British Columbia has announced a one-time immigration pathway that will allow up to 250 cleaning and security staff working in public health facilities to apply for permanent residence, with the intake set to begin in June 2026. The programme targets workers in rural and remote communities and will operate through the province’s nominee programme.
Who is eligible
The initiative, announced on April 23 under the British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP), is aimed at workers already employed by a provincial health authority in cleaning or security roles. These occupations are usually not covered under existing permanent residence pathways.
The province said the programme recognises the role of support staff in maintaining healthcare services, especially in regional areas. It is separate from the BC PNP’s Health Authority stream, which focuses on trained medical professionals such as nurses, dentists and pharmacists.
Application timeline and process
The intake will be conducted through an expression of interest system. The government has said further details on eligibility criteria and timelines will be released before the programme opens in June 2026.
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With a cap of 250 nominations, the programme is expected to be competitive. Applicants working in eligible roles have been advised to monitor official updates and prepare documents ahead of the intake.
Part of wider immigration changes
The new pathway forms part of broader changes to the provincial nominee programme announced the same day. The province outlined three focus areas, care, build and innovate, to guide immigration selection. The current initiative falls under the “care” category, which prioritises strengthening healthcare and related services.
British Columbia has also set a target to allocate at least 35 per cent of its nominations to candidates working outside Metro Vancouver. The new pathway is aligned with this goal and is expected to support workforce needs in smaller communities.
Who is eligible
The initiative, announced on April 23 under the British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP), is aimed at workers already employed by a provincial health authority in cleaning or security roles. These occupations are usually not covered under existing permanent residence pathways.The province said the programme recognises the role of support staff in maintaining healthcare services, especially in regional areas. It is separate from the BC PNP’s Health Authority stream, which focuses on trained medical professionals such as nurses, dentists and pharmacists.
Application timeline and process
The intake will be conducted through an expression of interest system. The government has said further details on eligibility criteria and timelines will be released before the programme opens in June 2026.(Join our ETNRI WhatsApp channel for all the latest updates)
With a cap of 250 nominations, the programme is expected to be competitive. Applicants working in eligible roles have been advised to monitor official updates and prepare documents ahead of the intake.
Part of wider immigration changes
The new pathway forms part of broader changes to the provincial nominee programme announced the same day. The province outlined three focus areas, care, build and innovate, to guide immigration selection. The current initiative falls under the “care” category, which prioritises strengthening healthcare and related services.British Columbia has also set a target to allocate at least 35 per cent of its nominations to candidates working outside Metro Vancouver. The new pathway is aligned with this goal and is expected to support workforce needs in smaller communities.
