BC PNP 2026: 12 Occupations Now Ineligible for Skills Immigration

When does the BC PNP ineligibility take effect?

Short answer: The exclusion applies to applications submitted after June 13, 2026. Anything filed on or before that date is assessed under the previous rules. That leaves a narrow runway for candidates who already qualify and have their documents ready. If you are in one of the 12 codes and your file is close to complete, filing before the cut-off is the difference between a live application and a closed door, so move quickly and get your submission checked first.

Why did British Columbia cut these occupations?

Short answer: The province is rationing a limited number of nominations and pointing them at the sectors it wants most. British Columbia has reshaped its program around priority fields such as health, construction, and select professional and technical roles, and it runs targeted draws for those occupations. Administrative, supervisory, and religious roles did not make the priority list. This sits inside the broader overhaul we covered in our guide to the BC PNP 2026 'Look West' changes. The federal backdrop is more generous, not less: the 2026-2028 Immigration Levels Plan lifted the national Provincial Nominee Program target to 91,500, but each province still sets its own occupation rules.

Can workers in these jobs still apply through BC PNP?

Short answer: In theory, through the high-wage route, but rarely in practice. Most occupations shut out of the targeted Skills Immigration draws can still be invited through British Columbia's high-economic-impact draws, which reward high salaries. The wage bar moves with every round: recent 2026 draws set it between roughly $59 and $70 an hour, around $120,000 to $145,000 a year, alongside a separate path for candidates above a minimum registration score. The catch for these 12 codes is that they are excluded outright. And realistically, an executive assistant, a bookkeeper, an administrative officer, or a retail or food-service supervisor seldom earns six figures, so even the high-wage exception stays theoretical for them. For most people in these roles the BC PNP path has effectively closed, and the honest move is to pivot rather than wait.

What are your options if your occupation is now ineligible?

Short answer: Look past British Columbia. Federal Express Entry runs category-based draws that target healthcare, the skilled trades, French-speaking applicants, and other groups at lower cut-off scores, and a different province may still nominate your occupation. We break down which fields carry the best odds in our guide to the occupations with the best PR chances. The right next step depends on your full profile: your age, language scores, education, and Canadian work experience all shape which door is actually open. A nomination from another province still adds 600 points to your federal ranking, so a closed BC stream is a detour, not a dead end.

Frequently asked questions

Will there be a BC PNP draw in 2026?

Yes. British Columbia has continued to hold Skills Immigration draws through 2026, including rounds in May and early June that issued hundreds of invitations to high-economic-impact candidates. The program is active; it is just more selective about which occupations it invites.

Has BC PNP stopped?

No. The program is running, but it has narrowed. It is not launching new student streams, its priority technology draws ended in December 2024, and the 2026 guide removed the 12 occupations above. The pathways that remain are tighter and more targeted than they were two years ago.

How much is the BC PNP application fee in 2026?

The Skills Immigration application fee rose to $1,750, up from $1,475, effective January 22, 2026. Confirm the current amount on the official BC PNP page before you pay, since provincial fees change without much notice.

What is the Provincial Nominee Program target for 2026?

The federal 2026-2028 Immigration Levels Plan set the national Provincial Nominee Program target at 91,500 for 2026, a sharp increase from the prior plan. Each province divides its own share among its streams, so a higher national number does not guarantee more spots in any single occupation.

How Go Far Global can help

Short answer: If your NOC code just landed on the ineligible list, the worst move is to keep waiting on a stream that is closed to you. Go Far Global is a licensed Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant (RCIC) firm in Toronto, regulated by the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants (CICC). We tell you whether you can still file before the June 13 cut-off, whether the high-wage route is realistic for your salary, and which province or federal category gives you a genuine path. Book a consultation and we will map the route that is actually open to you.

Sources

• Government of British Columbia, BC PNP news and program updates
• Government of British Columbia, About the BC Provincial Nominee Program
• Government of British Columbia, BC PNP invitations to apply (draw results and wage cut-offs)
• IRCC, Immigrate as a provincial nominee
• IRCC, Find your National Occupational Classification (NOC)