Frequently asked questions
Looking for more information? Explore common questions about specific professions, financial supports, immigration, recruitment supports and more.
Allied health
On July 19, 2022, the Province of British Columbia announced $4.5 million in funding to provide bursaries to high priority internationally educated allied health professionals (IEAHPs) including internationally educated physiotherapists, medical laboratory technologists, and occupational therapists that want to work in B.C.’s health system.
The bursary program offers support to eligible IEAHPs who want to work in B.C. by offering financial support to help pay for many of the costs associated with credential assessment, English Language proficiency testing, and supplementary education, such as exam preparation and bridging or gap-filling education. Bursaries are administered by Health Match BC.
To be eligible, IEAHPs must sign a Return of Service (ROS) agreement with the BC Ministry of Health to receive financial support through the bursary program.
By reducing barriers to the assessment and licensing or certification process, qualified IEAHPs will be able to enter the workforce sooner, so that people in British Columbia will have access to even more allied health professionals to support their healthcare needs.
To learn more about provincial bursaries for internationally educated physiotherapists, medical laboratory technologists, and occupational therapists, please visit Health Match BC’s Allied Health Jobs BC website.
Nursing
On April 19th, 2022, the Province of British Columbia announced several new strategies that will make it easier for IENs to enter the province’s health system. Health Match BC, in partnership with the BC College of Nurses and Midwives (BCCNM), Inspire Global Assessments and the BC Ministry of Health, will support IENs who want to work in B.C. by consolidating the assessment processes for nurses, offering approximately $9 million in financial support (bursaries) to help with application and assessment fees, and create a new navigation services team to help IENs successfully navigate the licensing process.
Learn more about the internationally educated nurses initiative by visiting the Nursing Jobs BC website.
Yes! British Columbia offers a wide range of nursing opportunities in all areas of nursing practice as well as a variety of settings including large urban centres, medium and small cities, and rural and small communities.
The wide range of opportunities enable nurses to find the perfect fit for their professional preferences, career growth, and family needs. Opportunities also exist for career development in acute care (medical/surgical, intensive care unit, operating room, and emergency room) as well as ambulatory care, rehabilitation, long-term care, leadership/administrative, public health, community health and primary care.
To learn more about nursing job opportunities please visit our Explore jobs page.
To work in B.C. as a nurse you must have provisional or practicing registration with the BC College of Nurses and Midwives (BCCNM). The licensing (registration) process in B.C. can vary depending on an individual’s education, credentials, and experience. To find your pathway, visit the BC College of Nurses and Midwives (BCCNM) website.
Through Health Match BC, the Province of B.C. is supporting internationally educated nurses with financial support, in the form of bursaries, to offset some of the costs of becoming licensed to work in B.C.
To learn more about bursaries for internationally educated nurses, please visit Health Match BC’s Nursing Jobs BC website.
On January 9th, 2023, the Province of British Columbia announced that bursaries would be made available to nurses who wish to return to practice after a prolonged absence (or nurses who have insufficient practice experience at the time of annual registration renewal).
These bursaries are intended to provide financial support for required expenses related to supplemental fees and additional evaluation and training costs that may be required to obtain practicing registration with the BC College of Nurses and Midwives (BCCNM) and are administered through Health Match BC (HMBC).
To learn more about the return to practice nursing bursary please visit Health Match BC’s Nursing Jobs BC website.
Health Match BC
Health Match BC (HMBC) is a free health professional recruitment service funded by the Government of British Columbia, Canada. HMBC facilitates the recruitment of health professionals on behalf of B.C.’s publicly funded health employers.
Health Match BC (HMBC), through its navigation team, will support internationally educated health-care workers throughout their journey to practice in B.C. The HMBC team will help candidates with their registration and/or certification applications, give information about bursaries, support them through the immigration process, and help candidates access career opportunities with B.C.’s public health employers.
Health Match BC is a free health professional recruitment service funded by the Government of British Columbia. There is no charge for Health Match BC services.
General
Children usually go to elementary school from ages five to 12, and to secondary school (high school) from ages 13 to 17 or 18. In most cases, children can start at any time of the year that school is in session.
Most schools are closed from the end of June to the first week of September, for two weeks at the end of December, usually for a week or two in the spring during Spring Break, and for all statutory holidays.
In general, yes, most health-care professionals require registration or certification with a provincial or national body to practice in B.C.
Education, experience, and practice can differ between countries for the same profession. For most occupations, a credentialing organization will need to complete an assessment of your postsecondary credentials.
The exact process to become licensed or certified to practice in B.C. depends on your profession or field of training.
Each province requires a separate license. You must apply separately to each provincial regulatory body for a license to practice. Learn more about different professions.
If your spouse is Canadian or a permanent resident of Canada, they can work here. If you are coming to Canada on a work permit, your spouse may be entitled to an open work permit as the spouse of a skilled worker. More information can be found on the Citizenship and Immigration Canada website.
Please check with your sponsoring health authority – they will initiate the process. However, you are responsible for applying for “an extension of work permit” from Citizenship and Immigration Canada.
Immigration
Yes, however, you must be qualified for the offered position. For complete program criteria, please refer to the Skills Immigration Program Guide.
You should review the program guide and ensure you meet the criteria for the stream you have selected before you register or apply. For complete program criteria, please refer to the Skills Immigration Program Guide. If you have any questions about B.C. PNP criteria, please email PNPInfo@gov.bc.ca.
Yes. If approved as a provincial nominee, you and your dependent family members can apply to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) to become permanent residents of Canada in the Provincial Nominee Class.
A nomination by the BC PNP does not allow you to work. For complete program criteria, please refer to the Skills Immigration Program Guide.
Further information about immigration options is available online through the Government of Canada website.
For more information about the B.C. PNP, please refer to the Welcome BC website.
For complete program criteria, please refer to the Skills Immigration Program Guide.
No. A nomination by the BC PNP does not allow you to work. For complete program criteria, please refer to the Skills Immigration Program Guide.
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