Permanent Residency · BC PNP
BC PNP Health Authority Stream for Physicians & Nurses
A dedicated permanent-residence route for physicians, specialists, nurse practitioners, midwives, nurses and other health professionals with an offer from one of BC’s public health authorities.
600
CRS points with a nomination
1
Health-authority offer needed
2
Routes: direct or Express Entry BC
IRCC
Makes the final PR decision
The stream
Permanent residence for BC’s health workforce
The BC PNP‘s Skills Immigration – Health Authority stream is for people whose job offer comes from, or whose role is supported by, one of British Columbia’s public health authorities. It exists because BC’s health system needs clinicians, and because the standard streams don’t always fit how clinicians actually work.
Physicians, specialists, nurse practitioners and midwives often practise under contracts or hospital privileges rather than as employees. The Health Authority stream accommodates that: you can qualify even without a conventional employment relationship, where a health authority supports your role.
Registered nurses and other in-demand health occupations can also be nominated, through this stream when the offer comes from a health authority, or through Skilled Worker and targeted health draws. See the BC PNP overview and our Express Entry & CRS calculator.
Who it serves
Health professionals the stream covers
The common thread is the health authority’s backing, the stream is built around their need to bring clinical staff to BC.
Physicians & NPs
Doctors, specialists & nurse practitioners
Qualify even when you’ll work under a fee-for-service contract or hospital privileges rather than a standard employment agreement, the stream is designed for exactly this.
- Health-authority supported roles
- Contracts and privileges accepted
- No conventional employee test
Nurses & midwives
Registered nurses, psychiatric nurses and midwives with a qualifying offer from a BC public health authority, among the province’s most-needed occupations.
- Health-authority job offer
- BC registration or licensing underway
- Also reachable via targeted draws
Allied & other clinical roles
Other clinical occupations supported by a health authority may also qualify, and where they don’t, the Skilled Worker stream and health-targeted draws often can.
- Allied health occupations
- Skilled Worker as an alternative
- Stream choice matters
Step by step
From offer to permanent residence
01
Secure your offer
Obtain a role with, or supported by, a BC public health authority.
02
Sort your licensing
Confirm your BC registration or credentialing path with the regulator.
03
Register & get invited
Register in the BC PNP system and receive an invitation to apply.
04
Apply for nomination
File the nomination application with the health authority’s support.
05
Apply to IRCC for PR
Use the nomination, directly or with 600 CRS points in Express Entry.
Do you qualify?
The essentials, before you apply
Requirements vary by occupation and change over time. I’ll confirm the current criteria for your role before you register.
- A job offer or supported role from a BC public health authority
- The qualifications and BC licensing or registration path for your occupation
- The language and other requirements of your stream
- Admissible to Canada, with status maintained throughout
Why this stream
Built for how clinicians actually work
Standard BC PNP streams generally expect an indeterminate, full-time job offer from an employer. A surgeon paid fee-for-service under hospital privileges, or a physician on a health-authority contract, doesn’t fit that mould.
The Health Authority stream is the route BC’s health system uses to keep the clinicians it recruits, recognizing their real working arrangements, and leading to a nomination worth 600 CRS points or a direct PR application.
Work with me
How I help
For clinicians
Physicians, nurses & midwives
- Coordinating your health-authority offer with licensing and credentialing timelines
- Choosing between Health Authority, Skilled Worker and Express Entry BC
- Documenting non-standard work arrangements for nomination
- Managing the federal PR stage after nomination
For health employers
Health authorities & clinics
- Structuring offers and support letters that meet BC PNP requirements
- Planning international recruitment for hard-to-fill clinical roles
- Staying compliant during and after nomination
- Responding to delays, requests and refusals
Good to know
Frequently asked questions
Yes. The Health Authority stream accommodates physicians, specialists, nurse practitioners and midwives who work under contracts or hospital privileges rather than as employees, where a health authority supports the role.
No. For physicians and similar professionals the stream recognizes that you may not be a conventional employee, the health authority’s support for your role is what matters.
Yes, with a qualifying offer from a BC public health authority. Nurses are also frequently reachable through the Skilled Worker stream and health-targeted invitation rounds.
Licensing and registration run in parallel with immigration, and requirements depend on your occupation and regulator. Getting the sequencing right is one of the main things I coordinate.
No. BC nominates; IRCC makes the final PR decision, including medical, security and admissibility checks.
Notes
This information is current as of July 2026 and is provided for general information only. It is not legal advice. Immigration programs, fees and requirements change frequently, and eligibility always depends on your specific facts. For advice about your situation, please book a consultation.
Bring your practice to British Columbia
Offer, licence and nomination each run on their own clock, the art is making them line up. Book a consultation and we’ll build your timeline.