The Express Entry British Columbia (EEBC), aligned with the federal Express Entry system, allows eligible applicants to receive priority processing for their application for provincial nomination from British Columbia. The candidates who are nominated by British Columbia obtain 600 additional CRS score points, which in turn guarantee them an invitation to apply for permanent residence in Canada in the subsequent Express Entry draw. However, in order to be eligible, the candidates need to meet the eligibility criteria for any of the following categories of British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP):
- Skilled Workers (including Health Care Professionals category)
- International Post Graduates category
- International Graduates category
The potential candidates must also prove to be eligible under one of the following federal economic immigration programs managed under the Express Entry:
- Federal Skilled Worker
- Federal Skilled Trades
- Canadian Experience Class
To be eligible under these federal economic immigration programs, the candidate must meet the language requirements as well as demonstrate the financial capacity for themselves and their families to settle in Canada. Under the Federal Skilled Worker Program, the candidates also need to submit the Educational Credential Assessment.
Express Entry British Columbia — Skilled Worker Category (Health Care Professionals Category included)
Foreign skilled workers with post-secondary level education or training and work experience in a professional, management, technical, trade or other skilled occupation can apply for provincial nomination under the Skilled Worker category. To be eligible under this stream, the occupation of the candidate must be classified under National Occupational Classification (NOC) skill level 0, A, or B.
Another requirement is that the candidate must have a full-time permanent job offer in a skilled occupation from a British Columbia employer. If the job offer is for a regulated occupation, the candidates need to produce mandatory certification or licensing to prove that they meet the provincial requirements for that particular occupation. Work experience acquired as part of co-op work placements is also accepted under the category. But the job needs to be full-time and at an NOC level equal to or greater than the level of the job offer.
Express Entry British Columbia —Health Care Professionals
In order to be eligible to apply for provincial nomination from British Columbia under the Express Entry British Columbia-Healthcare Professionals category, the candidate must have a full-time job offer from a Public Health Authority in British Columbia. Physicians, specialist physicians, nurses, psychiatric nurses, nurse practitioners, midwives and allied health professionals can apply under this category. To be eligible, the candidate must have minimum two years of full-time work experience in the relevant occupation. The candidate must also have applicable licensing or registration.
Besides, the applicant needs to prove their eligibility for a federal economic immigration program and meet the minimum income requirements. They must also meet the eligibility criteria for the BC PNP Skills Immigration – Health Care Professional Category.
Express Entry British Columbia: International Post-Graduate Category
The International Post-Graduate Category of Express Entry BC aims to cater to the growing demand for workers with graduate degrees in the sciences in British Columbia. The applicant must hold a master’s or doctoral degree in the sciences obtained from a post-secondary institution in British Columbia within the past three years. The degree must be in one of the following sciences:
- Agriculture
- Biological and biomedical sciences
- Computer and information sciences and support services
- Engineering
- Engineering technology
- Health professions and related clinical sciences
- Mathematics and statistics
- Natural resources conservation and research
- Physical sciences
Moreover, the candidates must have an intention to settle in British Columbia. This intention must be proved with one of the following evidence:
- Length of previous/current stay in British Columbia
- Previous connections to British Columbia through work, study, family
- A description of any actions to settle in BC like finding a job or a place to live.
Notably, the candidate does not need a job offer. But they must prove their eligibility for one of the three federal economic immigration programs managed under the Express Entry and meet the minimum income requirements.
Express Entry British Columbia: International Graduates Category
International students graduated from a Canadian university/college in the past three years can apply for provincial nomination from British Columbia under the Express Entry British Columbia- International Graduates category. The candidates must have a full-time permanent job offer from a British Columbia employer. The undergraduate/graduate degree must have been earned from a Canadian post-secondary institution authorised to grant degrees. If the qualification is a certificate or diploma, it must be obtained from a public post-secondary institution in Canada. Diplomas or certificates earned from private institutions are not eligible under this category. The study program must be full-time and have a duration of at least eight months (two semesters). But the study programs in which the candidates have to spend more than one quarter of the program duration in a co-op work term or internship are not eligible under this category.
The candidate must have a full-time indeterminate job offer from an eligible B.C. employer in a job under Occupation Skill Level 0, A or B. They must also prove their eligibility for one of the three economic immigration programs managed under the Express Entry and meet the minimum income requirements.
Ineligibility factors for Express Entry British Columbia categories:
A candidate is ineligible to apply for provincial nomination under Express Entry BC categories if one of the following applies to them:
- The candidate is prohibited from entering Canada
- The candid