BC PNP To Launch Time-Limited Pathway for Health Support Workers in Rural Communities

The BC Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP) first announced the initiative in April 2026 as part of a broader set of program updates designed to strengthen the care economy.

The BC PNP will accept registrations for its Temporary Rural/Remote Health Support Initiative starting June 15, 2026. Registration will close on August 31, 2026.

Key Takeaways 

• Registration will be open from June 15 to August 31, 2026. This is a one-time initiative with a cap of 250 nominations.
• The initiative is only for current direct employees of a BC health authority working in an eligible cleaning or security occupation in a designated rural or remote community.
• You must have been working full-time with the same health authority employer for at least nine consecutive months before registering.
• Express Entry BC (EEBC) option is not available under this initiative.

What is the BC Temporary Rural/Remote Health Support Initiative?

The Temporary Rural/Remote Health Support Initiative is a one-time BC PNP stream designed to help health authorities hold on to workers already filling cleaning and security roles in rural and remote communities across the province.

The program aims to enable the transition of up to 250 workers who are already working in rural or remote communities to permanent residence. This will support health authorities who are struggling to retain support staff.

Eligibility Requirements for the Health Support Initiative

To be eligible for a nomination under BC’s temporary Rural/Remote Health Support Initiative, you must meet all of the following:

• You are a direct employee of one of BC’s public health authorities
• Your role is in an eligible cleaning or security occupation (NOC 64410, 65310, or 65312)
• Your work location is in a rural or remote part of BC outside the Metro Vancouver, Central Okanagan, and Capital Regional Districts (with some island exceptions in the Capital Regional District)
• You have a regular, indeterminate, full-time job offer from the same health authority you currently work for
• You have completed at least nine consecutive months of full-time work with the same health authority employer in an eligible occupation
• Your income has met the BC PNP’s minimum threshold throughout that nine-month period
• You hold at minimum a high school diploma from Canada or abroad

Let’s explore these requirements in more detail.

Occupations Eligible for the BC Temporary Rural/Remote Health Support Initiative

The Health Support Initiative is designed for BC health authority employees who are currently working in an eligible cleaning or security occupation in a rural or remote part of the province.

The three eligible occupations are:

• Security guards and related security service occupations (NOC 64410)
• Light duty cleaners (NOC 65310)
• Janitors, caretakers and heavy-duty cleaners (NOC 65312).

Health support workers in any other occupation are not eligible for this initiative.

Employment with a Public Health Authority

You must be a direct employee of a public health authority in the province. Employees of contractors are not eligible. The public health authorities in BC are:

• Provincial Health Services Authority
• First Nations Health Authority
• Fraser Health
• Interior Health
• Island Health
• Northern Health
• Vancouver Coastal Health, or
• Providence Health Care.

What Counts as Remote or Rural for the Health Support Initiative?

If your work location is in the Metro Vancouver Regional District, the Central Okanagan Regional District, or the Capital Regional District, you would likely not be eligible for a nomination under BC’s Health Support Initiative.

There are some exceptions within the Capital Regional District: Galiano Island, Mayne Island, Pender Island, Salt Spring Island, and Saturna Island are considered rural or remote for the purposes of this initiative.

Job Offer Requirement

Your job offer must be from the same health authority you currently work for, and it must be for a regular, full-time, indeterminate position in one of the three eligible occupations. Indeterminate means the offer has no defined end date. The job offer must be signed and on the official letterhead.

Your health authority must also agree to support your BC PNP application before you register. Contact your HR department early to understand their process and timeline. Health authorities are not required to support BC PNP applications, and not all employees who are eligible will receive employer support.

The Nine-Month Employment Requirement

Before registering, you must have been working full-time, year-round, for at least nine consecutive months in an eligible occupation with the same health authority employer.

If you switched between eligible cleaning or security occupations with the same employer, the BC PNP may consider both roles under the nine-month qualifying period.

Your standard annual vacation leave will generally count toward meeting the nine consecutive month employment requirement. Longer breaks (more than two weeks) will not count.

Although a medical, parental, maternity, or extended vacation leave is considered an acceptable break in employment, it does not count towards the nine months required. This means if you took an eligible six-month leave after gaining six months of experience, you will need an additional three months of experience with the same employer (in an eligible occupation) before you can apply under this initiative.

You must be working full-time when you register for the Health Support Initiative and throughout your BC PNP application process.

Note: Work experience gained through a co-op placement or while on a study permit doesn’t count toward the nine-month requirement.

Minimum Income Requirement

You must be able to show that your income has met the BC PNP’s minimum threshold for the full nine months before you register. The minimum income threshold varies depending on your family size and where in BC you live.

For instance, a single applicant working in a rural BC community needs to show a minimum annual income of $26,057. A family of four in the same area would need to demonstrate at least $48,418 in combined family income.

The BC PNP does not count bonuses, commissions, tips, overtime, or housing allowances as part of your wage.

Your family income includes your gross annual wage plus your spouse or common-law partner’s gross annual wage if they hold a valid work permit and are currently employed in the province. Your spouse and dependent children count toward your family size whether or not they live with you in BC.

What Happens After a BC PNP Nomination Under the Health Support Initiative

Since the eligible occupations under this initiative fall under National Occupational Classification (NOC) TEER 4 and 5, the Express Entry BC option is not available. This means a nomination won’t add points to your Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score in the federal Express Entry pool. You would apply directly to the province for permanent residence under the Skills Immigration stream of the BC PNP.

If you are nominated and your existing work permit expires soon, you may be eligible to receive a work permit support letter from the BC PNP. This will allow you to apply for a new work permit or a work permit extension without needing a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA).

What to Do Next If You Are Eligible

The first step is to confirm whether your health authority will support your application. Each health authority has its own process, and they are not obligated to support all BC PNP applications.

You will need to find out who in the organization’s human resources department has the authority to decide which applications to support. Getting that confirmation before June 15 will save you time once the registration window opens.

If your health authority agrees to support your application, the authorized individual must sign your Employer Declaration Form . You can then use this form to register for the initiative.

Registration is free and opens through the BC PNP’s online portal . Once you register, the BC PNP will review your registration and determine whether to invite you to apply for a nomination. Registering does not guarantee you will receive an invitation, and receiving an invitation does not guarantee a nomination.

If you do receive an invitation, you have 30 calendar days to submit a complete application for a nomination. This deadline cannot be extended. The application fee is $1,750.

If your application is approved, you’ll receive a Confirmation of Nomination, which you can then use to apply to IRCC for permanent residence under the Provincial Nominee Class.