Health Authority Category
The British Columbia Health Authority category is one of several immigration stream contained within the British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP), a Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) operated by the province of British Columbia. BC Health Authority prioritizes the nomination of immigrants who have an offer of employment from a public health authority in BC and who will be able to make lasting contributions in the healthcare labour sector.
Candidates who are successfully nominated through the BC Health Authority program will be invited to submit an official application for Canadian permanent residence. Candidates do not require an Express Entry profile to be eligible for this stream. However, candidates who meet the eligibility criteria and who have an active Express Entry profile may be able to apply to the stream through Express Entry for accelerated processing.
Program Requirements
| Requirement | |
|---|---|
| Express Entry Profile | Not required |
| Connection to Province | No |
| Job Offer | Yes |
| Language Proficiency | CLB 4 |
| Level of Education | No minimum |
| Work Experience | Same occupation as the job offer 2 years |
| Investment Requirement | None |
Express Entry Requirement
To be eligible for the BC Health Authority stream, candidates do not require an Express Entry profile. However, candidates who meet the eligibility criteria for this stream and who have an active Express Entry profile may be able to apply to the stream through Express Entry for accelerated processing.
Job Offer
Candidates must have a valid job offer for full-time, indeterminate employment from a BC public health authority as a healthcare professional. Only the following occupations qualify under the Health Authority stream:
| Job Title |
|---|
| Physician/Specialist Physician |
| Registered Nurse / Registered Psychiatric Nurse |
| Nurse Practitioner |
| Allied health professionals: diagnostic medical sonographer, clinical pharmacist, medical lab technologist, occupational therapist, physiotherapist, etc. |
| Midwife |
Notably, the BC PNP job offer does not need to be supported by a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA).
Language Proficiency
Candidates with a job offer at National Occupational Classification (NOC) Skill Level B must provide language test results proving English or French language proficiency at CLB 4 or higher. Candidates with job offers at NOC Skill Level 0 or A are exempt from the language proficiency requirement.
Work Experience
Candidates must have at least two (2) years of work experience in the same occupation as the BC job offer. The candidate must also have any qualifications required to perform the job in BC.
Settlement Funds
All candidates for this stream must meet the settlement funds requirement as determined by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). This can be demonstrated through their own finances, or through maintaining a valid offer of employment.
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 Health Authority stream is open to new applications at any time. Eligible candidates must submit an application through BC’s online immigration portal. Candidates must indicate on this application whether they are applying through the accelerated Express Entry system, or the regular Skills Immigration system. The BC Health Authority 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. Candidates 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.
If the applicant indicated on their BC application that they were applying to the BC Health Authority stream through Express Entry, they will receive a notification of nomination on their IRCC online account. After accepting the provincial nomination, the applicant’s Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score will increase by 600 points, virtually guaranteeing they will receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for permanent residence in the next Express Entry draw. After receiving an ITA, the applicant must prepare and submit an official application for Canadian permanent residence within the designated timeframe. Applications for permanent residence submitted through Express Entry are generally processed within six months.
If the applicant indicated on their BC profile that they were applying to the BC Health Authority stream through the regular Skills Immigration system, 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.
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