British Columbia PNP raises application fees for worker streams, i.e., the British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP) has increased its application fees for the Skills Immigration category. The fee has gone up from $1,475 to $1,750.

The new fee was announced on the BC PNP news page on January 22, 2026.

Only applications submitted on or after January 22 will need to pay the new fee. Applications submitted before this date do not require any additional payment.

Moreover, other fees under the BC PNP Skills Immigration category, such as the request for review fee, remain the same. Fees for British Columbia’s Entrepreneur Immigration streams have also not changed.

Which Streams Are Affected By This Fee Increase?

Only applicants applying under the following Skills Immigration streams will need to pay the new $1,750 fee:

  • Skilled Worker Stream
  • Entry Level and Semi-Skilled Stream
  • Health Authority Stream

The Skilled Worker and Health Authority streams also have Express Entry BC (EEBC) options. Applicants invited under these Express Entry-linked streams will also need to pay the higher fee.

Fee payments can be made through the BC PNP Online User Portal.

Fees are refundable only if an application is withdrawn before the BC PNP starts reviewing it. Requests for review fees are not refundable.

The Skills Immigration fee is only for submitting a provincial nomination application. It is separate from the fee paid later to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) for permanent residence (PR).

How Does The Skills Immigration Process Work?

People who want to immigrate to British Columbia through the worker stream must:

  • Identify a stream they are eligible for.
  • Register online and enter the candidate pool for that stream.
  • At this stage, candidates receive a score based on factors such as work experience, education, language skills, wage, and job location.
  • Profiles stay active in the pool for up to 12 months.
  • Wait for an invitation to apply (ITA).
  • Submit a provincial nomination application.
  • Candidates must submit a complete application within 30 days of receiving an ITA. If they do not, the ITA will expire, and they will be removed from the pool.
  • At this stage, candidates must pay the $1,750 fee and upload all required documents.
  • Wait for a nomination decision.
  • Current processing times are about three months.
  • If approved, applicants will receive a nomination package, which includes a Confirmation of Nomination (CON) letter.
  • The program can withdraw a nomination if the applicant no longer meets the requirements before becoming a permanent resident.
  • Submit a PR application to IRCC before the expiry date shown on the CON letter.

Applicants in Canada whose work permits have expired or will expire soon must apply to IRCC for a new work permit to stay legally in the country.

Nominees can receive a work permit support letter from British Columbia. This letter allows them to apply for a work permit from IRCC without needing a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA).

The province may automatically include this support letter in the nomination package if the nominee does not have a valid permit or it is about to expire. Those who do not receive one can request it through BC PNP Online, as long as they meet the requirements.

Nominees must submit their work permit application to IRCC within three months of their nomination date.

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