Upcoming Changes to the British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP)
Updates
April 2025: BC PNP implements waitlist for International Post-Graduate applications, and postpones launch of new student streams
On April 14, 2025, the BC PNP shared a on how it will manage its nomination allocations from the federal government for 2025, including the following measures:
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International Post-Graduate (IPG) applications received between September 1, 2024 and January 7, 2025 will be waitlisted until more nominations become available
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The BC PNP is pausing plans to launch three new student streams until B.C.’s allocation levels are restored
August 2024: Additional details released
The BC PNP has now released additional information about the upcoming changes, including final deadlines to apply under the current International Graduate and International Post-Graduate streams:
The BC PNP has also shared a July 17 information session recording, in which representatives provided an overview of changes:
For more information on these updates:
- Please contact PNPInfo@gov.bc.ca
The Province of British Columbia has announced several policy and process changes to the British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP). Starting January 2025, the current and streams will be replaced with a new three-stream structure for graduates of bachelor’s, master’s and doctorate programs.
Additionally, the minimum language proficiency level will be increased for most streams. For more information about the upcoming changes, review the .
At this time, the full details of the proposed changes have not yet been released and therefore the impacts cannot be fully understood. A detailed summary of the updates is expected in late 2024, with the full criteria to be published in the BC PNP Skills Immigration Program Guide in January 2025.
We recognize that these changes have caused concern, particularly for students in programs that are eligible under the current International Post-Graduate stream of the BC PNP. Since the announcement, UVic has been in communication with the provincial government to raise these concerns and seek information on the specific details to better understand the potential impact on students.
For inquiries related to the BC PNP and other permanent residency pathways to Canada, contact the and/or directly. You can also consult with an authorized immigration representative (e.g. a or immigration lawyer). For more information about authorized representatives, visit the .
If you have questions about your temporary resident status or documents in Canada, including post-graduation work permit (PGWP) eligibility, please contact an International Student Adviser.