British Columbia’s health care system is facing deeper staffing shortages as hundreds of essential health care workers lose their path to permanent residency through the province’s Provincial Nominee Program (PNP).
Established to attract skilled workers to meet regional labour demands, the PNP has historically been a critical tool for recruiting and retaining health care workers in hard-to-fill jobs.
Under the program, the provincial government nominates workers for permanent residency, while the federal government controls overall immigration levels and allocates PNP spots to each province.
Until recently, this partnership helped bring thousands of qualified, committed workers into B.C.’s public health system – many of them now HEU members.
But in the fall 2024, the federal government halved the annual PNP allocation for all provinces, as part of broad changes to Canada’s immigration policies. In B.C. PNP spots dropped from 8,000 to 4,000 spots – far below the 11,000 requested by the province to meet urgent workforce needs.
For workers who had been recruited into full-time jobs in health care with the promise of a clear pathway to permanent residency, the impact was immediate – and devastating.
Some HEU members have already left their jobs and the province in search of alternatives. Others, despite being trained and experienced in B.C.’s health care system, now face deportation when their temporary work permits expire.
HEU is aware of at least 500 members in the Fraser and Vancouver Coastal health authorities at risk of being forced to leave Canada this year alone.
In April 2025, B.C. introduced new PNP eligibility guidelines that made the situation worse.
Despite being essential to hospital operations, roles like housekeeping, dietary, relational security, and clerical support were excluded from nomination eligibility. Only a few HEU-represented classifications, such as care aides and pharmacy assistants, remain prioritized.
Many affected workers had left jobs in their home countries, juggled multiple roles, and built their futures in B.C.
“I did everything they asked of me,” says Jasveer, a housekeeper who came to Canada in 2021. “They promised me that this would be a path to permanent residency. I established my life here to work in health care. And now I have no options.”
On April 17, hundreds of HEU members rallied at Surrey Memorial Hospital, demanding immediate action from both levels of government. HEU is calling for the restoration of PNP spots and a fair, reliable immigration pathway for all health care workers. Thousands of letters have been sent to federal ministers demanding urgent action.
“We’re going to keep fighting for you,” says Lynn Bueckert, HEU’s secretary-business manager. “But we know waiting on uncertain policies takes a real toll. Every member needs to do what’s right for them.”
HEU continues to push for solutions – because health care takes a team, and every role matters.
By Sara Rozell