BC PNP issued 524 wage-based and 248 points-based High Economic Impact invitations on October 29, 2026. The wage bar fell to $49/hour and $99,000/year.
On October 29, 2026, the BC Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP) issued 772 invitations in two Skills Immigration rounds under its Innovate: High Economic Impact category: 524 by wage (minimum $49/hour and $99,000/year, NOC TEER 0 to 3) and 248 by points (minimum score 131), according to WelcomeBC's invitations page. The wage threshold is the lowest BC has used for this category in 2026.
What happened on October 29
WelcomeBC lists the two rounds as follows:
| Selection | Minimum | Invitations |
|---|---|---|
| Wage-based, NOC TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3 | $49/hour and $99,000/year | 524 |
| Points-based | 131 points | 248 |
How the wage bar has moved in 2026
BC has run High Economic Impact rounds roughly monthly since February. The wage threshold has fallen steadily, while the points minimum has stayed between 131 and 138:
| Date | Wage threshold | Wage-based ITAs | Points minimum | Points ITAs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 4 | $70/h, $145,000 | 206 | 138 | 223 |
| Feb 11 | $62/h, $125,000 | 195 | 135 | 265 |
| Apr 22 | $62/h, $125,000 | 252 | 138 | 232 |
| May 14 | $59/h, $120,000 | 225 | 135 | 212 |
| Jun 18 | $62/h, $125,000 | 130 | 136 | 149 |
| Jul 16 | $58/h, $115,000 | 223 | 132 | 346 |
| Aug 20 | $55/h, $110,000 | 337 | 132 | 265 |
| Sep 24 | $52/h, $105,000 | 426 | 131 | 288 |
| Oct 29 | $49/h, $99,000 | 524 | 131 | 248 |
Who this affects
These rounds are for candidates registered in BC PNP Skills Immigration whose registration fits the High Economic Impact selection. The wage-based round looked at the offered wage and the occupation's TEER level (0 to 3); the points-based round ranked registrants by score. BC has said on the same page that future High Economic Impact invitations may be based on different factors.
This was not a general BC PNP draw. Candidates in the Care (health, childcare, veterinary) and Build (construction) priorities were last invited on October 8, and Entrepreneur Immigration on October 20.
What to do next
If you have a BC job offer in a TEER 0 to 3 occupation:
- Check that your registration shows your current wage and job details accurately; an invitation is based on what you registered.
- If you were invited, prepare the application documents promptly and keep to the deadline in your invitation.
- Compare BC with other provinces on our provincial nominee program page, and follow federal rounds on our Express Entry draws tracker.
- For the business route, see our report on the October 20 BC PNP Entrepreneur round.
A provincial nomination is one step; IRCC makes the final permanent residence decision. Processing times are estimates and no outcome is guaranteed. Official source: WelcomeBC invitations to apply.
Not sure how this applies to your situation? A licensed immigration consultant (RCIC) can review your profile with you.
