British Columbia has issued 772 invitations to apply under the BC Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP), its largest Innovate: High Economic Impact round of 2026.
The draws were held on October 29, 2026 under the BC PNP’s Innovate: High Economic Impact category, which selects candidates expected to deliver the greatest economic benefit to the province rather than those working in a named priority occupation.
The larger of the two rounds issued 524 invitations to candidates holding a job offer in a NOC TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3 occupation paying at least $49 per hour and $99,000 per year. No minimum registration score applied to this wage-based selection.
A second round issued 248 invitations to the highest-scoring candidates in the registration pool, at a minimum score of 131 points.
The wage threshold has fallen again. The October 29 draw invited candidates earning $49 per hour and $99,000 per year, down from $52 per hour and $105,000 per year on September 24, $55 per hour and $110,000 per year on August 20 and $58 per hour and $115,000 per year on July 16. It is the fourth consecutive Innovate round in which British Columbia has lowered the high-wage bar, and the first time in 2026 that the annual salary threshold has dropped below $100,000.
The points threshold held steady at 131, unchanged from the September 24 round.
For the third month in a row, the wage-based selection was the larger of the two, accounting for 524 of the 772 invitations — the most wage-based invitations issued in any Innovate round this year.
At 772 invitations, the October 29 draw exceeds the 714 issued on September 24 and the 602 issued on August 20, making it the largest Innovate: High Economic Impact round held so far in 2026.
The invitations were issued under British Columbia’s “Care, Build, Innovate” framework, which restructured the Skills Immigration program in April 2026 to direct provincial nominations toward roles the province considers critical to its labour market and public services. Care and Build rounds target named health care, childcare, education, veterinary and construction occupations; Innovate rounds target economic impact through wage levels and registration scores.
The BC PNP issues invitations only to qualified registrations submitted before the date of the draw. Invited candidates must submit a complete application through BC PNP Online within the timeframe set out in their invitation.
BC PNP Innovate: High Economic Impact Draw — October 29, 2026
| Stream | Invitations | Min. Score | Selection Factors |
|---|---|---|---|
| Innovate: High Economic Impact (high-wage) | 524 | N/A | Minimum wage of $49/hour and $99,000/year, and a job offer in NOC TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3 |
| Innovate: High Economic Impact (points) | 248 | 131 | Highest-scoring registrations in the pool |
| Total | 772 |
How The Innovate Thresholds Have Moved In 2026
| Draw Date | Wage Threshold | Wage-Based Invitations | Min. Score (Points Round) | Points-Based Invitations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| October 29, 2026 | $49/hour and $99,000/year | 524 | 131 | 248 |
| September 24, 2026 | $52/hour and $105,000/year | 426 | 131 | 288 |
| August 20, 2026 | $55/hour and $110,000/year | 337 | 132 | 265 |
| July 16, 2026 | $58/hour and $115,000/year | 223 | 132 | 346 |
| June 18, 2026 | $62/hour and $125,000/year | 130 | 136 | 149 |
| May 14, 2026 | $59/hour and $120,000/year | 225 | 135 | 212 |
British Columbia’s Registration Pool
The BC PNP Skills Immigration registration pool held 7,695 registrations as of October 6, 2026, the most recent snapshot published by the province. Of those, 203 scored 130 points or higher — the range from which the points-based Innovate round draws.
A provincial nomination through the BC PNP is worth 600 additional points under the federal Comprehensive Ranking System, which in practice guarantees an invitation to apply for permanent residence in a subsequent Express Entry round.
Official draw details are published by the province on WelcomeBC. For a full record of this year’s rounds, see our British Columbia immigration draws page.
Candidates with a job offer in British Columbia paying $99,000 a year or more, or a registration score of 131 points or higher, are now in range of an invitation under the Innovate category. If you’re hoping to immigrate to Canada, use our free CRS score calculator to estimate your Comprehensive Ranking System score and see how a provincial nomination would change your standing in the Express Entry pool.