Skills Immigration - Entry Level and Semi-Skilled (including employment in Northeast Development Region)

You may be eligible in this category if you are currently working in B.C. in an eligible occupation in the tourism/hospitality, long-haul trucking or food processing industry.

OR

You may be eligible for this category if you are currently working in the Northeast Development Region of the province in any occupation listed as skill level C or D in the National Occupational Classification Matrix.

Eligibility Requirements

In addition to meeting general requirements, to qualify for the BC PNP as an Entry Level and Semi-Skilled worker, you must have the following:

1. B.C. work experience in an eligible occupation

You must have been employed full-time (at least an average of 30 hours a week) by your B.C. employer in an eligible occupation for at least nine consecutive months immediately prior to applying to the BC PNP.

If you work in the Northeast Development Region of B.C., you may apply in any occupation listed as skill level C or D in the National Occupational Classification Matrix.

With the exception of the Northeast Development Region of B.C, eligible occupations are divided into three categories:

• tourism and hospitality
• long-haul trucking
• food processing

Refer to this section for a complete list of eligible occupations.

You must maintain full-time employment with your employer in B.C. throughout both the BC PNP and the permanent residence processes.

Employment that is part of a program of study (such as co-op) or obtained using an Off-Campus Work Permit does not qualify.

Long-haul trucker drivers must have at least two years of employment experience as a long-haul truck driver in the three years before registering with the BC PNP. This experience can be obtained from within Canada or abroad.

2. an offer of indeterminate, full-time employment from an eligible B.C. employer at a wage that meets industry standards

BC PNP SKILLS IMMIGRATION AND EXPRESS ENTRY BC PROGRAM GUIDE

BC PNP Program Guide | Part 2: Program Requirements – Skills Immigration 25 The information in this guide is effective April 1, 2016. Please check our website to ensure you are using the correct version.

Your employer must provide you with a written offer of employment on official company letterhead.

The letter must be:

• signed and dated by a person authorized to hire employees
• signed and dated by you confirming that you accept the job offer

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 wage stated on your offer of employment must be at market rate and comparable to the rate paid to workers with a similar level of experience and training for equivalent jobs in B.C. and consistent with the wage compensation structure of your employer. For examples of market wage rates by occupation, please visit the Job Bank.

You must be establishing an employee/employer relationship with your employer. If you will be providing services as an independent contractor you are not eligible for the Skills Immigration stream of the BC PNP.

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.

3. 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

Entry level and semi-skilled applicants must be able to demonstrate a history of meeting the applicable minimum income requirements for the full nine month period prior to submitting a registration and/or application. BC PNP SKILLS IMMIGRATION AND EXPRESS ENTRY BC PROGRAM GUIDE

BC PNP Program Guide | Part 2: Program Requirements – Skills Immigration 26 The information in this guide is effective April 1, 2016. Please check our website to ensure you are using the correct version.

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

4) completion of secondary education and any licensing or certification required for your job

At a minimum, you must have successfully completed secondary education (graduated from high school) either within or outside of Canada. You will need to submit a copy (in English) of your highest-level diploma, certificate, degree, or transcripts.

You must also meet any regulatory or licensing requirements of your occupation.

Long-haul truck drivers must have:

• a valid B.C. Class 1 driver’s licence
• air brake endorsement
• other certification(s), if required (such as certification for transporting dangerous goods)

5) language proficiency

You must submit valid language test results showing you have obtained a minimum score equal to or greater than a benchmark 4 under the Canadian Language Benchmark 2000 (CLB) in all four competencies: listening, speaking, reading and writing.

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.

Information about how we assess your language requirements can be found here in this guide.