BC PNP Gets 1,000 More Nominations for 2026 — Total Allocation Now 6,254

British Columbia just got room to nominate 1,000 more candidates this year. On August 18, 2026, the federal government topped up the BC Provincial Nominee Program's allocation, pushing the province's 2026 total to 6,254 nominations — already higher than BC's final 2025 allocation, and this is the second increase this year.

What happened

BC posted the increase on its BCPNP News page with no advance notice. It's the third jurisdiction to receive extra federal room in 2026, following Alberta's 200-spot increase and a top-up for the Northwest Territories earlier in August. The federal government controls how many provincial nominations each province gets under the national Immigration Levels Plan, and mid-year increases like this one signal Ottawa is willing to shift room toward provinces that are actually using their allocations.

BC has said it intends to spend the full 6,254 by year-end, with at least 35% earmarked for candidates working outside Metro Vancouver — a continuation of the province's push to spread nominations into smaller communities rather than concentrating them in the Lower Mainland.

Where the extra spots are going

Since late April, BC has run its PNP entirely through three priority tracks — Care, Build, and Innovate — under its "Look West" framework. The new 1,000 nominations flow into the same three buckets:

Care — healthcare, education, childcare, veterinary care

36 occupations qualify, spanning registered nurses, physicians, dentists, pharmacists, physiotherapists, social workers, early childhood educators, veterinarians, and French-speaking K-12 teachers. Candidates need a current full-time job or job offer in an eligible occupation; nurse aides and patient service associates must additionally be registered with the BC Care Aide & Community Health Worker Registry. BC has invited 946 Care candidates so far in 2026.

Build — construction trades

Nine trades qualify: carpenters, electricians (including industrial), plumbers, welders, steamfitters/pipefitters, heavy-duty equipment mechanics, HVAC mechanics, and construction millwrights. Candidates need at least two years of full-time equivalent trade experience. BC has invited 572 trades candidates under Build in 2026.

Innovate — high-earning or high-scoring candidates

This is where tech, finance, and senior professional candidates land now that BC's dedicated tech stream is gone. Selection runs on one of two criteria: a job offer at TEER 0–3 meeting a wage threshold (most recently $58/hour, roughly $115,000/year, in the July 16 round), or a registration score of at least 132. BC has issued 2,658 High Economic Impact invitations under Innovate this year.

As of August 6, BC had issued 4,324 invitations to apply across all three tracks in 2026 — meaning roughly 1,930 of the newly available 6,254 nominations were still unspent before this increase landed, on top of the fresh 1,000.

What this means for you

If you're in a Care occupation with a current BC job offer: this is a genuine signal to register or check your existing profile. An extra 1,000 spots, weighted partly toward Care and Build given BC's stated priorities this year, means more room to be invited before the province's allocation runs out.

If you're a trades worker in one of the nine Build occupations: the same logic applies — two years of full-time trade experience and a current job offer are your entry ticket. Build has run smaller rounds than Care or Innovate so far, which usually means less competition per invitation.

If you're chasing Innovate on a registration score rather than a wage offer: watch the threshold. It's moved between 132 and 138 through the year depending on round size and applicant pool — a small score improvement can be the difference between clearing and missing a round.

If you don't have a current BC job offer: none of the three tracks accept a bare Express Entry profile without employment tied to it. Build a job search plan around eligible occupations before registering — BC PNP's selection factors reward employment, not just credentials.

What's next

BC has said it will use its full 6,254-nomination allocation by the end of 2026, which means the pace of Care, Build, and Innovate rounds should hold or pick up through the fall. Watch for whether Ottawa extends similar mid-year top-ups to other high-demand provinces, and whether BC's Innovate wage threshold moves again at its next High Economic Impact round.

Where to go next

BC PNP 2026 Guide | BC PNP Look West Overhaul | BC PNP Rural/Remote Health Support Pathway | PNP Guide | CRS Calculator

Sources

• CIC News — British Columbia to nominate 1,000 additional healthcare, construction, and cream-of-the-crop provincial immigration candidates
• BC PNP News