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B.C. updates Provincial Nominee Program to deter ‘bad actors’ from taking advantage of international workers

British Columbia is making changes designed to deter predatory recruiters and other “bad actors” from taking advantage of international workers coming to the province.

The government said its updating BC Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP) selection criteria to better reflect the level of education, experience and language skills that set people up for career success in British Columbia.

“These updates will lead to better outcomes for people and help them understand what is required to be nominated for permanent residency in Canada through the BC PNP,” it said.

The program helps identify people who will strengthen B.C.’s economy and prioritizes workers in health care, construction, early childhood education and other in-demand jobs, the province said.

The BC PNP is competitive, but some recruiters misrepresent it as an easy pathway to permanent residency. These updates will give people a better understanding of the education, experience and language skills that they need to be considered for nomination, it said.

The program updates align with new measures to protect international students from predatory institutions and recruiters, such as:

• a new three-stream structure for graduates of bachelor’s, master’s and doctorate programs;
• increased language requirements for most streams; and
• continued prioritization for people who work in-demand jobs and bring economic benefit to B.C.