British Columbia (Rajeev Sharma): British Columbia has become the first Canadian province to announce its Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) allocation for 2026, revealing a total that is lower than what it had originally requested. The announcement was published on the BC PNP’s official updates page on December 18, 2025.
For the upcoming year, the federal government has granted British Columbia 5,254 nomination spaces. While this represents a 31% increase over the initial 2025 allocation of 4,000 slots, it is fewer than the province ended 2025 with, after receiving additional nominations throughout the year: 1,254 extra slots in October and another 960 in December, bringing the 2025 total to 6,214 nominations.
BC had requested 9,000 slots for 2026 to address labour market demands and strengthen its provincial workforce, meaning the announced allocation is 41.6% below its original request.
The province indicated it will continue discussions with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) regarding the potential for additional nomination spaces. Officials suggested that negotiations could lead to adjustments in the allocation later in the year.
With British Columbia’s 2026 figures now set, other provinces are expected to follow with their PNP nomination announcements in the coming weeks, with increases likely compared to their 2025 allocations.
