British Columbia Targets 500 Workers in New PNP Draw

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British Columbia Targets 500 Workers in New PNP Draw Covering Healthcare, Construction and More

British Columbia has conducted another targeted selection round under its Provincial Nominee Program, placing the spotlight on workers whose skills match some of the province’s most pressing labour-market needs.

On August 6, 2026, the British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BCPNP) issued 500 invitations to apply for provincial nomination through an occupation-focused Skills Immigration draw. The selection concentrated on workers in five priority areas: childcare, healthcare, education, veterinary care and construction trades.

The latest round reinforces British Columbia’s current approach of using its provincial immigration system to respond more directly to shortages in essential occupations. Rather than conducting a broad selection based on registration scores alone, the province is increasingly directing invitations toward workers whose occupations support specific economic and community priorities.

Also check out 2026-2028 immigration levels plan | Canada Immigration Plan 2025 to 2027 | Canada Immigration Levels Plan For 2024-2026 | Canada Immigration Level Plan for 2023-2025

500 Invitations Issued Across Five Priority Areas

The August 6 selection round distributed invitations among five occupational groups. Construction trades received the largest number of invitations, while childcare and healthcare also accounted for substantial portions of the draw.

Candidates were selected according to the occupational requirements associated with each priority group, with minimum registration scores varying significantly between sectors.

Priority Area	Number of Targeted NOCs	Invitations	Minimum Score
Childcare	1	183	102
Healthcare	31	124	84
Education	2	<5	68
Veterinary Care	2	6	72
Construction Trades	9	187	88

The construction trades category received 187 invitations, making it the largest component of the draw. Childcare workers followed with 183 invitations, while healthcare professionals accounted for another 124. The minimum registration score was highest for childcare at 102, whereas candidates in education faced a minimum score of 68 in this particular round.

Which Occupations Were Targeted?

The draw covered specific occupations within each of the five priority sectors. These targeted occupation groups are particularly important for applicants considering whether their current work experience could place them within a future BCPNP selection category.

Childcare Occupations

The childcare category included:

This category received 183 invitations, with a minimum registration score of 102.

Also Read British Columbia Invites More Business Investors In Latest PNP Draw

Healthcare Occupations

British Columbia included a broad range of healthcare occupations in this selection. The targeted healthcare group covered 31 NOCs, reflecting the province’s continued demand for professionals across different areas of the health sector.

The occupations targeted were:

NOC 31100 – Specialists in clinical and laboratory medicine and medical specialists
NOC 31101 – Specialists in surgery
NOC 31102 – General practitioners and family physicians
NOC 31103 – Veterinarians
NOC 31110 – Dentists
NOC 31111 – Optometrists
NOC 31112 – Audiologists and speech-language pathologists
NOC 31120 – Pharmacists
NOC 31121 – Dietitians and nutritionists
NOC 31200 – Psychologists
NOC 31201 – Chiropractors
NOC 31202 – Physiotherapists
NOC 31203 – Occupational therapists
NOC 31204 – Kinesiologists and other professional occupations in therapy and assessment
NOC 31209 – Other professional occupations in therapy and assessment
NOC 31300 – Nursing coordinators and supervisors
NOC 31301 – Registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses
NOC 31302 – Nurse practitioners
NOC 31303 – Physician assistants, midwives and allied health professionals
NOC 32100 – Opticians
NOC 32101 – Licensed practical nurses
NOC 32102 – Paramedical occupations
NOC 32103 – Respiratory therapists, clinical perfusionists and cardiopulmonary technologists
NOC 32104 – Animal health technologists and veterinary technicians
NOC 32109 – Other technical occupations in therapy and assessment
NOC 33100 – Dental assistants and dental laboratory assistants
NOC 33101 – Medical laboratory assistants and related technical occupations
NOC 33102 – Nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates
NOC 33109 – Other assisting occupations in support of health services
NOC 44101 – Home support workers, caregivers and related occupations
NOC 33103 – Pharmacy technical assistants and pharmacy assistants

Healthcare candidates needed a minimum registration score of 84 in this draw.

Education Occupations

The education-focused invitations covered two occupations:

Fewer than five invitations were issued under this category, with a minimum score of 68.

Veterinary Care Occupations

British Columbia also selected workers connected with animal health services. The targeted occupations included:

The province issued 6 invitations in this group, with a minimum score of 72.

Construction Trades Occupations

Construction workers represented another major priority in the August selection round. The province targeted nine NOCs covering a range of skilled trades:

NOC 72100 – Machinists and machining and tooling inspectors
NOC 72102 – Sheet metal workers
NOC 72103 – Structural metal and platework fabricators and fitters
NOC 72104 – Welders and related machine operators
NOC 72105 – Ironworkers
NOC 72106 – Blacksmiths and die setters
NOC 72200 – Electricians, except industrial and power system
NOC 72310 – Carpenters
NOC 72320 – Bricklayers

This group received 187 invitations, with successful candidates requiring a minimum registration score of 88.

