BC Provincial Nominee Program

The BC Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP) Entrepreneur Immigration (EI) stream offers international entrepreneurs an opportunity to immigrate to British Columbia by establishing businesses that contribute to innovation and drive economic growth within the province. This stream follows a “temporary to permanent” immigration model, meaning successful applicants first arrive in B.C. as temporary residents. After they have actively established and operated their business, they may become eligible to apply for permanent residency.

• Base Category

This category is intended for experienced entrepreneurs who intend to establish new businesses or take over and grow existing businesses in B.C that will contribute to the province’s economic growth. To be eligible, applicants must meet personal, business, investment, and job creation requirements. These include having a net worth of at least CAD $600,000, business and/or management experience (or the equivalent of a 2-year post-secondary diploma), and basic proficiency in English or French (Canadian Language Benchmark level 4 or higher). In addition, applicants must be lawfully admitted in their current country and have legal immigration status in Canada.

The business and investment requirements stipulate that entrepreneurs must invest at least CAD $200,000 in their business, either by establishing a new business or purchasing and improving an existing one. The business must create at least one full-time job for a Canadian citizen or permanent resident. There are also application fees, including a CAD$300 registration fee and a CAD$3,500 application fee.

The process begins with the preparation of a business proposal tailored to both the applicant’s experience and the needs of the B.C. economy. Once the proposal is ready, it must be registered with the BC PNP. Entrepreneurs must create a profile in the BC PNP Online system, where their business concept will be scored based on factors such as human capital, economic benefits, and the business’s potential. If they meet the criteria, applicants enter a qualified pool and remain there for up to 180 days, awaiting an invitation to apply. If invited, applicants must undergo a net worth verification and submit a complete application within four months.

Upon approval, applicants will receive a letter of support to apply for a work permit through Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). This allows them and their dependents to move to B.C. Once in the province, they must implement their business plan and meet the terms outlined in a performance agreement. After fulfilling the agreement within 20 months, they can submit a final report to the BC PNP, showing that they’ve met all expectations. If successful, applicants will be nominated for permanent residence and can then apply to IRCC for permanent residency under the Provincial Nominee Class.

• Entrepreneur Immigration- Regional Pilot  

Entrepreneurs from across the globe are warmly invited by British Columbia to explore the abundant business prospects available in every corner of the province. Within British Columbia, entrepreneurs have the chance to establish their businesses in smaller communities, providing them and their families with a firsthand experience of the reasons why many opt to reside outside major urban centers.  

The Entrepreneur Immigration (EI) Regional Pilot introduces an immigration pathway specially designed for ambitious individuals seeking to launch a new business in a small community and establish British Columbia as their new home. Through this pilot program, the province offers an opportunity for enterprising individuals to contribute to the growth and vitality of these smaller communities while fulfilling their entrepreneurial aspirations.

Successful applicants under the Regional Pilot stream receive a temporary work permit to establish and operate their business in the designated community. Once they meet the conditions of their Performance Agreement, which typically includes job creation targets, they can be nominated by the community for Canadian permanent residency.

Prospective candidates must visit the community

If a community sees your business proposal as a possible match with their priorities, they may invite you for an in-person exploratory visit to their community and meet with their contact person. The visit will also give you first-hand experience of the location you are proposing for your business, and you will also be able to assess whether the lifestyle is a fit for your family.

After your visit to the community, if you feel that it is the right place for your business and your family, you may request a referral from the community. A referral allows entrepreneur candidates to register and apply for the EI Regional Pilot.

The decision to issue a referral is at the discretion of the community.

Requirements

Before considering the EI Regional Pilot, become familiar with the program criteria and check your eligibility. To qualify, you must:

• establish an eligible new business aligned with the priorities of the referring community
• show business and/or management experience   
• have a personal net worth of at least CAD $300,000
• make an eligible personal investment of at least CAD$100,000 in the business
• create at least one new full-time job for a Canadian citizen or permanent resident
• demonstrate a minimum language proficiency of Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 4
• have, or be eligible for, legal immigration status in Canada
• have been lawfully admitted in the country where you currently live

If you meet the criteria and have the experience that the community is seeking, you can connect directly with the designated community contact identified in the community’s profile page to learn more.

• Strategic Projects

The Strategic Projects stream caters to foreign corporations that have recognized strategic investment prospects in British Columbia, aiming to establish operations that play a vital role in their core business’s growth and expansion.

This stream facilitates the permanent relocation of key personnel possessing corporate knowledge and expertise to British Columbia. The foreign corporation has the opportunity to apply for provincial nomination to facilitate the permanent residency of up to five of its existing senior employees who will actively manage the operations in British Columbia.

Both the foreign corporation and the key staff members must meet the eligibility requirements to qualify for transferring key staff to British Columbia, ensuring that they meet the necessary criteria for participation in this stream.

Requirements:

The foreign corporation must:

make a minimum equity investment of at least $500,000 directed toward the corporation’s operations in B.C.

• establish new or purchase and expand an eligible business in B.C.
• create at least three new full-time equivalent jobs for Canadian citizens or permanent residents for each foreign key staff member proposed (to a maximum of five key staff)

Company Eligibility: 

To be eligible, the foreign corporation must meet the following requirements:

• be well-established and in good financial standing
• demonstrate investment readiness and capacity for international expansion into B.C.
• provide significant economic benefit to the province by making a high value investment in B.C.

Key Staff Members Eligibility: 

To be eligible as key staff, the individual(s) must meet the following requirements:

• be current senior employees of the foreign corporation who have the qualifications and experience that are essential to establish and operate the business in B.C.
• is being appointed to an executive or senior managerial position, or has specialized knowledge essential to the proposed B.C. operation
• will be employed in a permanent full-time capacity at the B.C. operation
• is offered a wage commensurate with his/her expertise and consistent with industry and corporate compensation structures

Ineligible Key Staff Members: 

BC PNP will not accept applications of key staff members who:

• are prohibited from entering Canada
• have not been lawfully admitted in the country of current residence
• are in Canada and are out of status
  • an individual whose status has expired, and they cannot demonstrate they have applied for restoration of status within the 90-day eligibility period, will be considered out of status
• are working in Canada without authorization
• have an unresolved refugee claim in Canada
• are under a removal order in or outside Canada