On August 26, the BC government released the “BC PNP 2025 Statistical Report and Year in Review.” One set of numbers in this report deserves serious attention from all foreign workers in BC.
The total 2026 BC PNP allocation is 6,254. The healthcare priority stream target is 1,620 to 2,015 nominations. Early childhood education (ECE, NOC 42202): 360 to 440. Combined, that is 1,980 to 2,455, representing 31.7% to 39.3% of the entire quota.
In plain terms: for every 100 provincial nominee certificates BC issues this year, nearly 40 are earmarked for healthcare and childcare workers.
This is not vague policy language like “priority consideration.” This is a written numerical target in an official government report.
Canada is shrinking immigration. BC is recruiting doctors from the US.
One set of data in this report is even more explosive than the quota itself.
In 2025, BC PNP actively participated in international healthcare recruitment, with the government explicitly stating that the United States and the United Kingdom are the key recruitment markets. The results:
Doctor nominations from the US: up 290% year-over-year
Registered nurse nominations from the US: up 208% year-over-year
Doctor nominations from the UK: up 139%
Registered nurse nominations from the UK: up 17%
Combined, 335 doctors, registered nurses, and nurse practitioners from the US and the UK received BC PNP nominations in 2025.
This means BC is using its immigration system as a direct tool for healthcare talent competition, and the target market includes the United States. Canada’s shortage of doctors and nurses is not new news, but a province using PNP quotas to recruit directly from its neighbour is a new story.
Nearly 90% of nominees were already living in BC
Another key number in the report: in 2025, nearly 90% of BC PNP nominees were already living and working in BC at the time of their nomination.
BC’s own explanation is that this converts temporary residents to permanent residents while aligning with the federal government’s goal of reducing the temporary resident population.
BC PNP is now less like the old model of “overseas applicants queue for provincial nomination.” It looks more like: you are already in BC, already working, your profession is one the province truly needs, and you get priority for the limited PR quota.
This direction aligns closely with what has emerged recently in Quebec and Manitoba: total numbers decrease, but the weight of “in-province + critical occupations” increases.
Total quota slashed in half, yet healthcare nominations surged 84%
In 2025, the federal government once slashed BC PNP allocations from 8,000 in 2024 down to 4,000. BC was forced to pause or limit many streams, focusing new applications on healthcare professionals and high economic impact candidates. The allocation was later increased to 6,214.
But even with the total quota cut, BC still increased healthcare worker nominations in the public health system from 675 in 2024 to 1,241 in 2025. That is an 84% increase in one year.
These 1,241 people alone accounted for about 27% of BC PNP’s 2025 quota.
This contrast is striking: total immigration quota was cut in half, yet nominations for doctors and nurses in hospitals increased significantly. What BC is really doing is not “reducing all immigration,” but reallocating limited quotas from general applicants to the public services that need them most.
ECE nominations dropped from 1,279 to 409, but the stream remains
In 2024, BC heavily tilted toward ECE, with ECE nominations reaching 1,279. In 2025, that dropped to 409.
The reason is not that childcare workers are suddenly no longer needed. It is that with limited quotas, BC gave higher priority to high-wage healthcare professions.
Official data shows that the median wage for BC PNP skilled immigration nominees reached $41.42 per hour in 2025, while the median wage for all BC workers was $32.49 per hour. PNP nominees earned $8.93 more per hour.
BC’s own explanation includes one reason: in 2025, there was a stronger tilt toward high-wage healthcare professions such as doctors and nurses.
The new BC immigration model is becoming clearer: it is not just about filling positions, but about finding those who are “most critically needed + highest economic value + preferably already in BC.”
2026 Quota Allocation Overview
| Category | 2026 Target | % of Total Quota | 2025 Actual |
|---|---|---|---|
| Healthcare Priority (31 NOCs) | 1,620-2,015 | 25.9%-32.2% | 1,435 |
| Childcare (NOC 42202) | 360-440 | 5.8%-7.0% | 409 |
| Healthcare + Childcare Combined | 1,980-2,455 | 31.7%-39.3% | 1,844 (29.7%) |
| Education, Veterinary, Construction, High Economic Impact | Remaining | — | — |
In 2025, BC PNP had a total quota of 6,214, with 6,195 actual nominations (6,553 applications, 94.5% approval rate). The 2026 quota increased to 6,254, with an additional 1,000 allocated by the federal government on August 18.
