British Columbia invited 33 workers to apply for a provincial nomination through its Temporary Rural/Remote Health Support Initiative on September 17.
The latest selection was the second draw under the time-limited pathway, which was introduced earlier this year.
The invited workers are cleaners and security staff employed by a British Columbia public health authority in an eligible rural or remote area.
Foreign nationals who receive a provincial nomination can then apply to the federal government for permanent residence.
The latest draw required candidates to have a minimum score of 60. This was 10 points higher than the score required in the first selection held in July.
| Date of TRHSI draw | Cutoff score | Invitations issued |
| September 17 | 60 | 33 |
| July 23 | 50 | 60 |
The British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program has not identified the specific occupations represented in either of the two selections.
So far, the province has issued 93 invitations through the Temporary Rural/Remote Health Support Initiative.
British Columbia announced in April that it plans to nominate up to 250 workers through the initiative. New registrations will remain open until 11:59 p.m. on October 7, 2026.
The original registration deadline was August 31. The province later extended it because of wildfire-related impacts in August.
The province has not released the number of workers it has nominated through the initiative since the pathway officially opened on June 15.
British Columbia currently has a 2026 provincial nomination allocation of 6,254 spaces after receiving an additional 1,000 spaces from the federal government.
About The Temporary Rural/Remote Health Support Initiative
The Temporary Rural/Remote Health Support Initiative is designed for foreign nationals who hold a regular, indeterminate, full-time job with a British Columbia public health authority in an eligible rural or remote area.
Workers must be employed in one of these occupations:
- Janitors, caretakers, and heavy-duty cleaners;
- Light-duty cleaners; and
- Security guards and related security service occupations.
Applicants must have at least nine months of continuous full-time work experience in an eligible occupation. They must have worked for the same employer and in the same region during this period.
Some workers employed in certain regional districts cannot qualify for the initiative. These include the Central Okanagan Regional District, Metro Vancouver Regional District and Capital Regional District.
However, workers on Galiano Island, Mayne Island, Pender Island, Salt Spring Island and Saturna Island are exempt from the Capital Regional District restriction.
The job offer must remain valid during both the registration and application stages. Workers must also continue working full-time in the position throughout the application process.
The province requires applications under the initiative to receive support from an authorized representative of the relevant public health authority.
Employment And Eligibility Requirements
Certain periods of employment do not count toward the required nine months of work experience. These include work completed while holding a study permit or as part of a study program, such as a co-op placement.
Leave lasting more than two weeks also does not count toward the required employment period.
The initiative recognizes eight public health authorities:
- First Nations Health Authority
- Fraser Health
- Interior Health
- Island Health
- Northern Health
- Providence Health Care
- Provincial Health Services Authority
- Vancouver Coastal Health
Each health authority has its own process for deciding which applications it will support.
Candidates must also hold a high school diploma and meet the minimum income requirement for the full nine-month period before registering and submitting their application.
They must also meet the broader eligibility requirements for candidates applying through the Skills Immigration stream.
British Columbia Focuses On Care, Building And Innovation
The province introduced changes to its Provincial Nominee Program earlier this year to focus on workforce needs and attract workers in priority areas.
Its 2026 approach is based on three main areas:
- Care – strengthening healthcare and related care services
- Build – supporting infrastructure development and major projects
- Innovate – encouraging innovation and long-term economic growth
The Temporary Rural/Remote Health Support Initiative falls under the Care priority.
The pathway is intended to support public health authorities in rural and remote communities by providing a route for eligible workers in cleaning and security occupations to seek provincial nomination and, eventually, permanent residence.
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