This BC PNP stream caters to seasoned entrepreneurs seeking to invest in and oversee a business in British Columbia. To be eligible, applicants need to be referred by one of the participating communities in BC within the program.
Program Eligibility
| Requirement | |
| Express Entry Profile | – Need not required to be registered under Express Entry Program |
| Job Offer | – Need not require job offer to apply under this stream |
| Level of Education | – Have a minimum level of education equivalent to post-secondary education, or – If they possess 3 years of experience as an active business owner-manager with full ownership (100%) in the last 5 years (100% ownership may be shared with their spouse and common-law partner or dependent children) |
| Work Experience | – At least 3 years of experience as an active business owner-manager in the last past 5 years having ownership of 10% or more, or – More than 4 years of experience as a senior manager in the last 10 years, supervising at least 3 full time employees, and their NOC TEER 0 or 1, or – A combination of at least 1 year of experience as an active business owner-manager and at least 2 years of experience as a senior manager. – Have had actively participated in the day-to-day operations of the business. |
| Language Proficiency | – Demonstrate language proficiency of minimum CLB Level 4 in English or French |
| Business Plan/Proposal | – Must submit a business proposal to establish a new business or purchase of an existing business in BC. |
| Personal Net Worth | – Have a minimum personal net worth of at least $300,000 CAD (Including personal net worth of spouse, common-law partner and dependent children). |
| Investment Requirement | – Make a minimum investment of $100,000 CAD. in a new or existing business. – Have ownership of at least 51% of the business. – Partnership with BC PNP co-registrant is not allowed. – Partnership with local business/person is allowed. – Create minimum 1 full time job for a Canadian citizen or permanent resident. – Have to establish business in participating communities. |
| Exploratory Visit | – Must engage & visit an enrolled community for support before registration. |
| Connection to BC | – Need not required specific connection to the province at the time of applying – Intend to live, work or settle business in the province. |
| Scores Requirements | – Must Score minimum of 105 points out of 200 points to qualify. |
| Business Performance Agreement | – Need to enter into business performance agreement. |
| Business Establishment and Operation | – Establish and operate the proposed business according to the business plan. – Reside in British Columbia and maintain their principal residence within 100 kilometers of the location of their business. – Spend at least 75% of their time physically present in British Columbia while on a temporary work permit. |
How to Apply:
- Register a profile on the BC PNP’s online portal.
- Profiles are scored and ranked using the BC Entrepreneur Immigration Ranking System, and high-ranking candidates are invited to apply.
- Invited candidates submit a complete application within 120 days.
- Pay registration and application fee, including fee for staff employee if applicable.
- Attend an interview and sign a performance agreement with British Columbia.
- Apply for a two-year work permit from IRCC.
- Minimum amount of time to submit a final report is 12 months after the issuance of work permit.
- If the performance agreement conditions are met, receive a provincial nomination.
- Within six months, submit application for Canadian permanent residence.
BC Entrepreneur Regional Pilot – Scoring Factors
| Scoring Sections | Points |
| Self-declared | |
| Experience & Ownership | 24 |
| Net Worth | 6 |
| Total Personal Investment | 10 |
| Jobs | 15 |
| Community Population | 6 |
| BC’s Region | 12 |
| Adaptability | 67 |
| Self-declared SUBTOTAL score | 140 |
| Business concept | |
| Commercial Viability | 30 |
| Transferability of Skills | 15 |
| Economic Benefits | 15 |
| Business concept SUBTOTAL score | 60 |
| Maximum Score Available | 200 |
Experience Total Duration
| Experience Total Duration | Points |
| Business owner-manager experience | |
| Less than 12 months | 0 |
| 12 to 24 months | 7 |
| 25 to 36 months | 12 |
| 37 to 48 months | 16 |
| 49 to 59 months | 19 |
| 60 months & more | 22 |
| Senior manager work experience | |
| Less than 24 months | 0 |
| 25 to 48 months | 4 |
| 49 to 59 months | 8 |
| 60 months & more | 12 |
| Maximum Score Available | 22 |
Ownership Amount
| Ownership Amount | Points |
| Business ownership | |
| Less than 36 months (3 years) of 100% business ownership in the past 60 months (5 years) | 0 |