As of August 25, BC PNP had issued 474 invitations to healthcare priority stream candidates and 451 to ECE candidates in 2026, totaling 925. Across all occupation categories, at least 4,838 invitations had been issued cumulatively.
Complete List of 31 Healthcare Priority Occupations
BC’s April 23, 2026 PNP reform established the following 31 healthcare priority occupations:
| Occupation | NOC Code |
|---|---|
| General Practators and Family Physicians | 31102 |
| Specialists in Internal Medicine | 31100 |
| Specialists in Surgery | 31101 |
| Dentists | 31110 |
| Audiologists and Speech-Language Pathologists | 31112 |
| Dietitians and Nutritionists | 31121 |
| Pharmacists | 31120 |
| Registered Nurses and Registered Psychiatric Nurses | 31301 |
| Nurse Practitioners | 31302 |
| Assistants in Nursing, Midwifery and Allied Health Professions | 31303 |
| Physiotherapists | 31202 |
| Occupational Therapists | 31203 |
| Kinesiologists and Other Personal Health Professionals | 31204 |
| Psychologists | 31200 |
| Chiropractors | 31201 |
| Other Professionals in Diagnostic and Treatment | 31209 |
| Health Managers | 30010 |
| Cardiac and Electrophysiology Technologists | 32123 |
| Dental Hygienists and Dental Therapists | 32111 |
| Dental Technologists and Dental Laboratory Technicians | 32112 |
| Medical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians | 32120 |
| Medical Radiation Technologists | 32121 |
| Medical Sonographers | 32122 |
| Respiratory Therapists, Clinical Perfusionists and Cardiopulmonary Technologists | 32103 |
| Licensed Practical Nurses | 32101 |
| Nursing Coordinators and Supervisors | 31300 |
| Assistants in Nursing, Midwifery and Allied Health Professions | 32102 |
| Medical Laboratory Assistants and Related Technical Occupations | 33101 |
| Health Attendants, Patient Service Assistants and Related Occupations | 33102 |
| Social and Social Work | 41300 |
| Traditional Healers including Indigenous Medicine Practitioners and Acupuncturists | 32200 |
Note: NOC 33102 (Health Care Aides) must be registered with the BC Care Aide & Community Health Worker registry to be eligible for nomination.
ECE Nomination Requirements
Early Childhood Educator (NOC 42202) is the only childcare occupation specifically listed for 2026. Nomination requirements:
Must hold a 1-year or 5-year ECE certificate from the ECE registry
Must have a full-time job offer in BC
Submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) through the BC PNP Online User Portal
Non-Metro Vancouver Requirement
BC reiterated in the report that at least 35% of skilled immigration nominations will be allocated to candidates working outside the Metro Vancouver area. In 2025, the actual rate was 38%.
This means if you work outside Metro Vancouver (Kelowna, Nanaimo, Kamloops, etc.), your competitiveness gets an additional boost.
What This Means for Typical Applicants
If your goal is BC PNP, you should not just ask “do I meet the basic PNP eligibility?” You should ask: is my profession one that BC is willing to spend its scarce quota to protect?
The two most clearly defined directions this year are written into official numbers:
Healthcare: 1,620 to 2,015
Childcare: 360 to 440
Remaining quotas go to education, veterinary, construction, and high economic impact candidates.
“The BC PNP quota increased to 6,254, so everyone’s chances are bigger” is inaccurate. More accurately: BC’s quota increased, but the new space remains highly targeted and is not distributed evenly across all occupations.
What to Watch Next
2026 year-end actual nomination numbers: 1,620-2,015 healthcare + 360-440 childcare are target ranges, not final figures
Whether US/UK healthcare nominations continue their rapid growth
Temporary Rural/Remote Health Support Initiative (registration closes August 31, up to 250 nominations)
Whether the federal 2027 immigration level further adjusts BC allocations
Core sources: BC Government “BC PNP Statistical Report and Year in Review 2025” (released August 26), WelcomeBC official news (August 18 quota announcement), CIC News reporting.