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B.C. Issues 57 Invitations In New Tech Pilot Draw

British Columbia conducted a new Tech Pilot draw on July 7 and rolled out 57 invitations. These invitations were issued to foreign tech worker and international students through the BC PNP.

The British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP) Tech Pilot started in 2017. It was aimed at assisting employers in attracting potential immigrant in the Information Technology (IT) sector and to facilitate the immigration process for foreign tech worker and international students.

The BC PNP issues weekly Tech Pilot invitations to qualified candidates with a valid one-year job offer in one of the program’s specified occupation. The employment offer must also have a minimum of 120 days remaining at the time of application.

The July 7 draw saw 57 invitations sent out to candidates in the Skilled Workers and International Graduate categories of the Express Entry BC (EEBC) and Skills Immigration stream.

Selected candidates in all the subcategories required a minimum provincial score of eighty (80).

Express Entry candidates who got a nomination from British Columbia will be awarded an extra 600 points toward their Express Entry Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score and are practically assured an Invitation To Apply (ITA) in the subsequent draw.

In order to be considered for immigration to British Columbia province through the Skilled Worker and International Graduates categories, individuals must first create a valid profile via the BC PNP online portal and apply under the program’s Skills Immigration Registration System (SIRS).

Latest BC PNP Tech Pilot figures

The province of British Columbia has held fourteen (14) tech-only draws so far in 2020 via its BC PNP, with the most recent draws prior to this draw taking place on June 9 and June 23.

New statistical data show that last year was a remarkable year for British Columbia immigration in terms of registrants, nominees, and the Tech Pilot.

The number of Tech Pilot nominations was 1,509 in 2019, a thirty-three (33) per cent increase over 2018. Tech Pilot nominations accounted for twenty-three (23) per cent of all nominations, up from Seventeen (17) per cent in 2018.

In addition, it should be noted that British Columbia continues to invite foreign workers and international graduates in non-tech occupations.

Last week, the province held its biggest draw since the coming of the coronavirus pandemic and the second biggest of 2020.

A total of 314 Express Entry and Skills Immigration candidates were sent invitations in that draw. That number of invitations is comparable to the number of invitations sent out in the largest draw that took place on March 10, before the start of the coronavirus pandemic, when 332 invitations were issued.