On May 8, 2025, British Columbia kicked off its Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP) Skills Immigration draws for the year, issuing 94 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) to candidates poised to deliver “high economic impact” to the province. This marks the first Skills Immigration draw of 2025, following earlier draws focused solely on the Entrepreneur Immigration streams. With a limited allocation of 1,100 net new applications for provincial nomination this year, British Columbia is already nearing its cap, signaling a highly selective approach to skilled worker immigration in 2025.
The BC PNP draw targeted candidates under two specific criteria:
*47 ITAs were issued to candidates with a full-time job offer in a National Occupational Classification (NOC) Training, Education, Experience, and Responsibilities (TEER) 0 or 1 occupation, earning a minimum wage of $105 per hour while working for their supporting employer.
*47 ITAs went to candidates who scored at least 150 points on the BC PNP’s Skills Immigration Registration System (SIRS).
The draw prioritized candidates with qualified registrations submitted before May 8, ensuring only those with strong economic contributions were selected.
British Columbia’s 2025–2027 Immigration Levels Plan reflects a significant reduction in Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) admissions, dropping from 110,000 in 2024 to 55,000 in 2025 across Canada. For BC PNP, the province has set a strict cap of 1,100 net new applications for Skills Immigration nominations. Assuming all 94 applications from this draw are approved, the province is already approaching 8.5% of its annual limit in a single draw. This underscores the competitive nature of the BC PNP and the province’s focus on high-impact candidates.
