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Dear future neighbour,

In a strategic move to manage a reduced immigration quota, the province of British Columbia (B.C.) has prioritized healthcare professionals for the majority of its 2025 immigration nominations under the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP).

Announced on April 14, the BC PNP introduced sweeping updates, including a significant cut in the number of new applications it will accept — just 1,100 for the entire year. While a limited portion of these will go to entrepreneurs and individuals contributing substantially to the province’s economy, most nominations are being directed towards healthcare-related roles.

To qualify under the Health Authority stream, candidates are now required to be employed in one of the following professions:

Occupation	NOC Code
Animal health technologists and veterinary technicians	32104
Audiologists and speech-language pathologists	31112
Cardiology technologists and electrophysiological diagnostic technologists	32123
Chiropractors	31201
Dental assistants and dental laboratory assistants	33100
Dental hygienists and dental therapists	32111
Dental technologists and technicians	32112
Dentists	31110
Denturists	32110
Dietitians and nutritionists	31121
General practitioners and family physicians	31102
Kinesiologists and other professional occupations in therapy and assessment	31204
Licensed practical nurses	32101
Managers in health care	30010
Massage therapists	32201
Medical laboratory assistants and related technical occupations	33101
Medical laboratory technologists	32120
Medical radiation technologists	32121
Medical sonographers	32122
Nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates	33102
Nurse practitioners	31302
Nursing coordinators and supervisors	31300
Occupational therapists	31203
Opticians	32100
Optometrists	31111
Other assisting occupations in support of health services	33109
Other medical technologists and technicians	32129
Other practitioners of natural healing	32209
Other professional occupations in health diagnosing and treating	31209
Other technical occupations in therapy and assessment	32109
Paramedical occupations	32102
Pharmacists	31120
Pharmacy technical assistants and pharmacy assistants	33103
Pharmacy technicians	32124
Physician assistants, midwives and allied health professionals	31303
Physiotherapists	31202
Psychologists	31200
Registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses	31301
Respiratory therapists, clinical perfusionists and cardiopulmonary technologists	32103
Social and community service workers	42201
Social workers	41300
Specialists in clinical and laboratory medicine	31100
Specialists in surgery	31101
Therapists in counselling and related specialized therapies	41301
Traditional Chinese medicine practitioners and acupuncturists	32200
Veterinarians	31103

Key Requirements for Healthcare Applicants

To be eligible through the updated Health Authority stream, applicants must hold a permanent, full-time job offer from one of the province’s recognized public health authorities. Additionally, the eligibility standards for this pathway have been revised to focus strictly on roles that directly support healthcare delivery.

Eligible health employers now include:

• Provincial Health Services Authority

• First Nations Health Authority

• Fraser Health

• Interior Health

• Island Health

• Northern Health

• Vancouver Coastal Health

• Providence Health Care

Each of these organizations follows its own internal procedure to approve and support BC PNP applications.

Can Independent Healthcare Providers Qualify?

Yes — healthcare practitioners such as doctors, nurse practitioners, and midwives who operate independently may still be eligible. To qualify, they must receive formal support from either a B.C. public health authority or a licensed midwifery practice and demonstrate intent to practice in the province.

These applicants are expected to submit:

• A recommendation letter

• Proof of their credentials

• Confirmation of current or future employment

• A statement of support from the associated health authority or midwifery practice

Foreign healthcare professionals who meet all criteria can apply directly to the BC PNP under this stream.

Who Else Is Being Considered in 2025?

Beyond healthcare workers, B.C. plans to allocate a portion of its limited nominations to entrepreneurs and other applicants deemed to have a high economic impact. While specific criteria for this group have not been fully defined, it is expected to include individuals with high-demand skills, competitive salaries, and significant contributions to the provincial economy. Around 100 spots have been set aside for this category.

Since April 14, only those actively involved in healthcare provision — not administrative or support staff — are eligible under the Health Authority stream. This marks a clear shift from previous criteria, which were more inclusive of a broader range of roles within public health institutions.

Entrepreneurial candidates will continue to receive Invitations to Apply (ITAs) throughout the year, although the province has not disclosed the number of ITAs designated for this group.

Why the Change?

The B.C. government’s decision to narrow its focus comes in response to a sharp reduction in federal nomination allocations. The province received only 4,000 spots for 2025 — a dramatic 50% decrease from the prior year — while facing a backlog of over 5,000 applications at the start of the year.

To navigate these constraints, the province has paused intake for certain streams and is now concentrating on processing existing applications while limiting new ones to 1,100 in 2025.

Require assistance with securing a visitor visa for Canada, seeking professional aid in submitting a visa or work permit application, crafting an Expression of Interest, setting up an express entry or provincial nomination profile, preparing your application after receiving an invitation to apply, or simply reviewing your self-prepared application? Schedule a consultation or reach out via email at info@eseumohimmigration.com