Skills Immigration - Health Care Professional

Health care workers such as physician, nurse, psychiatric nurse or allied health professional with a job offer from a public health authority, may be eligible to apply to the BC PNP under the Skills Immigration – Health Care Professional category.

Health Match BC

Opportunities to work as a healthcare professional in B.C can be found at Health Match BC. This is free provincial service recruits for healthcare professionals.

Eligibility Requirements

Qualifications specific to Health Care Professionals:

1) an offer of indeterminate, full-time employment with a public health authority as a:

• physician
• specialist
• registered nurse
• registered psychiatric nurse
• nurse practitioner

An allied health professional such as a:

• diagnostic medical sonographer
• clinical pharmacist
• medical laboratory technologist
• medical radiation technologist
• occupational therapist
• physiotherapist

OR

• midwife
  • must have a letter of confirmation from an established practice group in British Columbia confirming your acceptance into the group as an affiliated midwife for a period of at least six months. This letter must be on the practice group's official letterhead, and must be signed by you and the head of the practice group.
  • must be registered with the College of Midwives of British Columbia.

2) minimum two years of directly related full-time (or full-time equivalent) work experience in the skilled occupation that has been offered to you, and, if applicable, the credentials and qualification requirements of the position

If you are working in a regulated occupation that requires mandatory certification, licensing or registration you must demonstrate that you meet these requirements when you apply to the BC PNP.

3) a written offer of employment

In addition, the offer of employment must include:

• your job title and duties
• your rate of pay
• your standard hours of work
• that the position is indeterminate and full-time (at least an average of 30 hours a week, year-round)
• any discretionary benefits in addition to those required by law (such as pension and medical plans, disability insurance, sick pay, accommodation and meal allowances, and extra paid vacations)
• if the position is covered by a collective agreement, a reference to the agreement

Your employer cannot make any deductions from your pay (or require you to pay any fees) for recruitment or retention, including fees related to immigration.

The indicated wage on your offer of employment must meet the market rate and be equivalent to the rate paid to workers with the same profession and experience. (For examples of market wage rates by occupation, please visit Job Bank)

If you were originally hired based on a positive federal Labour Market Impact Assessment, the wage you are earning at the time of registration and/or application must be equal to or greater than the wage stated in the offer of employment and on the Labour Market Impact Assessment.

Your employer must also meet program requirements.

4) evidence that you meet minimum income requirements

You must demonstrate that you are able to support yourself (and your dependants) according to your:

• annual wage in B.C.
• location of residence in B.C.
• number of dependants

Information about how the BC PNP assesses your minimum income requirements can be found here in this guide.

5) language proficiency

If you fall under the Skill Level B occupation, Valid language test results must be submitted which shows that you have achieved a minimum score that is equal to or greater than the benchmark 4 under the Canadian language benchmark 2000 (CLB) within all four competencies: listening, speaking, reading and writing.

If you are registering and/or applying with a job offer in a National Occupational Classification Skill Level 0 or A occupation, you are not required to submit valid language test results.

However, at its discretion, the BC PNP may require valid language test results to demonstrate that you have the language proficiency to perform the duties of the position.

Test results will be considered valid for the two years from the date of issuance. Test results must be valid at the time of registration AND application.