | |
| Providers for home child care | |
| Regulatory and by law enforcement officers |
4. Occupations related to Agriculture and Natural resources
| Marine harvest and Aquaculture labourers | |
| Chain skidder and saw operators | |
| Fishing vessel deckhands | |
| Harvesting labourers | |
| Service and support workers for underground mine | |
| Trappers and hunters | |
| Mine labourers | |
| Greenhouse and Nursery workers | |
| Grounds maintenance and landscaping labourers | |
| Labourers – forestry and logging | |
| Forestry and Silviculture workers | |
| Oil and gas servicing, drilling, and related labourers | |
| Service operators, Gas and oil well drilling and related workers | |
| General farmworkers |
5. Occupations related to Trades, Equipment and Transport operators
| Air transport ramp attendants | |
| Cable ferry and Boat operators and other occupations | |
| Construction trades labourers and helpers | |
| Courier and Delivery service drivers | |
| Heavy equipment operators (excluding crane) | |
| Limousine and Taxi drivers and chauffeurs | |
| Motor transport and Railway labourers | |
| Other automotive mechanical servicers and installers | |
| Other trades labourers and helpers | |
| Public works and maintenance labourers | |
| Operators for public works maintenance equipment and other assisting workers | |
| Workers for Railway track and yard maintenance | |
| Transit operators, Subway operators, and Bus drivers | |
| Transport truck drivers | |
| Water engine room and transport deck crew |
6. Occupations related to Utilities, Manufacturing, and Processing
| Operators for binding and finishing machine | |
| Boat inspectors and assemblers | |
| Processing and utilities related to Chemical products – Labourers | |
| Electrical apparatus manufacturing, Machine operators, and inspectors | |
| Electrical appliance, apparatus, and equipment manufacturing – Assemblers and inspectors | |
| Electronics assemblers, testers, fabricators, and inspectors | |
| Fabric, leather, and fur cutters | |
| Beverage and Food processing – Graders and testers | |
| Beverage and Food processing – Labourers | |
| Aircraft assembly inspectors and Aircraft assemblers | |
| Foundry workers | |
| Inspectors and assemblers for Furniture and fixture | |
| Furniture finishers | |
| Operators for Glass forming and finishing machine, Glass cutters | |
| Industrial poultry preparers, meat cutters and butchers, and related workers | |
| Industrial metal finishing process operators, coaters, and painters | |
| Industrial electrical motors and transformers – Assemblers, Fabricators, and inspectors | |
| Operators for Industrial sewing machine | |
| Wood processing and Lumber graders – graders and inspectors | |
| Mechanical inspectors and assemblers | |
| Metal and mineral processing – Labourers | |
| Metal and mineral processing – Machine operators | |
| Metal fabrication – Labourers | |
| Motor vehicle testers, inspectors, and assemblers | |
| Other labourers in Utilities, manufacturing, and processing | |
| Other products finishers, inspectors, and assemblers | |
| Operators for other wood processing machine | |
| Other wood products – Inspectors and assemblers | |
| Operators for Paper converting machine | |
| Photographic and film processors | |
| Labourers for manufacturing Plastic and rubber products | |
| Plastic products assemblers, inspectors, and finishers | |
| Plateless printing equipment operators | |
| Platemaking, Camera, and other prepress occupations | |
| Processing food and beverage – Process control and machine operators | |
| Seafood and Fish plant workers | |
| Seafood and fish processing – Labourers | |
| Stone, concrete, and clay forming operators | |
| Operators and workers – Hide and pelt, Textile fibre and yarn processing machine | |
| Textile processing – Labourers | |
| Textile, fabric, leather, and fur products manufacturing – Inspectors and graders | |
| Fabric making occupations, knitters, and weavers | |
| Wood, pulp, and paper processing – Labourers | |
| Operators for Woodworking machine |
7. Sales and Service Occupations
| Travel, Accommodation, and facilities set-up services – Assisting occupations | |
| Airline service and Airline ticket agents | |
| Animal care workers and Pet groomers | |
| Building superintendents, Caretakers, and Janitors | |
| Casino occupations | |
| Cashiers | |
