Engage Immigration Services Inc. is one of the fastest-growing immigration firms in The Greater Toronto Area. It is managed by Vikas Joshi, an RCIC (Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant) accredited by CICC.
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British Columbia(B.C.) lies in the west of Canada right next to The Pacific Ocean. It is also home to a section of The great Rocky mountains making this province a hot tourist destination. Victoria is the capital of B.C. and is known for its rich colonial heritage & historical monuments. Around 100 kms from Victoria is one of the largest cities of Canada i.e. Vancouver. B.C. sees some of the mildest temperatures relative to the rest of Canada which is why a large number of foreign nationals move to this province each year resulting in an ever increasing demand for real estate. Although B.C. boasts of a very diverse economy, according to Statistics Canada “The Real Estate, Rental and Leasing” sector forms the biggest contributer to B.C.’s GDP.
This stream targets those individuals who qualify under a points based invitation system for high demand occupations in B.C. There are 5 further components to this stream at the moment and 4 of the 5 categories in this stream work independent of as well as in allignment with the Federal Express Entry System. The Entry level & Semi Skilled category is completely non alligned with the Express Entry system:
Skilled Worker:
Applicant must have accepted a job offer for an indeterminate (permanent or one with no set end date), full time job from an eligible B.C. Employer for a skilled occupation (NOC / TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3) with the employer being willing to support the application.
The Wage being offered must be in line with the Wage Rate in B.C. for similar occupations.
Applicant must have the minimum required qualification that is required to work in that occupation in B.C. (Eg. Trade License, Diploma etc).
Applicant must have at least 2 years of related work experience in a similar (NOC / TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3) job.
Applicant must be able to demonstrate ability & intent to support oneself and dependents in the province of B.C.
Healthcare Professional:
As the name suggests this category is specifically meant for Healthcare Professionals looking to settle down in British Columbia:
Applicant must have an indeterminate (permanent or one with no set end date), full time job offer from a Public Health Authority to work in B.C. as a physician, specialist, registered nurse, registered psychiatric nurse, nurse practioner or as an allied health professional such as diagnostic medical sonographer, clinical pharmacist, medical laboratory technologist, medical radiation technologist, occupational therapist or physiotherapist.
Midwifes can also apply under this category and must have a letter of confirmation from an established practice group in B.C.
The Wage being offered must be in line with the Wage Rate in B.C. for similar occupations
Applicant must have the minimum required qualification that is required to work in that occupation in B.C. (Eg. Trade License, Diploma etc).
Applicant must have at least 2 years of related work experience in a similar job
Applicant must be able to demonstrate ability & intent to support oneself and dependents in the province of B.C.
International Graduate:
Applicant must have accepted a job offer for an indeterminate (permanent or one with no set end date), full time job from an eligible B.C. Employer for a skilled occupation (NOC / TEER 1, 2 or 3) with the employer being willing to support the application.
The Wage being offered must be in line with the Wage Rate in B.C. for similar occupations.
Applicant must have the minimum required qualification that is required to work in that occupation in B.C. (Eg. Trade License, Diploma etc).
Applicant must have completed a degree, diploma or certificate from an eligible post secondary institution from anywhere in Canada in the last 3 years.
Applicant must be able to demonstrate ability & intent to support oneself and dependents in the province of B.C.
International Post-Graduate:
This Category does not require a Job Offer for an application. Any individual who has graduated with a master’s or a doctorate (PhD) degree in the natural, applied or health science from an eligible B.C. Institution can apply under this category.
Some of the categories for such a program are listed below:
agriculture
biological and biomedical sciences
computer and information sciences and support services
engineering
engineering technology
health professions and related clinical sciences
mathematics and statistics
natural resources conservation and research
physical sciences
Applicant must be able to demonstrate ability & intent to support oneself and dependents in the province of B.C.
Entry Level & Semi Skilled: (Not alligned with Express Entry)
For Northeast Development Region in B.C., Applicant must have accepted a job offer for an indeterminate (permanent or one with no set end date), full time job from an eligible B.C. Employer in any NOC / TEER 4 or 5 occupation.
For the rest of B.C., Applicant must have accepted a job offer for an indeterminate (permanent or one with no set end date), full time job from an eligible B.C. Employer in a specific occupation in tourism/hospitality, long-haul trucking, or the food processing industry.
