BC Invites 602 Candidates in Largest PNP Draw of 2026

British Columbia issued 602 invitations to apply for provincial nomination on August 20, marking the province’s largest selection round of 2026.

The British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program, or BCPNP, conducted the draw under its “innovate” objective, which focuses on skilled workers who can contribute to the province’s economy across different industries and occupations.

The draw came only days after British Columbia received 1,000 additional provincial nomination spaces for 2026. The increase raised the province’s total nomination allocation to 6,254.

High Earners Receive Most Invitations

Candidates in the August 20 draw were selected using either the wage attached to a qualifying job offer or their BCPNP registration score.

A total of 337 invitations went to candidates with job offers in TEER 0 to 3 occupations paying at least $55 per hour, or roughly $110,000 annually. These candidates accounted for about 60 per cent of all invitations issued.

Another 265 invitations went to candidates who had registration scores of at least 132 points.

The draw recorded the highest share of registration-score-based invitations among BCPNP Skills Immigration draws held so far in 2026.

British Columbia has now issued 3,260 invitations this year through these two high-economic-impact selection criteria.

How the BCPNP Process Works

Foreign nationals interested in obtaining permanent residence through the BCPNP must first submit an expression of interest through the province’s online portal.

The program assigns each profile a score based on several factors, including work experience, language ability, education, occupation, job-offer wages and other qualifications.

Candidates then enter a registration pool. British Columbia periodically selects applicants based on factors such as their score, occupation, professional designation, work experience, wage level and the region where they plan to live and work.

Provincial priorities and labour market needs can also influence selection decisions.

Candidates who receive invitations generally have 30 days to submit complete applications for provincial nomination.

Those who successfully receive a nomination certificate can then use it to apply to the federal government for permanent residence.

More Than 4,900 Invitations Issued This Year

British Columbia has conducted 12 Skills Immigration selection rounds so far in 2026. Seven focused on wages, job offers and registration points, while four targeted specific occupations.

Another draw in July targeted cleaners and security workers through the Temporary Rural/Remote Health Support Initiative, a new time-limited pathway to permanent residence.

As of August 20, British Columbia had issued at least 4,926 invitations to skilled workers and entrepreneurs during 2026.

The BCPNP also reported 8,306 registrations in its candidate pool as of August 4. The largest group, with 1,651 candidates, had scores between 100 and 109. Another 1,332 candidates scored between 110 and 119, while 1,023 had scores between 120 and 129.

Only 48 candidates in the pool had scores of 140 or higher.