The British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP) has recently raised the application fees for the Skills Immigration category from $1,475 to $1,750. The announcement of the new fees was made on January 22, 2026, on the BC PNP’s news webpage.
Applications submitted on or after January 22 will be subject to the new fee, while those who applied prior to this date are exempt from paying the difference.
Notable changes include the increase in the application fee for the Skills Immigration category, while other fees for services like request for review remain unchanged. The Entrepreneur Immigration streams in British Columbia also maintain their current fee structure.
Impacted Streams by the Fee Increase
Applicants under the following Skills Immigration streams will now be required to pay the new $1,750 application fee:
- Skilled Worker Stream;
- Entry Level and Semi-Skilled Stream; and
- Health Authority Stream.
Moreover, the Skilled Worker and Health Authority streams offer Express Entry BC (EEBC) options, and individuals invited under these streams are also subject to the fee increase.
Payment of fees can be conveniently made through the BC PNP’s Online User Portal. It is important to note that fees are refundable only if an application is withdrawn before the assessment process begins, except for request for review fees, which are non-refundable.
The Skills Immigration fee specifically pertains to the provincial nomination application and is separate from the fees required for applying to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) for permanent residence (PR).
Understanding the Skills Immigration Process
Individuals interested in immigrating to British Columbia through a worker stream must follow these steps:
- Identify an eligible stream;
- Register online and enter the candidate pool for the chosen stream;
- During this stage, candidates will receive a score based on various factors such as work experience, education, language proficiency, wage, and job location.