Two different wage standards
| Standard | 2026 figure | Set by | What it means for immigration |
|---|---|---|---|
| BC statutory minimum wage | C$18.25/hour (from 2026-06-01; C$17.85 before) | BC Employment Standards Act | The legal floor for any job |
| BC PNP wage requirement | Depends on occupation and location | BC PNP, using WorkBC or the federal Job Bank | The job offer must meet it to be eligible |
Under the BC PNP Skills Immigration Program Guide, the offered wage must be:
- within the wage range posted on WorkBC or the federal Job Bank for the occupation and location;
- comparable to wages paid to Canadian citizens and permanent residents with similar education, training and experience;
- consistent with the employer's wage structure.
Source: Government of BC: Minimum wage; BC PNP Skills Immigration Program Guide, section 3.9, checked 2026-10-17.
Hourly wage and registration points
BC PNP Skills Immigration registrations are scored out of 200, and the hourly wage of the job offer is worth up to 55. Points follow the whole-dollar band of the wage; selected bands:
| Hourly wage in the job offer | Wage points |
|---|---|
| Less than C$16.00 | 0 |
| C$16.00 to 16.99 | 1 |
| C$18.00 to 18.99 (includes the minimum wage) | 3 |
| C$20.00 to 20.99 | 5 |
| C$25.00 to 25.99 | 10 |
| C$30.00 to 30.99 | 15 |
| C$40.00 to 40.99 | 25 |
| C$50.00 to 50.99 | 35 |
| C$70.00 and above | 55 |
If the job offer states only an annual wage, the hourly wage is annual wage / 52 / weekly hours, with hours counted between 30 and 40. For elementary and secondary school teachers it is annual wage / 52 / 30.
Source: BC PNP Skills Immigration Program Guide, section 8.4, checked 2026-10-17.
What does not count as wage
The BC PNP considers only the hourly rate of pay. These are not part of the wage:
- bonuses, commissions and profit-sharing distributions;
- tips and gratuities;
- overtime wages;
- housing allowances, room and board and similar payments.
Source: BC PNP Skills Immigration Program Guide, sections 3.9 and 8.4.
Employer pay compliance
- No deductions or fees: a BC employer cannot deduct from your pay or require you to pay recruitment or retention fees, or any fee normally paid by the employer.
- Overtime: time worked over 8 hours a day (up to 12) and over 40 hours a week is paid at 1.5 times the regular wage; over 12 hours a day at double time.
- Inflated wages: applications are not approved where there are reasonable grounds to believe the wage was inflated to raise the registration score or meet invitation criteria.
- Verification: the BC PNP may contact you, your employer or third parties for documents to verify your registration or application.
Source: BC PNP Skills Immigration Program Guide, sections 2.7, 7.4 and 8.4; Government of BC: Overtime pay, checked 2026-10-17.
Consequences of misrepresentation
- BC PNP: after a finding of misrepresentation, the BC PNP may refuse future applications from the applicant, and applications supported by the employer, for up to 2 years.
- Federal: under section 40 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, a person found inadmissible for misrepresentation stays inadmissible for 5 years.
Source: BC PNP Skills Immigration Program Guide, section 1.5; Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, section 40, checked 2026-10-17.
Common questions
Can bonuses or commissions be added to reach the wage? No. The BC PNP counts only the hourly rate; bonuses, commissions and overtime are excluded.
Is a wage at the low end of the Job Bank range acceptable? The requirement is a wage within the WorkBC or Job Bank range for the occupation and location, comparable to Canadian workers with similar qualifications and consistent with the employer's wage structure.
Requirements and process are on the BC PNP program page; scoring is explained in BC PNP registration scoring.