BC PNP: Skills Immigration Registration System (SIRS)
The Skills Immigration Registration System (SIRS) is a dynamic intake management system that allows British Columbia to prioritize candidates for provincial nomination to the province.
The SIRS is a points-based system that helps the British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP), one of Canada's Provincial Nominee Programs, prioritize candidates who demonstrate the required skills to support the province's economic growth. This page will cover the following:
SIRS Calculator
By answering a few simple questions, you can find out what your score might be if you were to register under the SIRS.
How does the SIRS work?
To apply for most BC PNP immigration categories, potential candidates must first register for free to the SIRS by completing all sections of the online registration. An offer of indeterminate, full-time employment* from a B.C. employer is necessary before registering to the SIRS.
Candidates may proceed with the registration if they and their employer meet the program requirements and the employer is prepared to support the application process. Once registration is complete, a candidate is assigned a registration score based on an assessment of the offer of employment, location in B.C., education, language ability and wage.
By registering to the SIRS, candidates are making an expression of interest to apply to the BC PNP for a provincial nomination; they are not yet applying for permanent residence.
A candidate's registration score determines whether or not a candidate will be issued an invitation to apply for a provincial nomination. Periodically, the BC PNP conducts draws to invite the highest-scoring registrants under each category to apply for a provincial nomination.
Please note the following BC PNP categories do not require candidates to register to the SIRS. Individuals interested in applying to these categories may apply directly via BC PNP Online.
- Skills Immigration – Health Care Professional
- Skills Immigration – International Post-Graduate
- Express Entry BC – Health Care Professional
- Express Entry BC – International Post-Graduate
A registration into the SIRS is not an application to the BC PNP or a guarantee that a candidate will be invited to apply.
If a candidate is invited to submit an application to the BC PNP, he or she will then be asked to pay a fee as part of the online application process.
The BC PNP reserves the right to make changes to the SIRS without prior notice, including changes to the scoring grids, the length of time a registration can remain in the selection pool, and the number and frequency of invitations to apply issued.
A candidate's registration will be assessed according to the scoring factors applicable at the time of submission.
*Candidates considered under the BC PNP Tech Pilot are exempt from the “indeterminate job offer" requirement. Learn more on the BC PNP Tech Pilot page.
SIRS Scoring
The factors outlined below determine the number of points allocated to a candidate who has registered under SIRS. If and when a candidate is invited to apply, all the information provided in the registration will be verified against the information provided in the application.
Scoring Sections | Maximum Points | |
|---|---|---|
Economic Factors (120) | Skill Level of the B.C. Job Offer | 60 |
Wage of the B.C. Job Offer | 50 | |
Regional District of Employment | 10 | |
Human Capital Factors (80) | Directly Related Work Experience | 25 |
Highest Level of Education | 25 | |
Language | 30 | |
Total Points Available | 200 | |
Economic Factors
1. Skill level of the job offer
Skill Level of the B.C. Job Offer | Points |
|---|---|
NOC Skill Level A (including Skill Type 0) | 25 |
NOC Skill Level B | 10 |
NOC Skill Level C | 5 |
NOC Skill Level D | 5 |
Bonus points: | |
Occupation is a “00” NOC | 15 |
Occupation identified in the B.C. High Demand Occupations List based on in the BC Labour Market Outlook 2018 Edition | 10 |
Currently working in B.C. for the employer in occupation identified in the BC PNP registration | 10 |
Maximum Score Available | 60 |
2) Annual wage of the B.C. job offer
Annual Wage of the B.C. Job Offer | Points |
|---|---|
$100,000 and above | 50 |
$97,500 to $99,999 | 38 |
$95,000 to $97,499 | 37 |
$92,500 to $94,999 | 36 |
$90,000 to $92,499 | 35 |
$87,500 to $89,999 | 34 |
$85,000 to $87,499 | 33 |
$82,500 to $84,999 | 32 |
$80,000 to $82,499 | 31 |
$77,500 to $79,999 | 30 |
$75,000 to $77,499 | 29 |
$72,500 to $74,999 | 28 |
$70,000 to $72,499 | 27 |
$67,500 to $69,999 | 26 |
$65,000 to $67,499 | 25 |
$62,500 to $64,999 | 24 |
$60,000 to $62,499 | 23 |
$57,500 to $59,999 | 22 |
$55,000 to $57,499 | 21 |
$52,500 to $54,999 | 20 |
$50,000 to $52,499 | 19 |
$47,500 to $49,999 | 18 |
$45,000 to $47,499 | 17 |
$42,500 to $44,999 | 16 |
$40,000 to $42,499 | 15 |