The applicant must be employed with the same employer for at least 9 consecutive months before applying.
The Wage being offered must be in line with the Wage Rate in B.C. for similar occupations.
Applicant must have the minimum required qualification that is required to work in that occupation in B.C. (Eg. Trade License, Diploma etc)
Applicant must be able to demonstrate ability & intent to support oneself and dependents in the province of B.C.
While most candidates applying under the B.C. Skills Immigration stream do not require eligibility under The Federal Express Entry system, having a profile on the CRS Express Entry Pool can still prove beneficial and improve the chances of the applicant. With a PNP from B.C. the applicant who is already on the pool gets an additional 600 points on the CRS score and that confirms his/her chances of obtaining an Invitation to Apply(ITA). There are only 4 categories under the B.C.-PNP that are alligned with The Federal Express Entry System:
Skilled Worker
Healthcare Professional
International Graduate
International Post Graduate
British Columbia is also currently running an additional program meant specifically for certain applicants who qualify under this program. This program is specifically aimed at responding quickly to shortages in the Tech/IT job market within the province. For an applicant to be eligible under this program, he/she must be employed in one of the 35 In Demand Tech occupations in the B.C. Technology Sector.
Under this Pilot program, any individual who has currently applied to be selected under any of the B.C. PNP streams and also holds a Job Offer in one of the 35 In Demand occupations might get picked under the weekly draws to apply for a PNP. The invited applicant then submits an online application within 30 days which is again processed on an expedited basis. Once approved, the applicant must then submit an application for Permanent Residence unde rthe Federal program.
Such applicants also get an added benefit of a Work Permit Support Letter that allows them to obtain a fresh or renew an existing Work Permit that allows them to work in B.C. Until the time the PR application does not get decisioned.
The Job offers under this program must be issued for a minimum of 365 days & must have at least 120 days remaining on them at the time of application.
The List of the 35 In Demand Occupations is as follows:
| NOC | Job Title | ||||||||
| 10030 | Telecommunication carriers managers | ||||||||
| 20012 | Computer and information systems managers | ||||||||
| 21100 | Physicists and astronomers | ||||||||
| 21210 | Mathematicians, statisticians and actuaries | ||||||||
| 21211 | Data scientists | ||||||||
| 21220 | Cybersecurity specialists | ||||||||
| 21221 | Business systems specialists | ||||||||
| 21222 | Information systems specialists | ||||||||
| 21223 | Database analysts and data administrators | ||||||||
| 21230 | Computer systems developers and programmers | ||||||||
| 21231 | Software engineers and designers | ||||||||
| 21232 | Software developers and programmers | ||||||||
| 21233 | Web designers | ||||||||
| 21234 | Web developers and programmers | ||||||||
| 21300 | Civil engineers | ||||||||
| 21301 | Mechanical engineers | ||||||||
| 21310 | Electrical and electronics engineers | ||||||||
| 21311 | Computer engineers (except software engineers and designers) | ||||||||
| 21320 | Chemical engineers | ||||||||
| 21399 | Other professional engineers | ||||||||
| 22110 | Biological technologists and technicians | ||||||||
| 22220 | Computer network and web technicians | ||||||||
| 22221 | User support technicians | ||||||||
| 22222 | Information systems testing technicians | ||||||||
| 22310 | Electrical and electronics engineering technologists and technicians | ||||||||
| 50011 | Managers – publishing, motion pictures, broadcasting and performing arts | ||||||||
| 22312 | Industrial instrument technicians and mechanics | ||||||||
| 51111 | Authors and writers (except technical) | ||||||||
| 51112 | Technical writers | ||||||||
| 51120 | Producers, directors, choreographers and related occupations | ||||||||
| 52119 | Other technical and coordinating occupations in motion pictures, broadcasting and the performing arts | ||||||||
| 52112 | Broadcast technicians | ||||||||
| 52113 | Audio and video recording technicians | ||||||||
| 52120 | Graphic designers and illustrators | ||||||||
| 53111 | Motion pictures, broadcasting, photography and performing arts assistants and operators | ||||||||
The Entrepreneur Stream is meant to attract investment & business ideas into the province that can further assist in the strategic economic goals of the province. Such businesses are started off by immiediate investment at the time of inception and also help by creating jobs in the times to come. The Entrepreneur Stream can be further divided into a few categories, The below table explains the difference between the 2 programs:
