BC PNP in 2025: Major Cuts, Paused Streams & Limited Hope

On April 14, 2025, the British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP) announced significant changes that will dramatically reshape immigration through this popular pathway.

🔹 Only 1,100 New Applications in 2025

BC will accept only 1,100 new applications this year — a steep reduction compared to previous years. These applications will be limited to front-line healthcare workers, entrepreneurs, and a small group of skilled workers with high economic impact.

🔹 Most Streams Paused or Closed

The province has:

• Closed many streams

• Paused general and priority occupation draws

• Placed a moratorium on International Post-Graduate (IPG) applications submitted between Sept 1, 2024 and Jan 7, 2025

• Delayed launching three new student-focused streams until the province’s federal nomination allocation improves

  
  

🔹 Changes to Targeted Occupations

• Health Authority stream is now restricted to front-line healthcare workers only

• Early Childhood Educator Assistants will no longer be included in targeted draws — only Early Childhood Educators (ECEs) remain eligible

  
  

🔹 Application Backlog and Allocation Reality

BC began 2025 with 5,200 applications already in inventory, but was given an allocation of only 4,000 total nominations by the federal government. Of those, 2,900 spots will be used to process applications already in the system.

This leaves very limited space for new applicants.

🔻 What This Means Now

As of now, the majority of BC PNP selections for 2025 have already concluded. Aside from a few remaining draws targeting very specific priority occupations, British Columbia has nearly filled its nomination quota.

In other words, unless you are a front-line healthcare worker or fall under one of the few priority categories still being considered, BC PNP is effectively closed for the rest of the year.

💬 Final Thoughts

This is a major shift. With B.C. restricting access to its PNP and other provinces also slowing down or pausing their draws, prospective applicants will need to stay flexible and possibly reconsider their immigration strategies in the short term.

If you’d like help understanding what this means for your profile or exploring other options, feel free to reach out — we’re here to help. 📌 Book a Consultation Now.

BC PNP in 2025: Major Cuts, Paused Streams & Limited Hope