VisaCanada’s British Columbia issues 772 invitations through two different selection tests
The 29 October high-economic-impact draw separates wage-based invitations from a 131-point round; invited applicants must prepare evidence within thirty calendar days.
Official source date: 2026-10-29
Edited and checked by the VisaWand editorial team
Read the two October rows separately
British Columbia issued 772 Skills Immigration invitations on 29 October 2026 under its Innovate: High Economic Impact selection. The provincial invitations table records 524 invitations using a minimum wage of CAD 49 an hour and CAD 99,000 annually, with an occupation in NOC categories 0, 1, 2 or 3. A separate row records 248 invitations at a minimum score of 131. The wage-based row lists no minimum points score.
This means 131 was not a common threshold for every person invited. The previous comparable round, on 24 September, used CAD 52 an hour and CAD 105,000 annually for its wage selection, while its points minimum was also 131. The October reduction in the wage thresholds does not establish a permanent new programme entitlement or predict the next draw. Registered candidates should check the BC PNP Online account through the official invitations page to establish whether an invitation was actually issued to them.
An invitation starts an evidence deadline, not permanent residence
The Skills Immigration Program Guide requires a complete application within thirty calendar days of invitation and says that period cannot be extended. The precise account deadline should therefore be recorded immediately. A person who appears to match a published draw threshold but has no invitation cannot use the result as permission to submit an invited application.
The guide also explains that an application can be refused if the evidence no longer supports the selection factors or the registration score on which the invitation depended. Check the actual wage, occupation and work location against the registration before paying. A change in a material fact is not cured by the historical draw result. The guide is the resource for understanding which programme conditions remain applicable after invitation and why submitting a complete file differs from merely retaining a place in the registration pool.
Coordinate employer evidence with personal documents
The official Skills Immigration Application Guide provides the stream-specific upload checklist. For a Skilled Worker file, use its document descriptions to prepare passport identification, Canadian immigration records where relevant, a current photograph, education evidence and occupational credentials. Express Entry BC applicants also need the federal profile information specified in that guide. Requirements linked to language results, licensing or other evidence must be checked against the actual stream rather than borrowed from another applicant’s checklist.
The employer’s part of the file is equally important. The application guide identifies the signed Employer Declaration Form, job offer, detailed job description and supporting business information among the relevant records. Arrange these directly with the supporting employer while the invitation window is open. A wage figure in the registration is not a substitute for the underlying offer or proof that the business meets the programme’s conditions. The province’s Documents page supplies the official guides and forms, allowing applicant and employer to work from the same current materials.
Pay only through the official provincial process
The provincial For Workers page lists registration as free and the Skills Immigration application charge at CAD 1,750. It lists CAD 500 for a request for review, which is a separate process rather than a normal addition to every application. Payments are accepted through the BC PNP Online portal; the province does not accept alternative payment methods such as wire transfers or gift cards.
The same page says a provincial application fee is refundable only when withdrawal occurs before assessment begins. Federal permanent-residence fees, and any applicable work-permit fees, are separate. Budgeting for the provincial charge alone therefore does not establish the total cost of immigration. Use the official workers page for the current payment rules and obtain access through its portal link, rather than following an unsolicited payment request claiming to secure one of the October invitations.
Keep provincial selection distinct from the federal decision
The provincial programme overview describes nomination as a route to applying for Canadian permanent residence. It distinguishes Skills Immigration from Entrepreneur Immigration and explains the province’s care, construction and innovation priorities. The October high-economic-impact results concern a particular worker selection; they are not a general invitation for every nationality, occupation or business investor.
After provincial assessment, a successful nominee still follows the separate federal application process. The immediate task for an invited worker is narrower: confirm the account notice and deadline, reconcile the registration with current employment, secure the employer’s evidence, and submit the correct provincial file. A draw invitation should not be described as a visa grant, a guarantee of nomination or permission to disregard existing Canadian status conditions.