| Entrepreneur Immigration – Base Category: | Entrepreneur Immigration – Regional Pilot: | ||||||||||||||
| Definition | Under this program an eligible applicant must be prepared to invest in and actively manage a valid business in the province of B.C. | Under this program an eligible applicant must be prepared to invest in and actively manage a valid business in the regional communities of B.C. This is done with an intention to promote more development of these areas and to create jobs. | |||||||||||||
| Prior Experience | Required in the preceeding 10 years | Required in the preceeding 5 years | |||||||||||||
| Applicant must have a minimum of either 3+ years of experience as a business owner-manager, OR, 4+ years of experience as a senior manager, OR, a combination of 1+ year of experience as a business owner-manager and 2+ years of experience as a senior manager. | |||||||||||||||
| Personal Net Worth | minimum CAD $600,000 | minimum CAD $300,000 | |||||||||||||
| Required Investment | minimum CAD $200,000 | minimum CAD $100,000 | |||||||||||||
| Educational Qualification | Applicant must have completed post secondary education , OR, have experience as an active business owner-manager for at least 3 of the last 5 years with 100% ownership of the business | ||||||||||||||
| Business Proposal | Business Proposal required for establishing new business and for purchasing an existing business | Business Proposal required for establishing new business along with a referral from one of the participating communities | |||||||||||||
| Ownership | Applicant must own minimum 33.33% of the business | Applicant must own minimum 51% of the business | |||||||||||||
| Job Creation | The Business must create at least 1 full time equivalent job for a Canadian citizen or Permanent Resident | ||||||||||||||
| Business Location | Anywhere within B.C. | Participating Enrolled communities (List of communities available on www.welcomebc.ca) | |||||||||||||
| Exploratory Visit | No Visit Required | Applicant must visit and engage an enrolled community before visiting | |||||||||||||
| Language Proficiency | Minimum CLB 4 in English or French | ||||||||||||||
| Partnership | Applicant can enter a partnership with a local business or individual | ||||||||||||||
| Applicant can enter a partnership with a co registrant under the same BC PNP program | Applicant cannot enter a partnership with any other prsprective immigrant | ||||||||||||||
| Scores | Total 200 points (120 points for self-declared section; 80 points for business concept). Must score minimum of 32 points in business concept section | Total 200 points (140 points for self-declared section; 60 points for business concept). No minimum business concept score. | |||||||||||||
| Timeframe | Registrations scored within 6 weeks | Registrations scored within 4 weeks | |||||||||||||
| Net Worth Verification | Applicant is required to submit a Net Worth Verification Report if he/she receives an invitation to apply | ||||||||||||||
| Decision Timeframe | Decisions are mostly made within 4 months for the eligible candidate | ||||||||||||||
| Interview | Applicant needs to appear for an interview before getting approved | ||||||||||||||
| Time Period for Final Report Submission | 18 months after receiving Work Permit | 12 months after receiving Work Permit | |||||||||||||
| Reference: www.welcomebc.ca | |||||||||||||||
Strategic Projects: This Category falls under the Entrepreneur Immigration Stream and is meant to assist foreign companies to invest in and setup a business in B.C. Under this category such a company can also move upto 5 of its key senior staff members to permanently relocate to B.C.
Key Features of this Program: The Company must make a minimum equity investment of CAD $500,000 to be used in the company’s operations in B.C.
The business in B.C. Can either be an expansion of an existing business, a buyout of a B.C. Based business or a new Setup all together.
The business must not be on the list of ineligible businesses published on the welcomebc website.
The business must create minimum 3 new full time equivalent jobs for each foreign key staff member that moves to B.C.
A maximum of 5 key staff members can move to B.C. Under this program.
Eligibility for Key Staff Members: Must be currently employed as senior employees of the company and be qualified/experienced enough to establish and operate the business in B.C.
Must be appointed to an executive or senior managerial position in a permanent full time capacity at the proposed business being setup in B.C.
The Wages being offered must be in line with the individual’s prior experience and must be consistent with industry standards
Address -108 Emerald Coast Trail, Brampton, ON L7A 5A7
Contact no- +1 (905) 418-2500
Fax: +1 (905) 667-7151
Email - vikas@engageimmigration.ca
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