British Columbia’s Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) has recently announced its 2026 nomination allocation, which falls short of the province’s original request for the year.
Being the first province to make this announcement, it is anticipated that others will follow suit in the near future.
The BC PNP released this update on its official website on December 18, 2025.
For the year 2026, the federal government has allocated a total of 5,254 nomination spaces to British Columbia.
This marks a 31% increase from the previous year’s allocation of 4,000 slots at the beginning of 2025.
Throughout 2025, the province received additional slots from the federal government on two occasions:
- October 2, 2025: 1,254 additional nominations granted.
- December 15, 2025: 960 additional nominations granted.
Considering the extra allocations, British Columbia concluded 2025 with 6,214 nomination spaces, surpassing its 2026 allocation.
In the latest update, the province mentions that it had initially requested 9,000 slots for 2026 to address labor market demands and enhance the provincial workforce.
However, the announced allocation of 5,254 falls short of the original request by 41.6%.
British Columbia has indicated ongoing discussions with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) regarding its 2026 allocation, hinting at potential additional nominations if negotiations are successful.
Based on British Columbia’s 2026 allocation, it is likely that other provinces will also witness an increase in nominations compared to their 2025 allotment.
In 2025, the permanent resident admissions target for the PNP was 55,000, while for 2026, it was raised to 91,500, as outlined in the 2026-2028 Immigration Levels Plan—a 66% increase.
Given the additional nominations received by most provinces in 2025, it remains uncertain whether other provinces will match or exceed their 2025 total in the 2026 allocation.
Who is the BC PNP prioritizing in 2026?
In 2025, the BC PNP focused on healthcare professionals, entrepreneurs, and high-impact economic candidates, although it is currently unclear if these priorities will continue in 2026.