The British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP) has announced an increase in application fees for candidates applying under its Skills Immigration category. The fee has been raised from $1,475 to $1,750, with the change taking effect on January 22, 2026.
According to the official update, the revised fee applies only to applications submitted on or after January 22, 2026. Candidates who submitted their applications before this date will not be required to pay the additional amount.
The province has clarified that no other fees under the Skills Immigration category have been changed, including request-for-review fees. Fees for British Columbia’s Entrepreneur Immigration streams also remain the same.
Which Skills Immigration streams are affected?
The updated application fee applies to candidates submitting nomination applications under the following worker streams:
- Skilled Worker Stream
- Entry Level and Semi-Skilled Stream
- Health Authority Stream
Candidates invited through the Express Entry BC (EEBC) options linked to the Skilled Worker and Health Authority streams will also need to pay the new $1,750 fee.
All fees must be paid through the BC PNP Online portal.
Application fees are refundable only if the application is withdrawn before assessment begins. Fees paid for requests for review are non-refundable.
It is important to note that this provincial application fee is separate from the fees charged by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) when applying for permanent residence.
Overview of the BC PNP Skills Immigration process
Foreign workers interested in settling in British Columbia through the Skills Immigration pathway must first identify the stream for which they are eligible.
Candidates must then register online and enter the selection pool. During registration, profiles are scored based on factors such as work experience, education, language ability, offered wage and job location in British Columbia. A candidate profile remains valid for up to 12 months.
Applicants with higher scores may receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA). Once invited, candidates have 30 days to submit a complete provincial nomination application. If the application is not submitted within this timeframe, the ITA expires and the candidate is removed from the pool.
The $1,750 application fee is paid at the time the nomination application is submitted, along with all required supporting documents.
After nomination: processing, work permits and PR
The current estimated processing time for Skills Immigration applications is around three months.
Successful applicants receive a nomination package, which includes a Confirmation of Nomination (CON) letter. Nominations may be withdrawn if applicants do not continue to meet program requirements until they become permanent residents.
Nominees must submit their permanent residence application to IRCC before the expiry date mentioned on the CON letter.
Applicants in Canada whose work permits have expired or are close to expiry may need to apply for a new work permit to maintain legal status. British Columbia can issue a work permit support letter, allowing nominees to apply for a work permit without a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA).
In many cases, this letter is issued automatically with the nomination package. If not, eligible nominees can request it through the BC PNP Online system.
Nominees must submit their work permit application to IRCC within three months of receiving their provincial nomination.
