International Graduate Category Canadian Immigration Lawyer
The International Graduate Category is a pathway under the British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP) Skills Immigration stream for international students who completed their post-secondary education in Canada and have a job offer for skilled employment in British Columbia. It covers job offers in NOC TEER 1, 2, or 3 occupations, and candidates are ranked against other registrants using the BC Skills Immigration Ranking System. At Batra Law Offices, we help candidates confirm their credential, job offer, and score meet program standards, prepare a complete application, and manage the nomination process.
What Is the International Graduate Category?
This category is designed for graduates of a Canadian post-secondary institution who have since secured a full-time, indeterminate job offer from a British Columbia employer in a NOC TEER 1, 2, or 3 occupation. Candidates who completed a graduate degree from an eligible BC institution may instead be eligible for the International Post-Graduate Stream, which has separate requirements. Registrants are ranked and invited periodically based on their score under the BC Skills Immigration Ranking System, detailed below.
Program Eligibility
Requirement | Details |
Express Entry Profile | Not required to be registered under the federal Express Entry program. Candidates who are eligible may also apply to this stream through Express Entry for expedited processing. |
Job Offer | Have a valid job offer for full-time, indeterminate employment from an employer based in British Columbia. The job offer must be in a NOC TEER 1, 2, or 3 occupation. Wages offered must be competitive against average provincial wages for the occupation. An LMIA is not required to support the job offer. |
Level of Education | Hold a post-secondary educational credential from a Canadian institution, obtained within the previous 3 years. Candidates who obtained a graduate degree from an eligible BC institution may instead qualify under the BC International Post-Graduate Stream. |
Work Experience | Have at least 2 years of work experience in the same occupation as the BC job offer, and the qualifications necessary to carry out the duties of that occupation. |
Language Proficiency | Provide documentation of language proficiency in English or French. For a job offer at NOC TEER 3, a minimum of CLB 4 is required. For job offers at NOC TEER 1 or 2, language testing is exempted, though a score may still add points under the scoring system. |
Connection to Province | No specific prior connection to British Columbia is required. Regional work experience or regional alumni status can earn additional points under the scoring system (see Scoring Factors below). |
Settlement Funds | Meet the settlement funds requirement set by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). This can be demonstrated through personal financial resources or a valid offer of employment. |
Employer Requirements | The employer must be well-established and in good standing in British Columbia, in operation for at least 1 year. Minimum 5 full-time employees inside Metro Vancouver, or minimum 3 full-time employees outside Metro Vancouver. The employer must show genuine efforts to recruit a Canadian candidate before extending the offer. An LMIA is not required. |
How the Application Process Works
- Register on BC’s online immigration portal, specifying Express Entry or Skills Immigration.
- Receive a score based on the BC Skills Immigration Ranking System (see Scoring Factors below).
- Wait for a periodic invitation — the highest-ranked registrants are invited first.
- If invited, submit a complete application within 30 days and pay the required application fee.
- If approved, receive a provincial nomination and, optionally, a letter of support for a work permit.
- Express Entry applicants receive a 600-point CRS boost on nomination and submit their permanent residence application within the designated timeframe.
BC Skills Immigration Ranking System – Scoring Factors
Candidates are scored out of 200 points across two categories: Human Capital Factors (work experience, education, and language, worth up to 80 points) and Economic Factors (regional area and hourly wage, worth up to 120 points).
