BC PNP for Veterinarians and Vet Technologists in 2027: Licensing, Draws and Strategy

When the BC Provincial Nominee Program reorganized itself on April 23, 2026 around three objectives — Care, Build and Innovate — veterinary care was named alongside healthcare, education and childcare as part of the "care economy." The program's own wording is specific: veterinarians and veterinary technologists who are working toward Canadian certification will be prioritized. That phrase matters, because it means you do not always need a finished Canadian licence before you can compete. It also means your licensing progress is the single biggest factor in whether you are a credible candidate.

This guide covers the two eligible occupations, what the 2026 draws actually looked like, the licensing routes run by the College of Veterinarians of British Columbia (CVBC), the National Examining Board (NEB) and the BC Veterinary Technologists Association (BCVTA), and how to plan for 2027 when the next set of priorities has not yet been published.

The Two Eligible Occupations

The BC PNP's "Selection of workers" list on WelcomeBC places two NOC codes under Care: Veterinary care:

The language rules come from section 3.4 of the Skills Immigration Program Guide: job offers in TEER 2 to 5 need CLB 4 in each skill, while TEER 0 and 1 job offers do not need a test unless you claim language points or the BC PNP asks for one. In practice almost every veterinarian should still test, because language is worth up to 40 of the 200 registration points.

Both codes also appear on the Health Authority stream's list of eligible occupations, but that stream requires a regular, indeterminate, full-time job as a direct employee of a B.C. public health authority. Very few veterinary roles fit that description, so for most people the route is the Skilled Worker stream (or Express Entry BC) with a private clinic, hospital or other eligible employer, competing in the Veterinary Care draws. For how the Care groups compare, see our Care occupations list for 2027.

What the 2026 Veterinary Care Draws Looked Like

Draws under the new Care and Build labels began on May 6, 2026. WelcomeBC's invitations page shows six Veterinary Care rounds up to October 8, 2026:

Three things stand out. First, the draws are tiny — usually single digits — which fits the BC PNP Statistical Report 2025, where veterinary care nominations were 41 in 2023, 48 in 2024 and 25 in 2025. Second, the cutoffs are far lower than the points-based High Economic Impact draws, which needed 131 to 136 points between May and September 2026. Third, the cutoff moves around: it fell to 72 in August and climbed back to 90 the next month. With so few candidates, one or two high-scoring registrations can move the line.

Each Veterinary Care row on WelcomeBC lists two selection factors under one score and one invitation count: "All priority veterinary care occupations" and "Animal health technologists and veterinary technicians (NOC 32104) with valid professional designation." The table does not spell out how the two interact, but the clear signal is that, for vet technologists, a valid B.C. professional designation is part of what gets you selected.

Veterinarians: The CVBC and NEB Licensing Path

In British Columbia, veterinarians are regulated by the CVBC. Its registration guide lists the core requirements: a degree in veterinary medicine, occupational competency, English language proficiency, status to work in Canada, proof of good character and fitness to practise, and the CVBC Bylaw and Ethics Exam. An application stays open for one year from activation; if it stalls for a year it is closed and you must start again with new forms and fees.

Step 1: The Certificate of Qualification (CQ)

The CVBC says a CQ from the NEB (run by the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association) is required for full Private Practice registration or Temporary (Private Practice) registration. Your route to the CQ depends on where you studied. Graduates of AVMA/CVMA-accredited schools follow one path; graduates of non-accredited schools must complete the NEB's assessment process. The NEB currently describes four options for non-accredited graduates:

Step 2: Provisional Supervised Active (PSA) registration

PSA registration is the CVBC's bridge for people who are part-way through the NEB process. According to the CVBC, you may qualify if you trained at a non-accredited school, are an NEB candidate and have passed the written exams but not yet the practical exams — or, if you trained at an accredited school, needed more than three NAVLE attempts and still have practical exams to complete. PSA registrants practise only under supervision. The CVBC's 2024–2025 Annual Report says its Registration Committee approved 35 PSA applications that year, and 23 PSA registrants received their CQ and moved to full Private Practice registration.

For BC PNP purposes, PSA registration is valuable because it is concrete evidence that you are "working toward Canadian certification." Section 3.7 of the program guide says that if a job requires mandatory licensing, you must either show you meet it at application or "outline the steps you have taken to show that these requirements will shortly be met." A PSA approval, exam results and a supervision agreement tell that story far better than a plan to start the NEB process later.

Vet Technologists: Getting RVT Status Through the BCVTA

"Registered Veterinary Technologist" is a protected title in B.C. The BCVTA lists three requirements: graduate from an accredited veterinary technology program, pass the Veterinary Technician National Exam (VTNE), and register with the BCVTA. Members must then complete at least 15 hours of continuing education each year. (Older CVBC material from 2022 says 10 hours; the BCVTA's current page says 15.)

• Trained in B.C.: the BCVTA lists Thompson Rivers University (on-campus and Open Learning diplomas) and Douglas College as recognized programs.
• RVT elsewhere in North America: if you are an active member of your current licensing body and meet BCVTA eligibility, you can keep RVT status; your current body sends a Letter of Good Standing.
• Trained outside North America: the BCVTA uses the International Credential Assessment Service of Canada (ICAS) to assess your education. The BCVTA board then reviews the assessment and may require extra courses or training. Once you meet its criteria, you are approved to write the VTNE, and passing it lets you complete registration.
• Veterinarians: the BCVTA does not currently accept membership applications from veterinarians.

