Short answer: BC PNP Skills Immigration applications submitted after June 13, 2026 are refused if the job offer is classified under one of 12 NOC codes. That's seven administrative roles, three sales and service roles, and two religious occupations. It applies to every Skills Immigration stream, and it goes by the NOC that matches your actual duties, not your job title.
Source: section 3.11 of the BC PNP Skills Immigration Program Guide (effective June 10, 2026).
Who this rules out
- Anyone whose job offer falls under one of the 12 NOC codes below. Every occupation included within those NOCs is covered.
- Anyone whose employer is an ineligible type, even in an eligible occupation: placement and staffing agencies and PEOs, sexually oriented businesses, organizations providing immigration advice or services, and disreputable employers.
Some NOCs are not eligible for nomination under any Skills Immigration stream. This includes all occupations included within the NOC. If it is determined that your job offer is classified under one of the NOCs listed below, your application will be refused.
The full list of 12 ineligible NOC codes
| Group | NOC | Occupation |
|---|---|---|
| Administrative | 12100 | Executive assistants |
| Administrative | 12101 | Human resources and recruitment officers |
| Administrative | 12200 | Accounting technicians and bookkeepers |
| Administrative | 13100 | Administrative officers |
| Administrative | 13110 | Administrative assistants |
| Administrative | 13111 | Legal administrative assistants |
| Administrative | 13112 | Medical administrative assistants |
| Sales and service | 62010 | Retail sales supervisors |
| Sales and service | 62020 | Food service supervisors |
| Sales and service | 63101 | Real estate agents and salespersons |
| Religious | 41302 | Religious leaders |
| Religious | 42204 | Religious workers |
The list is "in effect for applications submitted after June 13, 2026."
Why restaurants and retail feel this most
62020 Food service supervisors and 62010 Retail sales supervisors were common codes for restaurant and store job offers. Neither can lead to a BC PNP Skills Immigration nomination now. Administrative assistants, bookkeepers and HR officers are also common office codes, so check those too.
"Can I just change my job title?" No.
Your NOC is determined by your actual duties. Submitting a different title while the work stays the same can be misrepresentation under section 40 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, which can make a person inadmissible for five years.
If your role and duties genuinely change, that's a different situation, but experience, wage and job offer requirements then have to be reassessed against the new occupation.
Not being on the list doesn't mean you qualify
- The job offer must be in NOC TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3 (Skilled Worker stream).
- Work experience, wage, minimum income and employer requirements all still apply. See BC PNP employer requirements.
- Invitations are issued by draw-specific criteria. Meeting requirements gets you into the pool; it isn't an invitation or an approval.
What to check first
- Which NOC your actual daily duties match, not your title.
- If it's one of the 12, compare other provincial nominee programs and federal pathways. Each has its own requirements and needs a separate assessment.
- Whether your employer's business type is on the ineligible list.
Official sources
- BC PNP Skills Immigration Program Guide (WelcomeBC, PDF) — 3.11 Ineligible Occupations, 6.12 Ineligible Employers
- NOC 2021 search (ESDC)
- Misrepresentation — IRPA s.40 (Justice Laws)