Category | Factor | Maximum Points |
Human Capital Factors | Directly Related Work Experience | 40 |
Human Capital Factors | Highest Level of Education | 40 |
Human Capital Factors | Language Proficiency (English or French) | 40 |
Economic Factors | Area of Employment within BC | 25 |
Economic Factors | Hourly Wage of the BC Job Offer | 55 |
Total Available Points | 200 |
Work Experience Points
Directly Related Work Experience | Points |
5 or more years | 20 |
4 to under 5 years | 16 |
3 to under 4 years | 12 |
2 to under 3 years | 8 |
1 to under 2 years | 4 |
Under 1 year | 1 |
No experience | 0 |
At least 1 year of directly related experience in Canada (additional) | 10 |
Currently working full-time in BC for the registering employer in the offered occupation (additional) | 10 |
Maximum Score Available | 40 |
Education Points
Education | Points |
Doctoral degree (Ph.D.) | 27 |
Master’s degree | 22 |
Postgraduate certificate or diploma / Bachelor’s degree | 15 |
Associate degree / Post-secondary diploma or certificate (non-trades) | 5 |
Secondary school (high school) or less | 0 |
Post-secondary education completed in BC (additional) | 8 |
Post-secondary education completed elsewhere in Canada (additional) | 6 |
Eligible professional designation in BC (additional) | 5 |
Maximum Score Available | 40 |
Eligible professional designations include trades workers certified or apprenticed with SkilledTradesBC, and BC-registered dental assistants, dental hygienists, dental technicians, denturists, early childhood educators, health care aides, pharmacy technicians, practical nurses, traditional Chinese medicine practitioners/acupuncturists, and veterinary technicians — see the full occupation list on request.
Language Proficiency Points
Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) Level | Points |
9 or higher | 30 |
8 | 25 |
7 | 20 |
6 | 15 |
5 | 10 |
4 | 5 |
Below 4 or no test | 0 |
Language proficiency in both English and French (additional) | 10 |
Maximum Score Available | 40 |
Area of Employment Points
Area of Employment within BC | Points |
Metro Vancouver Regional District | 0 |
Squamish, Abbotsford, Agassiz, Mission, Chilliwack | 5 |
Other areas of BC not listed above | 15 |
Regional experience or regional alumni status (additional) | 10 |
Maximum Score Available | 25 |
Hourly Wage Points
Points scale from 0 for wages under $16.00/hour up to the maximum below, rising roughly one point per dollar.
Hourly Wage of the BC Job Offer | Points |
$70.00 and above | 55 |
$50.00 to $50.99 | 35 |
$35.00 to $35.99 | 20 |
$20.00 to $20.99 | 5 |
Below $16.00 | 0 |
Maximum Score Available | 55 |
Why Work With Batra Law Offices
Batra Law Offices is led by Manpreet Singh Batra, an immigration lawyer based in Brampton, Ontario, with experience across Express Entry, provincial nominee programs, business immigration, appeals, and judicial review. Our team helps candidates confirm their credential, job offer, and score meet BC PNP International Graduate Category requirements, prepare a complete application, and manage the nomination process from start to finish.
Related Immigration Programs
Not sure the International Graduate Category fits your situation? Explore related pathways:
- International Post-Graduate Stream – for candidates with a graduate degree from an eligible BC institution.
- Skilled Worker Category – for candidates with a BC job offer who don’t hold a recent Canadian credential.
- Health Authority Category – for candidates with a job offer from a BC public health authority.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the International Graduate Category?
It’s a pathway under the BC Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP) Skills Immigration stream for international students who completed post-secondary education in Canada and have a job offer for skilled employment in British Columbia.
Do I need an Express Entry profile to apply?
No. Registration in the federal Express Entry program is not required, though eligible candidates may apply through Express Entry for expedited processing.
What are the education requirements?
You need a post-secondary credential from a Canadian institution obtained within the previous 3 years. If your credential is a graduate degree from an eligible BC institution, the International Post-Graduate Stream may fit better.
How much work experience do I need?
At least 2 years of work experience in the same occupation as your BC job offer.
What language score do I need?
For a job offer at NOC TEER 3, you need at least CLB 4. For job offers at NOC TEER 1 or 2, language testing is exempted, though a score can still add points.
How does the scoring and invitation process work?
You’re ranked against other registrants using the BC Skills Immigration Ranking System, out of 200 points across work experience, education, language, employment area, and hourly wage. The highest-ranked candidates receive periodic invitations to apply.
Do I need a connection to British Columbia?
No specific prior connection is required, though regional work experience or regional alumni status can earn additional points.