Two routes
| Route | For | Prerequisite | How you are invited |
|---|---|---|---|
| Health Authority stream | Health workers employed by a B.C. public health authority | A regular, indeterminate, full-time offer from the authority, and its agreement to support you | No registration; apply directly |
| Care: Health draws | 31 priority health occupations | A full-time job offer from a B.C. employer | Targeted draws from the Skills Immigration pool |
| Care: Childcare draws | Early childhood educators (NOC 42202) | A one-year or five-year ECE certificate from the ECE Registry | Targeted draws from the Skills Immigration pool |
Source: WelcomeBC, BC PNP (selection of workers); BC PNP Skills Immigration Program Guide, section 4.2, checked 2026-10-17.
Care draw scores in 2026
| Date | Care: Health minimum | Invitations | Care: Childcare minimum | Invitations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-10-08 | 76 | 82 | 99 | 86 |
| 2026-09-10 | 76 | 143 | 99 | 182 |
| 2026-08-06 | 84 | 124 | 102 | 183 |
| 2026-07-09 | 96 | 116 | 108 | 91 |
| 2026-06-02 | 100 | 117 | 111 | 91 |
| 2026-05-06 | 108 | 117 | 115 | 86 |
BC PNP invites periodically; in 2026 the Care draws have come about every four to five weeks.
Source: WelcomeBC, invitations to apply, checked 2026-10-17.
The 31 priority health occupations
30010, 31100, 31101, 31102, 31110, 31112, 31120, 31121, 31200, 31201, 31202, 31203, 31204, 31209, 31300, 31301 (registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses), 31302 (nurse practitioners), 31303, 32101 (licensed practical nurses), 32102, 32103, 32111, 32112, 32120, 32121, 32122, 32123, 32200 (traditional Chinese medicine practitioners and acupuncturists), 33101, 33102 (nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates), 41300 (social workers).
The Health Authority stream has its own list: health occupations whose NOC code starts with 3, plus 41300, 41301 and 42201.
Source: WelcomeBC, BC PNP (selection of workers); BC PNP Skills Immigration Program Guide, section 4.2, checked 2026-10-17.
The Health Authority stream
B.C. has 8 public health authorities: Provincial Health Services Authority, First Nations Health Authority, Fraser Health, Interior Health, Island Health, Northern Health, Vancouver Coastal Health and Providence Health Care. With a regular, indeterminate, full-time offer from one of them and its support, you apply directly in BC PNP Online with no registration; the application fee is C$1,750. About 80% of applications are decided within 3 months.
Source: BC PNP Skills Immigration Program Guide, section 4.2; WelcomeBC, Skills Immigration, checked 2026-10-17.
Requirements are set out in the Health Authority stream guide.
Early childhood educators (NOC 42202)
- ECE certificate: a targeted invitation needs a one-year or five-year ECE certificate issued by the ECE Registry.
- Employer licence: the employer must be licensed by a provincial health authority to operate a child care facility.
- Time in operation: the employer must have operated in B.C. for at least one year.
- Full time: an average of at least 30 hours a week, year-round.
Source: WelcomeBC, BC PNP (selection of workers); BC PNP Skills Immigration Program Guide, sections 3.5, 6.5 and 6.7, checked 2026-10-17.
Common questions
Can an internationally educated nurse apply directly?
You first need to meet the licensing or registration requirement for your occupation in B.C. and hold a full-time offer from a health authority or a B.C. employer. The Health Authority stream requires the education, training, experience and licensing the health authority sets.
Can a part-time or on-call early childhood educator apply?
BC PNP needs a full-time offer: an average of at least 30 hours a week, year-round.
Can staff of private clinics enter Care: Health draws?
Care: Health draws target occupations, not health authority employees only. The occupation must be one of the 31 priority health occupations, and the employer must meet BC PNP's employer requirements.
Source: BC PNP Skills Immigration Program Guide, sections 3.5 and 4.2, checked 2026-10-17.
Details are on the BC PNP program page.