$38,750 to $39,999 | 14 |
$37,500 to $38,749 | 13 |
$36,250 to $37,499 | 12 |
$35,000 to $36,249 | 11 |
$33,750 to $34,999 | 10 |
$32,500 to $33,749 | 9 |
$31,250 to $32,499 | 8 |
$30,000 to $31,249 | 7 |
$28,750 to $29,999 | 6 |
$27,500 to $28,749 | 5 |
$26,250 to $27,499 | 4 |
$25,000 to $26,249 | 3 |
Less than $25,000 | 0 |
Maximum Score Available | 50 |
3) Regional district of employment
Regional District of Employment | Points |
|---|---|
Stikine, Central Coast, Northern Rockies, Mount Waddington, Skeena-Queen Charlotte, Powell River, Sunshine Coast, Kootenay-Boundary, Alberni-Clayoquot | 10 |
Kitimat-Stikine, Bulkley-Nechako, Squamish-Lillooet, Strathcona, Columbia-Shushwap, East Kootenay | 8 |
Peace River, Comox Valley, Cariboo, Central Kootenay | 6 |
Okanagan-Similkameen, Cowichan Valley, North Okanagan, Fraser-Fort George | 4 |
Thompson-Nicola, Nanaimo, Central Okanagan | 2 |
Capital, Fraser Valley | 2 |
Greater Vancouver | 0 |
Maximum Score Available | 10 |
Human Capital Factors
1) Directly related work experience
Directly Related Work Experience in the Occupation of B.C. Job Offer | Points |
|---|---|
60+ months | 15 |
48 to 59 months | 12 |
36 to 47 months | 9 |
24 to 35 months | 6 |
12 months to 23 months | 3 |
Less than 12 months | 1 |
None | 0 |
Bonus points: | |
At least 1 year of directly related experience in Canada | 10 |
Maximum Score Available | 25 |
2) Highest level of education
Education | Points |
|---|---|
Doctoral or Master’s degree | 17 |
Post Graduate Certificate or Diploma | 11 |
Bachelor’s degree | 11 |
Trades certification | 11 |
Associate Degree | 4 |
Non-trades certification or Diploma | 2 |
High School | 0 |
Bonus points: | |
Post-secondary education completed in B.C | 8 |
Post-secondary education completed in Canada (outside of B.C.) | 6 |
Education Credential Assessment from a qualified supplier | 4 |
Trades certification assessment from the Industry Training Authority | 4 |
Maximum Score Available | 25 |
3) Language
Canadian Language Benchmark Level | Points |
|---|---|
10+ | 30 |
9 | 26 |
8 | 22 |
7 | 18 |
6 | 14 |
5 | 10 |
4 | 6 |
Below 4 | 0 |
0 | |
Maximum Score Available | 30 |
Invitations to Apply
Candidates who have entered the selection pool will be ranked alongside other registrants in the chosen category. Periodically, the BC PNP will invite candidates from the selection pool for each category to apply. The number and frequency of Invitations to Apply is based on annual nomination allocations and processing capacity.
Candidates who are invited to apply will have up to 30 calendar days from the date of invitation to submit a complete application via the BC PNP online system. Candidates who are invited to apply but do not submit a complete application within 30 days will have their registration removed from the selection pool and invitation cancelled.
An invitation to apply does not guarantee that an application will be approved for nomination.
The BC PNP may refuse an application if:
- the information in the registration is different from the information submitted in the application;
- the candidate is not eligible to receive the points assigned to him or her at the time of registration; or
- the application does not meet applicable category requirements in effect at the time the application was made.
Candidates who have not been invited to apply within 12 months of registration will be automatically removed from the selection pool. A new registration may be made at this point.
Application and Nomination Decision
Candidates who are invited to apply will have up to 30 calendar days from the date of invitation to submit a complete application via the BC PNP online system. If the application is approved, candidates then have six months from the date of confirmation of the provincial nomination to apply to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) for permanent resident status.
Candidates who have obtained a provincial nomination from the BC PNP may be eligible to receive a work permit support letter so that they can apply to IRCC to obtain or renew a work permit to start or continue working in B.C. for their employer while awaiting the decision on their permanent residence application.
The BC PNP may only accept requests for work permit support letters to provincial nominees if ALL of the following conditions are met:
- The candidate has been nominated by the BC PNP;
- The candidate has submitted an application for permanent residence to IRCC within the six-month period after he or she was nominated;
- The candidate continues to meet the conditions of nomination; and
- The candidate's current work permit expires within 120 days.
The BC PNP cannot apply for a work permit on behalf of a candidate. The candidate must apply to IRCC for his or her own work permit and include the BC PNP work permit support letter with the work permit application.
