The BC Tech Pilot is the Provincial Nomination Program of British Columbia which nominates those candidates working in In-Demand Tech occupation to apply for provincial nomination with expedited processing through the BC PNP.
The British Columbia Tech Pilot is a pilot program contained within the British Columbia Provincial Nomination Program (BC PNP), a Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) operated by the province of British Columbia. The BC Tech Pilot allows candidates working in in-demand tech occupations to apply for provincial nomination with expedited processing through the BC PNP.
Candidates who are successfully nominated through the BC Tech Pilot program will be issued a work permit support letter, allowing them to apply for a temporary work permit. As well, they will be invited to submit an official application for Canadian permanent residence. The BC Tech Pilot is not an immigration program. Candidates who are eligible and have registered a profile for one of the BC PNP Skills Immigration programs, and who meet the requirements for the BC Tech Pilot may be able to apply to the Tech Pilot to receive accelerated application processing and other benefits.
Job Offer Requirement
The BC Tech Pilot has a unique job offer requirements. In order to qualify for the Tech Pilot, your job offer must be for one of 29 selected in-demand occupations. The offer does not need to be indefinite, but it must be for a period of at least one year. If the applicant is already working for the employer in the position that is being offered to them, they must have at least 120 days remaining in that position at the time they submit their application.
Eligible Occupations
In order to be eligible for the BC Tech Pilot, a candidate must be registered for one of the BC Skills Immigration programs. Candidates must also be working in one of 29 tech occupations identified as in-demand by the BC PNP:
| NOC Code | Job Title |
|---|---|
| 0131 | Telecommunication carriers managers |
| 0213 | Computer and information systems managers |
| 0512 | Managers – publishing, motion pictures, broadcasting and performing arts |
| 2131 | Civil engineers |
| 2132 | Mechanical engineers |
| 2133 | Electrical and electronics engineers |
| 2134 | Chemical engineers |
| 2147 | Computer engineers (except software engineers and designers) |
| 2171 | Information systems analysts and consultants |
| 2172 | Database analysts and data administrators |
| 2173 | Software engineers and designers |
| 2174 | Computer programmers and interactive media developers |
| 2175 | Web designers and developers |
| 2221 | Biological technologists and technicians |
| 2241 | Electrical and electronics engineers technologists and technicians |
| 2242 | Electronic service technicians (households and business equipment) |
| 2243 | Industrial instrument technicians and mechanics |
| 2281 | Computer network technicians |
| 2282 | User support technicians |
| 2283 | Information systems testing technicians |
| 5121 | Authors and writers |
| 5122 | Editors |
| 5125 | Translators, terminologists and interpreters |
| 5224 | Broadcast technicians |
| 5225 | Audio and video recording technicians |
| 5226 | Other technical and co-ordinating occupations in motion pictures, broadcasting and the performing arts |
| 5227 | Support occupations in motion pictures, broadcasting photography and the performing arts |
| 5241 | Graphic designers and illustrators |
| 6221 | Technical sales specialists – wholesale trade |
Application Procedure
The BC Tech Pilot is aligned with BC’s Skills Immigration programs. The programs best fitting for the Tech Pilot are the BC Skilled Worker and BC International Graduate programs. In order to apply for the BC Tech Pilot, a foreign national should verify that they meet the National Occupation Classification (NOC) code requirements for one of the 29 in-demand occupations. If this requirement is met, the person may initiate the application process by registering a profile with BC PNP Online.
Once the profile is registered, the applicant can follow the application procedure for the BC Skills Immigration program for which they are eligible. BC Tech Pilot applicants receive a number of advantages when going through the provincial nomination process. First, additional rounds of invitations to apply are issued on a weekly basis for Tech Pilot candidates. Second, applicants will have their PNP application processed at an expedited rate. Finally, employers are able to access the Tech Pilot “concierge services” to assist with the hiring of foreign nationals through this program.
