British Columbia Receives Additional PNP Nominations, Begins Processing Waitlisted Applications
The Government of British Columbia has announced a significant update to its immigration program, confirming an increase of 1,254 additional nominations under the BC Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP).
With this update, the total nomination allocation for 2025 rises to 5,254, up from the initial 4,000. This expansion will allow the province to begin processing some of the waitlisted International Post-Graduate (IPG) applications submitted in 2024.
Key Highlights
- New Total Allocation: 5,254 nominations for 2025 (previously 4,000).
- Increase: 1,254 additional nomination slots granted by the federal government.
- Percentage Recovered: Approximately 69% of the 2024 allocation (8,000 slots).
- Focus Area: Waitlisted International Post-Graduate (IPG) applications.
- Announcement Date: October 2, 2025.
How British Columbia Will Use the Additional Nominations
The BC PNP will prioritize the processing of a portion of the 2,240 waitlisted IPG Stream applications received between September 1, 2024, and January 7, 2025.
The province also confirmed that some of the additional nominations will be allocated to:
- Healthcare professionals
- Entrepreneurs
- High-impact skilled workers contributing to British Columbia’s economic growth.
The province emphasized that it will continue to advocate for more nomination slots before expanding other immigration categories in 2025.
Why BC’s PNP Allocation Was Reduced
The federal government’s 2025–2027 Immigration Levels Plan introduced a nationwide reduction in permanent resident (PR) admissions to address economic and housing concerns.
- 2024 Target: 485,000 PR admissions.
- 2025 Target: 395,000 PR admissions.
This reduction directly impacted the Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs) across the country, slashing their allocations by 50%, from 110,000 to 55,000 nominations.
The decrease aimed to manage the strain on housing, healthcare, and social systems while prioritizing the transition of existing temporary residents to permanent status.
BC PNP Invitations Issued in 2025 (So Far)
Despite limited allocations, British Columbia has continued to issue invitations under both Skills Immigration and Entrepreneur Immigration categories.
Skills Immigration Draws
| Draw Date | Number of Invitations |
|---|---|
| May 8, 2025 | 94 |
| October 2, 2025 | 474 |
| Total | 568 |
Entrepreneur Immigration Draws
| Draw Date | Number of Invitations |
|---|---|
| January 28, 2025 | <10 |
| March 18, 2025 | <13 |
| April 15, 2025 | 5 |
| May 28, 2025 | <14 |
| July 8, 2025 | <17 |
| August 19, 2025 | <16 |
| October 2, 2025 | 11 |
| Total | No more than 86 |
Other Provinces That Received Increased Allocations
British Columbia joins a growing list of provinces and territories that have successfully negotiated for additional nomination slots after the federal cuts.
The provinces and territories that have received increases so far include:
- Alberta
- New Brunswick
- Newfoundland and Labrador
- Saskatchewan
- The Yukon
- The Northwest Territories
Why This Matters
- Good news for applicants: Waitlisted IPG candidates will finally see progress.
- Provincial recovery: BC regains part of its lost allocation from 2024.
- Economic impact: More skilled and high-value workers can now be nominated.
- National signal: Provinces are actively negotiating with Ottawa for fairer allocations.
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