International Graduate Category

The British Columbia International Graduate stream is one of several immigration streams contained within the British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP), a Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) operated by the province of British Columbia. BC International Graduate prioritizes the nomination of immigrants who have an offer for skilled employment and who have completed post-secondary education in Canada.

Candidates who are successfully nominated through the BC International Graduate 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. Candidates with experience in certain tech occupations may be eligible for accelerated processing and other benefits through the BC Tech Pilot.

Program Requirements

Express Entry Requirement

To be eligible for the BC International Graduate 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 employer. The wages for the position must be competitive when compared to average provincial wages for the occupation. The offer of employment must be for work at National Occupational Classification (NOC) Skill Level 0, A, or B. Notably, the BC PNP job offer does not need to be supported by a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA).

*If you are applying through the BC Tech Pilot, job offer requirements will vary.  

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.  

Level of Education

Candidates must have completed a post-secondary educational credential in Canada in the past three years. Note that if the candidate has completed a graduate degree at an eligible institution in BC they may be eligible for the BC International Post-Graduate stream.  

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 an eligible 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 International Graduate 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. Candidates must indicate on this BC profile whether they are applying through the accelerated Express Entry system, or the regular Skills Immigration system. 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 International Graduate 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 profile that they were applying to the BC Skilled Worker 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 International Graduate 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.

British Columbia Skills Immigration Ranking System

British Columbia International Graduate - Recent Draws & Invitation History

Below is the information regarding recent British Columbia Skills Immigration draws under the International Graduate categories.

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