Government expanding Provincial Nominee Program

The Northeast Pilot Project aims to make it easier for workers to apply for permanent residence through the B.C. Provincial Nominee Program, which currently helps fast-track skilled workers who want to settle in the province permanently. Part of that includes expanding the number of occupations that are eligible under the program by over 100, including more lower and semi-skilled positions. That includes all Entry Level and Semi-Skilled occupations, including all Skill Level C and D, in the National Occupational Classification.

"That is one way to attract, retain and to help settle down the people that are needed to drive the Energetic City and the regional economic powerhouse that we see developing here," commented Yap.

There will be one dedicated person who can guide employers through the process, and although she will not be stationed in the Peace Region, Yap says that may be possible in the future. Under the program, after four weeks a skilled worker can get a work permit without a Labour Market Opinion, and in about a year become a permanent resident of Canada. For lower and semi-skilled workers, there is still a requirement that they work on a nine-month work permit first, which several employers say they are in favour of.

Stonebridge Hotel General Manager Dave Isley says a program like this will help employers retain their employees, as well as add an incentive to recruitment. "If I know I can keep someobody here, that's a good 3, 4, 5 months I could work on the program," he says. "If I can fast track it, even better because I can look at the next one." He does worry about the need for affordable housing for the workers that will be moving here, but Mayor Lori Ackerman said that is one of the things the City is working on.

Peace River North MLA Pat Pimm says he's impressed with how quickly this has been put together, joking it's happened at lightning speed, not government speed: "The report hasn't even come out from the Task Force yet and to acknowledge that we had the need in this area and to announce it before the recommendations from the task force came out was really quite a nice gesture on their part."

The government is looking at a two year timeline for the pilot project, which could be extended.

For more information on the Provincial Nominee Program, click here.