BC PNP - (Business) Entrepreneur Immigration - Base Stream

The British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP) is the province's economic immigration tool designed to attract new residents to British Columbia. The program allows the province to select a limited number of potential immigrants and nominate them for permanent residency. Individuals nominated by the BC PNP are eligible to apply to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) for permanent residency for themselves and their dependents.

The Entrepreneur Immigration stream is for experienced entrepreneurs who intend to invest in and directly manage a valid business in the province.

Entrepreneurs who meet the eligibility criteria based on factors such as personal net worth, business experience, and economic impact may choose to apply through one of the following lines:

The base stream is an immigration pathway for individuals who want to start a new business or acquire and grow an existing one.

The Regional Stream is an immigration pathway for individuals who want to start a new business outside the Metropolitan Vancouver Regional District and wish to choose a participating BC community as their place of residence.

Businesses (foreign corporations) wishing to establish operations in the province can apply through the Strategic Projects stream of the program. The Strategic Projects stream provides a pathway to permanent residency for current employees of foreign corporations wishing to operate in British Columbia.

The Entrepreneur Immigration - Strategic Projects Stream targets successful, established international corporations with substantial revenue and strong financial standing. To be considered under this stream, companies are expected to have identified strategic investment opportunities in BC that are crucial for growth and expansion of their core operations, have completed market research and commercial viability assessments, and have developed a detailed implementation plan. If invited to apply and subsequently approved, key personnel—experienced senior managers—may move to the BC subsidiary/branch with work permits supported by the BC PNP and receive nomination once the investment is completed and jobs are created.

Companies interested in the Strategic Projects stream are expected to have at least 150 employees and a minimum annual revenue of CAD 20 million. Applications in the Strategic Projects stream typically create jobs in high-paying professions.

BC will issue invitations to apply to foreign-owned companies that meet the criteria and can most clearly demonstrate that their investment will deliver significant economic benefits to the province. To date, BC has approved companies operating in advanced manufacturing, technology, new media, specialized engineering, forestry product processing, and scientific research and development. The Entrepreneur Immigration stream accounts for a maximum of 5% of the province's total annual nomination quota.

Conditions, requirements, and procedures (Base Stream)

1) Eligibility

• Personal net worth: Must have a minimum personal net worth of $600,000 CAD.

2) Requirements

• Business experience: Must have a minimum of 3 years* of experience as a business owner/manager within the last 10 years.
• Investment value: A minimum of $200,000 CAD must be made by a qualified individual investor in the business.
• Business type: Must be a newly established business or an existing business acquired and developed.
• Job creation: At least one new full-time job must be created for a Canadian citizen or permanent resident.
• Language proficiency: Must meet the minimum requirement of Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 4.
• Community referral: Not required.
• An exploration visit is recommended but not mandatory.

Applicants who do not meet the BC PNP business experience requirement may substitute it with proof of qualifying educational qualifications (e.g., post-secondary degree) for consideration.

Note: There are exceptions to the table above. For complete information, please see the Entrepreneur Immigration Program Guide.

3) Process for entrepreneurs: Base stream

There are four main components in the Entrepreneur Immigration Base Stream process: preparation, registration, submission, and decision. Each step has its own requirements. Please review the information on this website and in the Entrepreneur Immigration Program Guide before you begin. When ready, follow these steps:

Develop a business proposal

• The first step is to develop a comprehensive business proposal that showcases your own knowledge and experience as an entrepreneur. Research the appropriate type of business; the right location; and demonstrate how the proposed business can contribute to British Columbia's economic development priorities.
• There are many resources available to help with preparation, such as the Starting a Small Business Guide. The Trade and Invest British Columbia website also has a wealth of information on key industries and sectors in different regions of BC.

Register online

• Registration is required to demonstrate interest in the program. You must register through the BC PNP Online User Portal. After developing your business proposal, create an online profile and complete all sections of the registration form.
• After you register, you will receive a score based on the information you provide. The score is awarded based on human resources factors such as work experience, education, language proficiency, and economic factors such as the commercial viability of the proposal and economic benefits to the province. The business concept section of your application will be assessed separately by BC PNP staff within six weeks of receipt. For more information on how business concepts are scored, please see the Entrepreneur Immigration Program Guide.
• If your application meets the eligibility criteria and requirements of the BC PNP, it will be placed in the qualified pool and remain valid for up to six months, or until you receive an invitation to apply.
• Note: Registering does not guarantee you will be invited to apply.

Wait for an invitation to apply.

• To apply for the Base Stream, you need an invitation letter. If invited, an accounting firm authorized by the BC PNP will review your personal net worth and verify the source of your financial accumulation. This review must be completed before you submit your application. A list of authorized accounting firms and instructions will be included with the invitation letter.

Submit your BC PNP application

• After receiving your invitation, you have up to four months from the date of the invitation to submit your complete application through the BC PNP User Portal. Before submitting, you must pay the fee and ensure you submit all required documents.
• You may be invited for an interview regarding your work experience and business plan. Applications are assessed based on the Provincial Immigration Programs Act, Provincial Immigration Programs Regulation, the information you provide in your application and interview, and the eligibility criteria/requirements for the category.

Apply for a work permit

• If your application is approved, you will sign a Performance Agreement with the Province of British Columbia. This agreement is specific to you and is based on the information in your application, business plan, and interview. You will also receive a Letter of Support to apply for a work permit with IRCC, which will help you and your dependents move to BC.
• Note: After receiving the Letter of Support, you have a maximum of 90 days to submit your work permit application to IRCC and must arrive in BC within 12 months of receiving the work permit.
• Upon arrival in BC, you have up to 20 months to implement your plan, manage your business, and meet the requirements of the signed Performance Agreement.

Complete your Performance Agreement (Fulfill your Performance Agreement)

• To be nominated, you must demonstrate that you meet the terms and conditions of the Performance Agreement. You will be required to submit a final report to the BC PNP approximately 18 to 20 months after arriving at the BC. If the BC PNP confirms that you meet the terms and conditions, you will be required to sign the Conditions of Nomination Declaration.

Submit your IRCC application

• After signing the Declaration, you will receive Confirmation of Nomination as a provincially nominated candidate, allowing you to apply for permanent residency with IRCC under the Provincial Nominee Class.
• If IRCC approves your application, you will become a permanent resident of Canada.

Processing times

• Typically, about 80% of applications are processed within the following timeframes:
• Registration deadline: 6 weeks
• Notification of application decision (work permit stage): 4 months
• Notification of application decision (final report stage): 4 months
• Request for review: 6 months

The timeline depends on when the BC PNP receives complete applications; the complexity and number of applications; the program's capacity; and the number of nominations available.

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