The Canadian province of British Columbia will be suspending PNP draws between October 12 and November 16, 2022. Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) announce updating its National Occupation Classification (NOC) system. It will be the first major NOC update since 2016, numerous Provincial Nominee Programs across Canada will require to make a few changes to promise a smooth transition for applicants.

BC PNP applicants who submit applications in the pool after October 12 will be suspended and will require re-submit the application when the process resumes again in month of November. In case the applicant is invited on or before October 12, they will have 30 days to make a submission which will be evaluated as per the current NOC (2016) criteria. The British Columbia government mentions that application processing times are projected to remain within the service standard of 3 months.

There are a few exceptions to the BC PNP temporary suspension. The province will continue to issue ITAs under the Entrepreneur Immigration Program and applicants applying under Health Authority, International Post-Graduate categories may continue to submit their applications until November 13, 2022.

Modifications to NOC 2021

National Occupational Classification (NOC) system plays a major role in assessing an applicant who wishes to visit Canada under an economic class program, such as Express Entry or a Provincial Nominee Program. The provincial programs aim at targeting skilled immigrants who wish to join the Canadian workforce.

The NOC affects the employment activities in Canada to better understand the nature of the Canadian labour market, run government programs, encourage skills development and assist the country to manage its immigration more efficiently. Almost every five years, the federal government makes updates to the NOC and updates the system every decade. Any update to the NOC reflect the changes to the Canadian economy and labour market.

According to the NOC 2016 approach, job categorization solely depends upon the applicant’s type of employment and divides occupations into four categories ranging from management positions to low-skill jobs.

The updated system will categorize jobs into six levels depending upon a new Training, Education, Experience, and Responsibilities (TEER) system. This latest structure will draw more emphasis on an applicant’s skills and abilities than their occupational experience.

 

TEER 0	Management occupations.
TEER 1	Completion of a university degree (bachelor’s, master’s, or doctorate); or Several years of experience in a specific occupation from TEER category 2 (when applicable).
TEER 2	Completion of a post-secondary education program of two to three years at community college, institute of technology, or CÉGEP; or Completion of an apprenticeship training program of two to five years; or Occupations with supervisory or significant safety (police officers and firefighters) responsibilities; or Several years of experience in a specific occupation from TEER category 3 (when applicable).
TEER 3	Completion of a post-secondary education program of fewer than two years at community college, institute of technology, or CÉGEP; or Apprenticeship training of fewer than 2 years; or More than six months of on-the-job training, training courses, or specific work experience with some secondary school education; or Several years of experience in a specific occupation from TEER category 4 (when applicable).
TEER 4	Completion of secondary school; or Several weeks of on-the-job training with some secondary school education; or Several years of experience in a specific occupation from TEER category 5 (when applicable).
TEER 5	Short work demonstration and no formal educational requirements.