| Customer services representatives for financial institutions | |
| Electrologists, Estheticians, and related occupations | |
| Food and beverage servers | |
| Clerks for hotel front desk | |
| Laundry, Dry cleaning, and related occupations | |
| Light duty cleaners | |
| Personal service – Other occupations | |
| Other sales-related occupations | |
| Wholesale trade (non-technical) – Account and sales representatives | |
| Guides for outdoor sport and recreation | |
| Flight attendants and Pursers | |
| Retail salespersons | |
| Security guards and other occupations related to security service | |
| Service station attendants | |
| Social, image, and other personal consultants | |
| Specialized cleaners | |
| Recreation, sport, and amusement – Attendants and operators | |
| Store shelf clerks, stockers, and order fillers | |
| Travel and tour guides | |
| Travel counselors | |
| Other service support occupations, n.e.c. |
Healthcare Professional Category
Applicants under this category include healthcare professionals, including nurses, clinical pharmacists, and physicians. Candidates are required to have the support or a valid full-time job offer from a public health authority in the province and a minimum of two years of related work experience to be eligible to apply under this category.
Check the below list of in-demand jobs in this category with their NOC codes:
| Clinical pharmacist | |
| Physician and Specialist Physician | |
| Medical laboratory technologist | |
| Midwife | |
| Nurse Practitioner | |
| Diagnostic medical sonographer | |
| Occupational therapist | |
| Medical radiation technologist | |
| Physiotherapist | |
| Registered Nurse and Psychiatric Nurse |
Express Entry BC – Skilled Worker
This stream offers a quick pathway to skilled foreign workers to Canadian immigration. To qualify under this stream, candidates are required to submit an Express Entry profile, obtain a valid full-time job offer, and have a minimum relevant work experience for two years in skill type 0, A, and B.
The in-demand occupations under this stream are broad and are further classified under three skill types: Jobs in Management (O), Professional Jobs (A), and Skilled Trades or Technical Jobs (B).
Below is the list of examples of a few eligible occupations with their skill type and NOC codes:
| Skill Type O | Financial managers | |
| Skill Type A | Registered psychiatric nurses and registered nurses | |
| Skill Type B | Plumber |
British Columbia Tech Pilot
Being the nation’s tech capital, British Columbia invites innovative and educated skilled workers to Canada. To apply under the British Columbia Tech Pilot, candidates must have a valid employment offer for a minimum duration of one year from a British Columbian employer.
There are 29 in-demand jobs under this pilot; check the below list to explore these occupations with their NOC codes:
1. Applied and Natural Sciences and related occupations
| Chemical engineers | |
| Computer engineers (excluding software designers and engineers) | |
| Computer network technicians | |
| Interactive media developers and Computer programmers | |
| Data administrators and Database analysts | |
| Technicians for Electronic service (Business and household equipment) | |
| Electronics and Electrical engineers | |
| Technologists and technicians – Electrical and electronics engineering | |
| Biological Technicians and technologists | |
| Industrial instrument mechanics and technicians | |
| Analysts and consultants – Information systems | |
| Information systems testing technicians | |
| Software designers and engineers | |
| Technicians for User support | |
| Web developers and designers | |
| Mechanical engineers |
2. Occupations related to Recreation, Sport, Culture, and Art
| Writers and authors | |
| Editors | |
| Interpreters, terminologists, and translators | |
| Broadcast technicians | |
| Video and audio recording technicians | |
| The performing arts, Motion pictures, and broadcasting – Other technical and assisting occupations | |
| The performing arts, Motion pictures, photography, and broadcasting – Support occupations | |
| Graphic illustrators and designers |
3. Managerial occupations
| Information systems and Computer managers | |
| Managers – The performing arts, Motion pictures, publishing, and broadcasting | |
| Managers – Telecommunication carriers |
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