The British Columbia Skills Immigration Registration System (SIRS)

The Skills Immigration Registration System (SIRS) is a dynamic intake management system allowing British Columbia to prioritise candidates for a provincial nomination.

SIRS is a points-based system helpingBritish Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP), one of Canada’sProvincial Nominee Programs (PNPs), to prioritise candidates who demonstrate the skills needed to support the province’s economic growth.

How does SIRS work?

To apply to most BC PNP immigration categories, prospective candidates must register free of charge on SIRS by completing all sections of the online registration form. An indefinite full-time job offer from an employer in British Columbia is required before registering on SIRS.

Candidates may proceed with registration where they and the employer meet the programme requirements and the employer is willing to support the application process. Once registration is complete, the candidate is given a registration score based on an assessment of the job offer, the location in British Columbia, the level of education, language ability and the wage.

By registering on SIRS, candidates are expressing an interest in applying to the BC PNP for a provincial nomination; they have not yet applied for permanent residence.

The candidate’s registration score determines whether they are issued an invitation to apply for a provincial nomination. Periodically, the BC PNP holds draws to invite the highest-scoring registrants in each category to apply for a provincial nomination.

Note that the following BC PNP categories do not require candidates to register on SIRS. Individuals interested in applying to these categories may apply directly through BC PNP Online:

• Skills Immigration – Health Care Professional
• Skills Immigration – International Post-Graduate
• Express Entry British Columbia – Health Care Professional
• Express Entry British Columbia – International Post-Graduate

Registering on SIRS is not an application to the BC PNP, nor does it guarantee that the candidate will be invited to apply.

Where a candidate is invited to apply to the BC PNP, they are required to pay a fee during the online application process.

The BC PNP reserves the right to change SIRS without prior notice, including changes to the points grid, the length of time a registration may remain in the selection pool, and the number and frequency of invitations to apply issued.

A candidate’s registration is assessed against the scoring factors applicable at the time of application.

Candidates considered under theBritish Columbia Tech streamare exempt from the “indefinite job offer” requirement.

The SIRS points grid

The factors set out below determine the number of points allocated to a candidate registered on SIRS. If and when the candidate is invited to apply, all the information provided in the registration is verified against the information provided in the application.

Scoring section	Maximum points
Economic factors	120
The skill level of the British Columbia job offer	60
The wage of the British Columbia job offer	50
The area of employment	10
Human capital factors	80
Directly related work experience	25
Highest level of education	25
Language	30
Maximum points	200

Economic factors

The skill level of the job offer

The skill level of the British Columbia job offer	Points
NOC level A, 0	25
NOC level B	10
NOC level C	5
NOC level D	5
Bonus points:
An occupation in NOC major group “00”	15
An occupation identified in theBritish Columbia high-demand occupations list based on the British Columbia Labour Market Report 2018	10
Currently working in British Columbia for the employer in the occupation identified in the BC PNP registration	10
Maximum points	60

The annual wage of the British Columbia job offer

The annual wage of the British Columbia job offer (CAD)	Points
100,000 or more	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
Below 25,000	0
Maximum points	50

The area of employment

The area 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 points	10

Human capital factors

Directly related work experience

Directly related work experience in the occupation of the British Columbia job offer	Points
60 months or more	15
48 to 59 months	12
36 to 47 months	9
24 to 35 months	6
12 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 points	25

Highest level of education

Level of education	Points
A doctoral or master’s degree	17
A postgraduate certificate or diploma	11
A bachelor’s degree	11
A trade certification	11
An associate degree	4
A non-trade certificate or diploma	2
Secondary school	0
Bonus points:
Post-secondary education completed in British Columbia	8
Post-secondary education completed in Canada (outside British Columbia)	6
An educational credential assessment from an eligible provider	4
A trade certification assessment from the Industry Training Authority	4
Maximum points	25

Language

Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) level	Points
10 or above	30
9	26
8	22
7	18
6	14
5	10
4	6
Below 4	0
No test	0
Maximum points	30

Invitation to Apply

Candidates entered into the selection pool are ranked alongside other candidates in the chosen category. Periodically, the BC PNP invites candidates from the selection pool for each category to apply. The number and frequency of Invitations to Apply is based on the annual nomination allocation and processing capacity.

Candidates invited to apply have up to 30 days from the date the invitation is received to submit a complete application through the BC PNP online system. Candidates who are invited to apply but do not submit a complete application within 30 days have their registration removed from the selection pool and the invitation cancelled.

An Invitation to Apply does not guarantee that the application will be approved for nomination.

The BC PNP may refuse an application where:

• The information in the registration differs from the information submitted in the application;
• The candidate is not eligible for the points allocated at the time of registration; or
• The application does not meet the category requirements applicable at the time of application.

Candidates who are not invited to apply within 12 months of registering are automatically removed from the selection pool. A new registration may be made at this point.

Decisions on applications and nominations

Candidates invited to apply have up to 30 days from the date the invitation is received to submit a complete application through the BC PNP online system. If the application is approved, candidates have 6 months from the date the provincial nomination is confirmed to apply for permanent resident status toImmigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).

Candidates who have received a provincial nomination from the BC PNP may be eligible for a work permit support letter in order to apply to IRCC for a work permit or an extension, so as to start or continue working in British Columbia for their employer while awaiting a decision on the permanent residence application.

The BC PNP can accept a work permit support letter request for provincially nominated candidates only where all the following conditions are met:

• The candidate has been nominated by the BC PNP
• The candidate applied to IRCC for permanent residence within 6 months of being nominated
• The candidate continues to meet the conditions of the nomination
• The candidate’s current work permit expires within 120 days

The BC PNP cannot apply for a work permit on the candidate’s behalf. The candidate must apply to IRCC for the work permit themselves and include the BC PNP work permit support letter with the work permit application.

Updated scores for receiving an Invitation to Apply are on the government website athere.