How to Work in Canada Through The BC Tech Pilot Project
What is The British Columbia Tech Pilot?
Are you considering a career as a technical worker in Canada? In recent immigration news, the BC PNP Tech is a popular, expedited immigration pathway for individuals who have technical skills and want to work in Canada as a permanent resident. The BC PNP Tech Pilot sends invitations on a weekly basis to tech candidates who meet the eligibility requirements.
Applicants who have been asked to submit an application for a provincial nomination have 30 days to complete the application process. Upon completion, the majority of technology applications will be evaluated within 2 to 3 months.
If candidates meet the criteria and are accepted, they will then receive a nomination confirmation letter that may be used to submit an application for permanent residence to IRCC under the PNP Program. 😊
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Latest Updates on The BC Tech Pilot: It's Now Permanent!
British Columbia’s Tech Pilot will remain in place as a permanent, expedited immigration route for tech workers and international students. Instead of another one-year extension, as has been done in the past, the government has officially stated that once the current pilot’s extension comes to an end on June 30, 2021, it will be renamed BC PNP Tech and become permanent.
The BC Tech Pilot, launched in May 2017, is aimed at helping British Columbia’s growing tech industry in attracting foreign talent in 29 high-demand professions. Dealing with a talent shortfall in the technology industry, British Columbia started a pilot project to recruit talented tech employees from other nations to increase the growth of the province’s tech sector.
Eligibility for the BC PNP Tech Program
Candidates for the British Columbia Tech Pilot Program must meet the following requirements:
- A Canadian job employment offer in any of the stated 29 qualifying BC tech professions for at least one year.
- Has relevant experience and credentials similar to international students who finished their tech college courses in Canada.
- Meet the requirements of at least BC PNP Skills Immigration or Express Entry program
- Canadian Employers must submit a letter of support to expedite the Work Permit application process.
- A passing language test, proof of funds, and work experience qualifications must also meet the requirements of one of the Express entry programs (FSW, FST, or CEC) or the Skills Immigration program.
Do keep in mind, candidates must be enrolled in one of British Columbia’s current provincial immigration streams and possess a valid 12-month work offer in one of 29 qualifying professions.
Among the 29 professions eligible for the BC PNP Tech program are the following:
- Telecommunication carriers managers
- Computer and information systems managers
- Managers – publishing, motion pictures, broadcasting and performing arts
- Civil engineers
- Mechanical engineers
- Electrical and electronics engineers
- Chemical engineers
- Computer engineers (except software engineers and designers)
- Information systems analysts and consultants
- Database analysts and data administrators
- Software engineers and designers
- Computer programmers and interactive media developers
- Web designers and developers
- Biological technologists and technicians
- Electrical and electronics engineering technologists and technicians
- Electronic service technicians (household and business equipment)
- Industrial instrument technicians and mechanics
- Computer network technicians
- User support technicians
- Information systems testing technicians
- Authors and writers, editors, translators, terminologists and interpreters
- Broadcast technicians
- Audio and video recording technicians
- Other technical and co-ordinating occupations in motion pictures, broadcasting and the performing arts
- Support occupations in motion pictures, broadcasting, photography and the performing arts
- Graphic designers and illustrators
- Technical sales specialists – wholesale trade
Commonly Asked Questions
To apply for the BC PNP Tech, you will first need to register and create a profile through British Columbia’s provincial online portal called the Skills Immigration Registration System (SIRS) and apply through one of the BC’s existing categories. The SIRS is a point system that enables the BC PNP to give preference to individuals who possess the necessary abilities to help the province prosper economically.
During the application process, candidates are given a score that tells them if they may proceed to the next round of invitations. The score is dependent on several factors such as academic background, years of work experience, and whether or not they have a job offer from British Columbia.
In order to be eligible for the Tech program, a tech candidate must be offered a position in their respective field.
Yes. All BC PNP categories, with the exception of the International Post-Graduate categories, require the submission of a job offer from a British Columbia, Canadian employer.
The advantage of the BC Tech Pilot is that it does not require a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA). In addition, employers in Canada no longer have to post a position in Canada for three months before making an offer to overseas candidates. This implies that there are more tech jobs in Canada for you to choose from.
What’s great about Canada is the variety of visa and work permit options provided to highly qualified technology professionals, making it an excellent destination for foreigners looking for well-compensated tech jobs.
With their specific knowledge and experience, technology professionals do well in a number of Canada’s main economic immigration pathways.
Applying to The British Columbia Tech Pilot Through PNP
The BC PNP Tech program is in line with the BC’s Skills Immigration Programs. To qualify for the BC PNP Tech program, a candidate must certify that they match the requirements for one of the 29 in-demand jobs listed in the National Occupation Classification (NOC) code. If this criteria is met, the individual may begin the application process by creating a profile with BC PNP Online.
After registering their profile, the candidate can proceed with the application process for the BC Skills Immigration program for which they qualify.
Requirements for the British Columbia Tech Pilot
- Registered Profile
- Personal Information/Valid IDs
- Copy of Work Permit
- Proof of Funds
- Job Offer from BC Canadian Employer
- Minimum score of 80 points in the Provincial Nominee Program
Why Choosing the The British Columbia Tech Pilot Is A Great Option
The majority of BC PNP applications have a processing period of two to three months from submission. BC Tech Pilot is a fast track program that will speed up the processing time submitted applications. As a result, the employer is not required to acquire an LMIA, which means the procedure is much simpler. In recent years, BC’s tech sectors have grown significantly, attracting many immigrants to the province. If you’re employed in the tech industry, your profession will almost certainly be in high demand, which means finding employment is simpler. The BC Tech Pilot is also widely recognized for its technology sector, which needs foreign workers with relevant skills.
By choosing the “now permanent” BC Tech Pilot Project, candidates have a greater chance of landing employment opportunities in the tech industry.
Starting Your New life in British Columbia as a Tech Worker
For a long time, BC has been portrayed as an adventure-filled location for outdoors lovers and IT workers alike. The province of British Columbia is the undisputed #1 startup ecosystem in Canada and the 15th-ranked worldwide. Because BC’s tech industry is one of the fastest-growing industries in Canada, resulting in many possibilities for those who have expertise in this field.
More than 10,000 tech firms employ over 11,000 people, who get much better wages than the national average. This indicates that the IT industry is one of the fastest-growing industries in the province and will remain so in the future. BC is home to many startups, so the demand for IT experts is strong.
If British Columbia seems like the perfect province for you to immigrate to, we’ve provided a list of 7 advantages you can expect when working in British Columbia as a tech professional.
7 Notable Advantages of Working in BC
😊 High Standard of Living
🏥 Excellent Universal Healthcare
💰 Generous Wages and Benefits
🤝🏼 Multicultural Society
🕊️ Safe and Peaceful Community
📜 Rich History and Culture
💼 Wide Range of Opportunities
Nevertheless, It’s always a wise choice to hire an immigration consultancy, such as CanadaCIS, before you take on something as important as moving to a new country. Our highly trained and experienced RCICs will make the process of applying for the BC PNP Tech Pilot as painless as they possibly can. We’re here to help!
