Entry Level and Semi-Skilled Worker Category

The British Columbia Entry Level and Semi-Skilled Worker (ELSS) stream is one of several immigration programs contained within the British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP), a Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) operated by the province of British Columbia. BC ELSS prioritizes the nomination of immigrants who have semi-skilled work experience in the province along with an offer of employment from a BC employer.

Candidates who are successfully nominated through the BC Entry Level and Semi-Skilled Worker stream will be invited to submit an official application for Canadian permanent residence. Please note that this program offers special relaxed eligibility requirements for those with semi-skilled work experience in the Northeast Development Region of the province of British Columbia.

Program Requirements

Connection to British Columbia

To be eligible for the Entry Level and Semi-Skilled Worker stream, candidates must have been working in British Columbia on a valid work permit for the last nine (9) months. They must have been working full-time, and in an occupation on the ELSS In-Demand Occupation List or an occupation in the Northeast Development Region of British Columbia.  

Job Offer

Candidates must have a valid job offer for full-time, indeterminate employment from a BC employer. The wages for the position must be competitive when compared to average provincial wages for the occupation. The offer must be for work at National Occupational Classification (NOC) Skill Level C or D. Notably, the BC PNP job offer does not need to be supported by a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA).  

Language Proficiency

Candidates must provide language test results proving English or French language proficiency at Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) level 4 or higher.  

Work Experience

In order to be considered eligible for the Entry Level and Semi-Skilled Worker Category, candidates must have at least nine (9) months of work experience in British Columbia. Work experience must have been obtained in one of the ELSS In-Demand Occupations. Any work experience at NOC Skill Level C or D (with the exception of live-in caregivers) completed in British Columbia’s Northeast Development Region will fulfill the work experience requirement regardless of whether or not it is included in the In-Demand Occupations list. The candidate must also have any qualifications required to perform the job in BC.  

Employer Requirements

In order for an applicant to apply to most BC Skills Immigration programs, they must have a valid job offer from a BC employer. Under these programs, the employers must meet certain general requirements in order for their job offers to be considered valid.  

Job Offer Requirements

The employer must offer a full-time, indeterminate position with a wage that meets industry standards. As well, the position must meet BC’s minimum wage requirements as per the applicant’s annual wage, location of residence in BC, and number of dependent family members.  

Business Requirements

The business must be established and in good standing in British Columbia with a history of good workplace and business practices. The business must also meet minimum employee requirements:

• Inside Vancouver: At least five full-time employees.
• Outside Vancouver: At least three full-time employees.

Recruitment Requirements

The employer must demonstrate that reasonable efforts were made to recruit a Canadian to fill the position prior to offering the position to a foreign national. Notably, under the BC PNP, employers are not required to obtain a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) in order for their positions to be valid.

Application Procedure

The British Columbia Entry Level and Semi-Skilled Worker stream operates on an Expression of Interest (EOI) system. Candidates who meet the minimum stream requirements can register a profile using the BC’s online immigration portal. Once the profile has been submitted, candidates will be assigned a score and ranked against one another using the BC Skills Immigration Ranking System. The highest ranking candidates will be invited to apply to the stream in one of the stream’s periodic intakes.

Candidates must submit a complete application to the stream within 30 days from when they receive the invitation to apply. The BC ELSS stream charges a $700 CAD application fee per applicant. If the application is approved, the candidate will be issued a provincial nomination for permanent residence from BC. If the candidate is not already working for their BC employer, they can also request to receive a letter of support for a temporary work permit, so that they can begin working in Canada while their application for permanent residence is processed. Applying for a work permit with a letter of support from a province represents a separate application to IRCC.

After receiving the provincial nomination, the applicant has six months to submit an official application for permanent residence. They must prepare a paper-based application and submit it by mail to the appropriate application centre. Paper-based PNP applications for permanent residence are generally processed within 18 months.

BC ELSS In-Demand Occupation List

Unless they worked in an occupation in the Northeast Development Region of British Columbia, candidates must have at least nine months of work experience in BC in one of these occupations.

British Columbia Skills Immigration Ranking System

British Columbia Entry Level and Semi-Skilled Worker - Recent Draws & Invitation History

Below is the information regarding recent British Columbia Skills Immigration draws for the Entry Level and Semi-Skilled Workers category:

BC Skills Immigration – Entry Level and Semi-Skilled Worker Draws

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