The British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program has launched another round of targeted immigration invitations in May 2026, focusing heavily on sectors facing long-term labour shortages and regional economic demands.
Over two separate draws conducted on May 5 and May 6, the province invited hundreds of candidates through its Skills Immigration and Entrepreneur Immigration pathways. Healthcare workers, construction professionals, childcare educators, and entrepreneurs were among the major groups selected.
The latest invitations come shortly after the province introduced updated immigration priorities aimed at supporting economic growth, infrastructure expansion, and essential public services across British Columbia.
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Province Prioritizes Occupations Facing Severe Workforce Gaps
British Columbia has continued refining its nomination strategy by concentrating on industries experiencing persistent worker shortages. Instead of broad-based invitations, the province is now conducting occupation-focused draws designed to attract talent that can immediately contribute to the labour market.
The newest selections emphasized two major provincial priorities:
- Strengthening essential care services
- Supporting construction and housing development projects
This approach reflects British Columbia’s effort to align immigration with workforce planning needs across the province.
333 Skilled Workers Invited in Latest BCPNP Draw
The May 6 Skills Immigration draw issued 333 Invitations to Apply to candidates working in selected occupational categories. Each category had its own score requirement based on labour market demand and candidate competition.
British Columbia Skills Immigration Draw Results – May 6, 2026
| Provincial Priority | Occupational Group | Number of Targeted NOCs | Invitations Issued | Minimum Score |
| Care Services | Health Occupations | 31 | 117 | 108 |
| Care Services | Veterinary Occupations | 2 | 9 | 100 |
| Care Services | Early Childhood Education | 1 | 86 | 115 |
| Infrastructure & Housing | Construction Trades | 9 | 121 | 108 |
Among all categories, construction-related occupations received the highest number of invitations, highlighting the province’s urgent need for skilled trades professionals.
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Healthcare Professionals Remain in High Demand
British Columbia once again focused heavily on medical and healthcare occupations as hospitals, clinics, and care facilities continue experiencing staffing shortages.
The province targeted professionals across a wide range of healthcare disciplines, including physicians, nurses, therapists, laboratory professionals, and social workers.
Health Occupations Selected in the Draw
| NOC Code | Occupation |
| 30010 | Managers in health care |
| 31100 | Specialists in clinical and laboratory medicine |
| 31101 | Specialists in surgery |
| 31102 | General practitioners and family physicians |
| 31110 | Dentists |
| 31112 | Audiologists and speech-language pathologists |
| 31120 | Pharmacists |
| 31121 | Dietitians and nutritionists |
| 31200 | Psychologists |
| 31201 | Chiropractors |
| 31202 | Physiotherapists |
| 31203 | Occupational therapists |
| 31204 | Kinesiologists and other professional occupations in therapy |
| 31209 | Other professional occupations in health diagnosing and treating |
| 31300 | Nursing coordinators and supervisors |
| 31301 | Registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses |
| 31302 | Nurse practitioners |
| 31303 | Physician assistants, midwives and allied health professionals |
| 32101 | Licensed practical nurses |
| 32102 | Paramedical occupations |
| 32103 | Respiratory therapists, clinical perfusionists and cardiopulmonary technologists |
| 32111 | Dental hygienists and dental therapists |
| 32112 | Dental technologists and technicians |
| 32120 | Medical laboratory technologists |
| 32121 | Medical radiation technologists |
| 32122 | Medical sonographers |
| 32123 | Cardiology technologists and select diagnostic technologists |
| 32200 | Traditional Chinese medicine practitioners and acupuncturists |
| 33101 | Medical laboratory assistants and related technical occupations |
| 33102 | Nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates |
| 41300 | Social workers |
Veterinary Professionals Included in Provincial Selections
Veterinary occupations also remained part of British Columbia’s targeted immigration strategy.
Veterinary Occupations Invited
| NOC Code | Occupation |
| 31103 | Veterinarians |
| 32104 | Animal health technologists and veterinary technicians |
Applicants in these occupations were expected to meet professional licensing or certification requirements before nomination.
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Early Childhood Educators Continue Receiving Strong Provincial Support
British Columbia maintained its focus on childcare and education services by selecting candidates working as Early Childhood Educators.
Education Occupation Included in the Draw
| NOC Code | Occupation |
| 42202 | Early Childhood Educators |
The province issued 86 invitations under this occupation category, demonstrating continued demand for childcare professionals throughout British Columbia.
Construction Trades Dominate Latest Invitation Round
Skilled trades workers formed the largest group selected during the May 6 draw as the province continues addressing housing supply challenges and infrastructure expansion projects.
Construction Occupations Targeted by British Columbia
| NOC Code | Occupation |
| 72106 | Welders and related machine operators |
| 72200 | Electricians (except industrial and power system) |
| 72201 | Industrial electricians |
| 72300 | Plumbers |
| 72301 | Steamfitters, pipe fitters and sprinkler system installers |
| 72310 | Carpenters |
| 72400 | Construction millwrights and industrial mechanics |
| 72401 | Heavy-duty equipment mechanics |
| 72402 | Heating, refrigeration and air conditioning mechanics |
The province also confirmed that candidates registered in apprenticeships through Skilled Trades BC were eligible under these targeted occupations.
Nearly 10,000 Profiles Remain Active in the SI Pool
British Columbia’s Skills Immigration registration pool continues to remain highly competitive, with thousands of candidates currently awaiting selection.
As of May 6, 2026, the province reported 9,967 active registrations across all score levels.
Distribution of Candidates in the SI Registration Pool
| Score Range | Number of Candidates |
| 0 – 59 | 215 |
| 60 – 69 | 401 |
| 70 – 79 | 853 |
| 80 – 89 | 1,353 |
| 90 – 99 | 1,781 |
| 100 – 109 | 2,107 |
| 110 – 119 | 1,550 |
| 120 – 129 | 1,148 |
| 130 – 139 | 522 |
| 140 – 149 | 32 |
| 150+ | 5 |
British Columbia has now issued 1,706 invitations through Skills Immigration streams since the beginning of 2026.
Entrepreneur Immigration Draw Conducted on May 5
Alongside skilled worker invitations, the province also selected entrepreneurs interested in investing and operating businesses in British Columbia.
The Entrepreneur Immigration draw invited candidates through both available streams.
Entrepreneur Immigration Draw Results – May 5, 2026
| Stream | Invitations Issued | Minimum Score |
| Base Stream | 8 | 115 |
| Regional Stream | Less than 5 | 115 |
This was the first entrepreneur draw this year where both streams shared an identical minimum score threshold.
Base Stream and Regional Stream Explained
The Entrepreneur Immigration Base Stream is intended for experienced business owners and senior managers seeking to establish or purchase businesses anywhere in British Columbia.
Meanwhile, the Regional Stream is designed for entrepreneurs planning to launch businesses in smaller communities located outside Metro Vancouver. Candidates under this stream must secure a referral from a participating community and complete an exploratory visit before applying.
Both pathways include separate investment and net worth requirements depending on the business proposal and location.
British Columbia Maintains Strong PNP Activity in 2026
British Columbia continues to remain among Canada’s most active provinces under the Provincial Nominee Program system.
So far in 2026, the province has issued:
- 1,706 invitations through Skills Immigration streams
- 49 invitations through Entrepreneur Immigration streams
With labour shortages continuing across healthcare, construction, education, and regional business sectors, British Columbia is expected to conduct additional targeted invitation rounds throughout the remainder of the year.
