British Columbia PNP Prioritizes PR for These Healthcare Occupations
14 May 2025 | Canada
British Columbia (B.C.) has allocated the majority of its 2025 provincial nomination spots to healthcare professionals in specific high-demand occupations.
On April 14, the province introduced significant updates to the BC Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP), announcing a cap of 1,100 applications for the year.
Most of these limited nomination spots will be prioritized for healthcare workers. However, a smaller share is being reserved for entrepreneurs and other candidates deemed to have a “high economic impact.”
In addition, B.C. has implemented stricter eligibility criteria for applicants under the Health Authority stream of the BC PNP.
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Which Healthcare Occupations Qualify for PR Under the BC PNP?
As of April 14, only individuals directly involved in delivering healthcare services are eligible to apply through the Health Authority stream of the BC PNP.
This marks a change from previous rules, where any applicant with a full-time job offer from a B.C. public health authority — including administrative and support staff — could qualify.
Now, to be eligible under this stream, you must be employed in one of the following designated healthcare occupations:
- Animal health technologists and veterinary technicians
- Audiologists and speech-language pathologists
- Cardiology technologists and electrophysiological diagnostic technologists
- Chiropractors
- Dental assistants and dental laboratory assistants
- Dental hygienists and dental therapists
- Dental technologists and technicians
- Dentists
- Denturists
- Dietitians and nutritionists
- General practitioners and family physicians
- Kinesiologists and other professional occupations in therapy and assessment
- Licensed practical nurses
- Managers in health care
- Massage therapists
- Medical laboratory assistants and related technical occupations
- Medical laboratory technologists
- Medical radiation technologists
- Medical sonographers
- Nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates
- Nurse practitioners
- Nursing coordinators and supervisors
- Occupational therapists
- Opticians
- Optometrists
- Other assisting occupations in support of health services
- Other medical technologists and technicians
- Other practitioners of natural healing
- Other professional occupations in health diagnosing and treating
- Other technical occupations in therapy and assessment
- Paramedical occupations
- Pharmacists
- Pharmacy technical assistants and pharmacy assistants
- Pharmacy technicians
- Physician assistants, midwives and allied health professionals
- Physiotherapists
- Psychologists
- Registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses
- Respiratory therapists, clinical perfusionists and cardiopulmonary technologists
- Social and community service workers
- Social workers
- Specialists in clinical and laboratory medicine
- Specialists in surgery
- Therapists in counselling and related specialized therapies
- Traditional Chinese medicine practitioners and acupuncturists
- Veterinarians
To qualify as an employee, you must have a full-time, indeterminate job offer from a B.C. health authority.
Which Employers Can Support Health Authority Stream Applications?
To qualify under the Health Authority stream, applicants must be employed by one of British Columbia’s designated public health authorities:
- Provincial Health Services Authority
- First Nations Health Authority
- Fraser Health
- Interior Health
- Island Health
- Northern Health
- Vancouver Coastal Health
- Providence Health Care
In addition, the health authority must consent to and actively support your BC PNP application.
Each health authority follows its own specific process for reviewing and endorsing applications under the program.
Can Self-Employed Healthcare Professionals Still Qualify for the BC PNP?
Yes. Physicians, nurse practitioners, and midwives who are not directly employed by a B.C. health authority may still be eligible if they have the support of a recognized public health authority or a midwifery practice group and are prepared to practice their profession in British Columbia.
To qualify, these candidates must submit a recommendation letter and supporting documentation from the endorsing health authority or midwife practice.
- Qualifications;
- That they are currently (or will soon be) working in their field in B.C.;
- Work location; and
- Support of the health authority or midwife practice group.
Eligible foreign nationals can apply directly to the BC PNP once all requirements are met.
Other In-Demand Professions Nominated Through the BC PNP in 2025
In addition to healthcare workers, British Columbia will allocate a portion of its limited 2025 BC PNP nominations to entrepreneurs and candidates classified as having a “high economic impact.”
The province has confirmed that Invitations to Apply (ITAs) will continue to be issued to entrepreneurs throughout the year, though the exact number of ITAs has not been disclosed.
Details remain limited on what qualifies someone as a high economic impact candidate. However, this group may include individuals with extensive work experience, high-paying job offers, in-demand skills, or those making significant contributions to B.C.’s economy.
For 2025, the BC PNP plans to nominate around 100 of these high-impact candidates from the registration pool.
Why Has the BC PNP Limited Its Nominations in 2025?
Earlier this year, British Columbia’s nomination allocation for 2025 was reduced by 50% compared to the previous year, with the province receiving just 4,000 nomination spots.
Compounding the issue, the BC PNP entered 2025 with a backlog of 5,200 applications—already exceeding its total nomination capacity for the year.
To effectively manage this shortfall, the BC PNP has paused intake for certain streams and is focusing on processing existing applications, while limiting new submissions to just 1,100 for 2025.
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