British Columbia has issued 602 invitations to apply under the BC Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP), its largest Innovate: High Economic Impact round of 2026 and the province’s biggest single day of Skills Immigration invitations so far this year.
The draws were held on August 20, 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 337 invitations to candidates holding a job offer in a NOC TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3 occupation paying at least $55 per hour and $110,000 per year. No minimum registration score applied to this wage-based selection.
A second round issued 265 invitations to the highest-scoring candidates in the registration pool, at a minimum score of 132 points.
The most significant change in this round is the wage threshold. The August 20 draw invited candidates earning $55 per hour and $110,000 per year, down from $58 per hour and $115,000 per year in the comparable July 16 round, and down from $62 per hour and $125,000 per year in April. British Columbia has now lowered the high-wage bar in three consecutive Innovate rounds, widening the pool of job offers that qualify.
The points threshold held steady at 132, unchanged from July 16 and down from 136 in the June 18 round.
The balance between the two selection methods also shifted. On July 16, the points-based round was the larger of the two, issuing 346 invitations against 223 for the wage-based selection. On August 20 that reversed, with the wage-based round accounting for 337 of the 602 invitations.
At 602 invitations, the August 20 draw exceeds the 569 issued on July 16, the 484 issued on April 22 and the 429 issued on February 4, making it the largest Innovate: High Economic Impact round held under the province’s current framework.
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 — August 20, 2026
| Stream | Invitations | Min. Score | Selection Factors |
|---|---|---|---|
| Innovate: High Economic Impact (high-wage) | 337 | N/A | Minimum wage of $55/hour and $110,000/year, and a job offer in NOC TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3 |
| Innovate: High Economic Impact (points) | 265 | 132 | Highest-scoring registrations in the pool |
| Total | 602 |
British Columbia’s Registration Pool
The BC PNP Skills Immigration registration pool held 8,306 registrations as of August 4, 2026, the most recent snapshot published by the province. Of those, 289 scored 130 points or higher — the range from which the points-based Innovate round draws.
With 265 invitations issued at a cut-off of 132, the August 20 round cleared most of the pool’s highest-scoring registrations, which suggests the threshold may hold at or near this level in the next Innovate draw rather than falling sharply.
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.
Candidates with a high-wage job offer in British Columbia, or a registration score in the 130s, 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.