Question 1

What score do I need for the BC PNP?

Accepted Answer

B.C. publishes no pass mark. Registrations sit in a pool for up to 12 months and the province invites from the top in periodic draws, so what matters is how your score compares with everyone else at the moment of a draw rather than reaching a fixed number. Recent draws have also invited on criteria other than score alone, such as a minimum wage threshold.

Question 2

Why is the wage factor worth so much?

Accepted Answer

Wage is the single largest factor in the grid at 55 of the 200 points, scoring one point per dollar from $16.00 an hour up to the maximum at $70.00. B.C. is explicit that it will not approve applications where there are grounds to believe a wage was inflated to raise a registration score, so the figure has to be the genuine offer.

Question 3

Does it matter where in B.C. the job is?

Accepted Answer

Considerably. A job in Metro Vancouver scores zero for area, Squamish, Abbotsford, Agassiz, Mission and Chilliwack score 5, and anywhere else in the province scores 15. On top of that, regional experience or regional alumni status adds 10 — but only for jobs outside Metro Vancouver. Two otherwise identical candidates can therefore sit 25 points apart on location alone.

Question 4

Do I need a language test?

Accepted Answer

Not always to be eligible — for a job offer in NOC TEER 0 or 1 you are not required to submit test results unless you are claiming points for language. But language is worth up to 40 points, so skipping the test usually costs more than it saves. Points are based on your lowest score across the four abilities.

Question 5

Can I claim points for studying in B.C.?

Accepted Answer

Yes, and only for your highest listed credential: 8 points if you completed it at a post-secondary institution in B.C., or 6 if elsewhere in Canada. If your highest credential is from abroad you cannot claim these points for a lower Canadian credential you also hold.

BC PNP Points Calculator (SIRS)

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BC PNP questions