Immigration to British Columbia

British Columbia Immigrant Nominee Program (BCINP)

Immigration to British ColumbiaBritish Columbia Immigrant Nominee Program offers permanent residence permits to specialists, graduates from provincial post-secondary institutions, and to entrepreneurs.

Applicants who have failed to score enough points required for immigration to Canada under a federal program can try to relocate to the country under one of 11 Provincial Nominee Programs which offer a lot of attractive options to a wide range of professionals. Provincial programs are also pathways for those who wish to immigrate to a specific province or territory.

One of such programs is effective in British Columbia and is called “British Columbia Immigrant Nominee Program” (BCINP). It includes several pathways.

Skills Immigration — for professionals in different areas

This pathway includes the following categories:

BC PNP Tech Pilot — for skilled tech specialists

The BC PNP Tech Pilot pathway has been created for skilled professionals working in sought-after occupations. This pilot expires in June 2019.

Express Entry BC (EEBC) — for those who are eligible under one of the federal programs

This pathway includes the following categories:

Entrepreneur Immigration — for businessmen and entrepreneurs wishing to set up a business in British Columbia

This pathway includes the following categories:

  • Base Category (for those who wish to set up a new business or acquire an existing business)
  • Regional Pilot (for those who are planning to invest in new business in British Columbia)
  • Strategic Projects (for foreign corporations who are planning to open a subsidiary in British Columbia)

By choosing one of these streams you can get permanent residence in Canada and — after three years of permanent residence — become a citizen of the country.


British Columbia is located in western Canada and is washed by the Pacific Ocean. This province includes the largest ports of the Pacific region and Vancouver, the third largest city in Canada and the largest urban centre in British Columbia. Nearly 2.5 million people live in Vancouver and its vicinity.