A Shift Toward Occupation-Based Selection

The August 6 draw was the fifth occupation-specific selection round conducted by British Columbia in 2026. This is significant because the province has been using different selection methods rather than relying on one fixed threshold for every Skills Immigration draw.

Previous selection rounds have considered factors such as a candidate’s registration score, offered wage and employment details. The latest draw demonstrates how BCPNP can instead identify particular occupational groups when labour-market requirements make them a priority.

For prospective applicants, this means simply having a high registration score may not always be enough. Being employed in an occupation that British Columbia has chosen to prioritize can become an important factor in determining whether a candidate receives an invitation.

What Can Influence Future BCPNP Draws?

British Columbia has indicated that the criteria used in future Skills Immigration invitations can change depending on the province’s priorities.

Factors that may influence selection include:

The candidate's level and area of education
Where the candidate completed their studies
Professional certification or designation recognized in British Columbia
The duration and level of relevant work experience
English or French language ability
The candidate's occupation
Wage associated with the job offer
Skill level of the position
The region of British Columbia where the applicant intends to settle;
Provincial labour-market requirements
Government initiatives, pilots or other strategic priorities.

This flexible approach allows British Columbia to adjust its immigration selections as workforce requirements evolve.

More Than 4,200 Skills Immigration Invitations Issued

The August 6 draw also pushed the province’s 2026 Skills Immigration invitation total higher. As of that date, British Columbia had issued 4,236 invitations to apply for provincial nomination through the Skills Immigration category.

These invitations represent candidates who could potentially proceed toward provincial nomination and, subsequently, seek permanent residence through the appropriate federal immigration process.

What Happens After Receiving a BCPNP Invitation?

Receiving an invitation from the BCPNP does not automatically result in Canadian permanent residence. Candidates who receive an invitation must submit a complete application for provincial nomination within the applicable deadline.

The province then assesses the information provided against the requirements of the relevant immigration stream and selection category. Applicants should ensure that their employment, education, work experience, language results and other supporting information accurately match the details declared in their registration.

If British Columbia approves the nomination, the candidate can then use the provincial nomination as part of their permanent residence application through the appropriate federal pathway.

BCPNP Registration Pool Shows Strong Competition

The size and distribution of the Skills Immigration registration pool also provide an indication of the competition applicants may face.

As of August 6, 2026, the BCPNP registration pool contained 8,306 registrations. Candidates were spread across a wide range of registration scores.

Registration Score	Number of Registrations
0–59	212
60–69	373
70–79	739
80–89	1,219
90–99	1,468
100–109	1,651
110–119	1,332
120–129	1,023
130–139	241
140–149	38
150+	10

The 100–109 range was the largest group, containing 1,651 registrations. That represents approximately 19.8% of the entire pool. There were also more than 1,000 registrations in both the 110–119 and 120–129 score bands, showing that a sizeable share of candidates had relatively strong registration scores.

Also Read British Columbia Issues 437 New Invitations Through Skills Immigration Draw

Entrepreneur Immigration invitations 2026

BC PNP Entrepreneur Immigration invitations issued to date:

Date	Stream	Minimum Score	Invitations Issued
June 30, 2026	Base	118	14
June 30, 2026	Regional	113	<5
June 2, 2026	Base	117	15
June 2, 2026	Regional	117	<5
May 5, 2026	Base	115	8
May 5, 2026	Regional	115	<5
April 14, 2026	Base Stream	115	14
March 10, 2026	Base Stream	117	7
March 10, 2026	Regional Stream	129	Fewer than 5
February 10, 2026	Base	121	13
February 10, 2026	Regional	105	Fewer than 5
January 13, 2026	Base	115	7

If your EOI is selected, you’ll receive an invitation to apply for nomination from British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program.

Why the Registration Pool Matters

The registration pool does not mean every candidate will be considered under the same conditions. British Columbia can draw from specific portions of the pool depending on the objectives of an individual invitation round. For example, an applicant with a score below the general level seen in the pool could still potentially benefit from a targeted draw if their occupation falls within a sector specifically prioritized by the province.

Conversely, a candidate with a relatively high registration score may not necessarily receive an invitation if their occupation or other profile characteristics do not correspond with the requirements of a particular selection round.

Conclusion

The latest BCPNP selection sends a clear message about the direction of British Columbia’s provincial immigration strategy in 2026. Workers in construction, healthcare, childcare, education and veterinary services remain important to the province’s current nomination priorities.

Applicants should therefore look beyond the overall registration score when assessing their prospects. Occupation, employment circumstances, qualifications, work experience, language ability and intended location in British Columbia can all become relevant depending on the type of draw conducted.

For foreign workers planning to pursue British Columbia nomination, keeping their registration information accurate and monitoring occupation-specific invitations will be particularly important as the province continues adapting its selection strategy to labour-market needs.

Source: welcomebc.ca

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