The VTNE is owned and administered by the American Association of Veterinary State Boards and is offered in three exam windows each year, so build that calendar into your timeline. Once registered, you earn 5 professional designation points in the BC PNP education factor — the program guide lists "Veterinary Technicians registered with British Columbia Veterinary Technologists Association" as an eligible designation for NOC 32104.

Worked Examples: How Veterinary Candidates Score

The examples below use the point tables in Part 8 of the current Skills Immigration Program Guide. They are illustrations, not predictions; plug your own numbers into our BC PNP calculator.

Example A: Internationally trained RVT in Kamloops

Priya trained abroad, completed the ICAS assessment and the VTNE, and is now an RVT. She has 3 years of directly related experience, including 14 months full-time with her Kamloops clinic, which is supporting her. Her diploma was earned outside Canada, her lowest CLB score is 7, and her job offer pays $26.00 an hour.

At 98, Priya would have cleared five of the six 2026 Veterinary Care cutoffs. Without RVT status she would lose the 5 designation points — and, more importantly, possibly the selection factor itself.

Example B: Foreign-trained veterinarian on PSA registration in Vernon

Daniel has 6 years of experience as a veterinarian, the last 12 months full-time in a Vernon mixed practice under CVBC PSA registration while he completes the NEB practical exams. For this illustration, assume his veterinary degree is credited at bachelor's level (15 points); the BC PNP decides how your credential is scored. His lowest CLB score is 8 and his job offer pays $40.00 an hour.

Daniel's score clears every 2026 Veterinary Care cutoff with room to spare. His risk is not the score; it is showing the BC PNP that full licensing will "shortly be met."

Wages and Where the Jobs Are

The BC PNP requires your wage to sit within the WorkBC or Job Bank range for the occupation and location. WorkBC's career profiles give the following provincial figures (derived from 2025 Job Bank wage data) and 10-year job openings from the B.C. Labour Market Outlook:

Two practical points follow. A vet technologist at the provincial median wage earns only 8 wage points, so regional points (up to 25) and the designation bonus carry much more weight than they do for veterinarians. And outside Metro Vancouver, the Island and the Thompson-Okanagan have by far the most projected openings. WelcomeBC notes that many of the 142 veterinary nominees since 2022 work outside Metro Vancouver. Our guide to regional nominations under Look West explains how area points work.

Express Entry as a Parallel Route

IRCC's category-based selection page lists both NOC 31103 and 32104 in the Healthcare and social services category for 2026. To qualify you need at least 12 months of full-time work experience (or the part-time equivalent) in an eligible occupation within the past 3 years, plus eligibility for an Express Entry program. If you qualify for Express Entry, using the Express Entry BC option for your BC PNP application keeps both doors open. IRCC consulted on its 2027 categories in summer 2026 and has not announced the result; see our Express Entry 2027 category guide.

The 2027 Outlook (Analysis)

Nothing about 2027 has been announced yet. B.C. has not received a 2027 nomination allocation, and the federal 2027–2029 Immigration Levels Plan is expected in early November 2026. With that caveat, here is what we expect if current patterns hold:

• Veterinary care likely stays in Care. B.C. has prioritized vets and registered vet technologists since 2022, and the April 2026 restructuring kept them. We see no sign of that changing, but priorities are reviewed and can be revised at any time.
• Draws should stay small. Nominations in this group have ranged from 25 to 48 a year. Expect single-digit invitations per round rather than large rounds.
• Cutoffs will keep swinging. The 2026 range was 72 to 100. In a pool this small, we would not try to predict a number — a score in the 90s has been competitive, but a single strong registrant can lift any round.
• Licensing progress will matter more than points. The "working toward Canadian certification" wording rewards people who can document real steps: NEB candidacy, exam results, PSA registration, or BCVTA membership.

Who This Pathway Suits — and Who It Does Not

Step-by-Step Plan for 2027

1. Lock in your credential path. Veterinarians: open an NEB file and identify your pathway. Vet technologists trained outside North America: start the ICAS assessment through the BCVTA.
2. Book exams around the windows. The VTNE runs in three windows a year, so missing one can cost months. Check the NEB candidate portal for current exam dates before you commit to a timeline.
3. Secure an eligible employer. The employer must have operated in B.C. for at least one year and have at least five full-time employees in Metro Vancouver, or three outside it.
4. Take an approved language test. CELPIP-General, IELTS General Training, PTE Core, TEF Canada or TCF Canada. Results are valid for two years.
5. Register when you can show progress. Registration is free. Your registration is verified later, so claim only what you can prove.
6. Keep your status valid. The BC PNP will not nominate anyone who is out of status. Plan work permit renewals early; see our guide to work permit holders and the temporary resident cap.

Frequently Asked Questions

Sources

• WelcomeBC: BC PNP news (April 23, 2026 priorities and program updates)
• WelcomeBC: About the BC PNP (Care objective and selection of workers)
• WelcomeBC: Invitations to apply
• BC PNP Skills Immigration Program Guide (effective June 10, 2026)
• BC PNP Statistical Report and Year in Review 2025
• CVBC: Certificate of Qualification (CQ)
• CVBC: Registration Application Guide
• CVBC: Provisional Supervised Active registration
• CVBC Annual Report 2024–2025
• CVMA National Examining Board: Alternative pathways to the CQ
• BCVTA: Become an RVT and BCVTA FAQs
• BCVTA: Veterinary Technician National Exam
• WorkBC: Veterinarians (NOC 31103) and Animal health technologists and veterinary technicians (NOC 32104)
• IRCC: Express Entry category-based selection

Information current as of October 14, 2026. Program rules change often; confirm on WelcomeBC or IRCC before applying.