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
