Canada | Study in Canada | Permanent Residency options for International Students in British Columbia

The province of British Columbia offers permanent residency options to foreign students through its Provincial Nominee Program. There are two streams intended for international students under Express Entry BC and Skills Immigration Categories through BC-PNP

• Express Entry British Columbia (EEBC)-International Graduate
• Skills-Immigration (SI)-International Graduate

These two streams are applicable for the foreign students who have a valid qualification from an eligible Canadian University or College. Qualification should have been obtained within the last three years. These two programs help international students get permanent residence in B.C.

Express Entry British Columbia (EEBC)-International Graduate

This program meant for the candidates who have a valid Federal Express Entry profile. In order to be eligible under this stream, an International student must

1. have a profile in the Express Entry system and qualify for one of the three economic class programs. They will have a valid Express Entry profile number and Jobseeker Validation Code if they qualify for one of the programs i.e. FSWP, FSTP or CEC.
2. have completed a degree, diploma or any other equivalent within 3 years from any eligible  Canada’s post-secondary institutions.
3. get a job offer from an eligible BC employer. This job offer must be full time, indeterminate in Skill Type 0, A or B of National Occupation Classification.
4. show that they can support themselves and their family members
5. qualify to work in their occupation in the province
6. demonstrate the language skills either in English or French. This must be valid throughout the PNP application process.
7. have a wage offer as per BC wage rates for their occupation.
8. prove that they have legal status in Canada.

Skills-Immigration (SI)-International Graduate

This program is meant for the international students who do not have the Express Entry Profile. The eligibility requirements under this stream are as follows

1. International Students have studied and obtained a degree/diploma/certificate from an eligible Canadian institution within 3 years
2. They should have accepted a job offer from an eligible BC employer. This must be full time, indeterminate offer in skill type 0, A or B of NOC. If the job offered is a level B occupation, then they need to show minimum language requirements. For level 0 and A- job offers IELTS or equivalent exam is not mandatory.
3. They must have legal status or be eligible for legal status in Canada at the time of application submission.
4. Show that they have enough funds to support themselves and their family.
5. They must qualify to work in their occupation in the province.

Application fee for Express Entry BC and Skills Immigration streams is CAD 1,150. In addition to the above requirements for both the streams, the employer also must meet certain requirements set by the province.