| 100% ownership of a business for at least 3 years of the last 5 years | 2 |
| Maximum Score Available | 2 |
Personal Net Worth
| Personal Net Worth | Points |
| Your total current assets (cash and liquid funds) | |
| Less than $10,000 | 0 |
| $10,000 to $49,999 | 1 |
| $50,000 to $199,999 | 2 |
| $200,000 or more | 3 |
| Your total personal net worth | |
| Less than $300,000 | 0 |
| $300,000 to $999,999 | 2 |
| $1,000,000 or more | 3 |
| Maximum Score Available | 6 |
Personal Investment
| Total Personal Investment | Points |
| Less than $100,000 | 0 |
| $100,000 to $349,999 | 6 |
| $350,000 to $599,999 | 8 |
| $600,000 or more | 10 |
| Maximum Score Available | 10 |
Job Creation
| Total Proposed Full Time Jobs | Points |
| Less than 1 job | 0 |
| 1 job | 10 |
| 2 to 4 jobs | 11 |
| 5 to 7 jobs | 13 |
| 8 jobs or more | 15 |
| Maximum Score Available | 15 |
Community Population
| Community Population | Points |
| 40,000 – 75,000 | 1 |
| 20,000 – 39,999 | 2 |
| 15,000 – 19,999 | 3 |
| 10,000 – 14,999 | 4 |
| 5,000 – 9,999 | 5 |
| Less than 5,000 | 6 |
| Maximum Score Available | 6 |
BC Development Region
| Location Based on B.C. Development Region | Points |
Lower Mainland/Southwest: o Fraser Valley o Greater Vancouvr o Squamish-Lillooet o Sunshine Coast | 1 |
Vancouvr Island and Coast o Alberni-Clayoquot o Capital o Central Cost o Comox Valley o Cowichan Valley o Mount Waddington o Nanaimo o Powel river o Strathcona | 2 |
Thomposon-Okanagan o Central Okanagan o Columbia-shuswap o North Okanagan o Okanagan-Similkmeen o Thompson-Nicola | 6 |
Cariboo o Cariboo o Fraser-Fort George | 10 |
Kootenay o Central Kootney o East Kootney o Kootney Boundary | 10 |
Nechako o Bulkley-Nechako | 12 |
North Coast o Kitimar-stikine o Skeena-Queen Charlotte | 12 |
North East o Northern Rockles o Peace River | 12 |
| Maximum Score Available | 12 |
Adaptability Factors
| Adaptability Factor | Points |
| Language proficiency | |
| None or minimal, similar to CLB 3 and below | 0 |
| Basic understanding, similar to CLB 4 | 5 |
| Intermediate and advanced, similar to CLB 5 | 10 |
| Intermediate and advanced, similar to CLB 6 | 15 |
| Advanced to fluent, equivalent to CLB 7 or higher | 23 |
| Education level | |
| Secondary school or less | 0* |
| Associate degree / Diploma / certificate (non-trades) | 6 |
| Diploma / certificate (trades) / Bachelor’s degree / Post-graduate diploma / certificate / | 14 |
| Master’s degree / Doctorate / PhD | 16 |
| Age | |
| Less than 25 | 2 |
| 25 – 29 | 8 |
| 35 – 44 | 16 |
| 45 – 54 | 10 |
| 55 – 64 | 4 |
| 65 or older | 0 |
| Canadian work experience, business experience, or studies from within Canada for at least 12 months (last 10 years) | |
| Less than 12 months | 0 |
| 12 to 24 months of work/business or studies in Canada (with authorization) | 4 |
| More than 24 months of work experience or studies in Canada (with authorization) | 8 |
| Family member living in the community for at least 12 months | |
| No | 0 |
| Yes | 4 |
| Maximum Score Available | 67 |
Business Concept Factors:
Business Concept Factors: | Points |
| Commercial Viability: | 30 |
Business model (12 ponits) o Unsatisfactory/Unclear – 1 o Fair/Good – 8 o Excellent – 12 Market & products/services – (4 Points) o Does not satisfactory address any of the Market/product factors – 1 o Addresses at least one of the Market/Product factors, and is consistent with business model – 4 Eligible personal investment – (4 Points) o Less than $100,000 – 0 o $ 100,000 to $299,999 – 1 o $ 300,000 to $499,999 – 2 o $ 500,000 to $799,999 – 3 o $ 800,000 or more – 4 o Assessment of proposed personal investment – (8 Points) o Investment proposal does not correspond to the type or scale of the business – 0 o Investment proposal does not correspond to the type and scale of the business – 5 o Investment proposal does not correspond to the type and scale of the business, the market, the proposed products and/or services, the business model, and the industry standard. – 8 Ownership percentage – (2 Points) o 100% ownership – 2 o Between 51% and 99.99% – 1 o Less than 51% – 0 |
| Transferability of skills | |
Business owner-manager experience only – (15 Points) o Less than 12 months – 0 o 12 to 35 months of (related experience) – 2 o 12 to 35 months of (direct experience) – 2 o 36 to 59 months of (related experience) – 6 o 36 to 59 months of (direct experience) – 10 o 60 months of (related experience) – 12 o 60 months of (direct experience) – 15
Senior manager work experience only – (10 Points) o Less than 12 months – 0 o 12 to 35 months of (related experience) – 1 o 12 to 35 months of (direct experience) – 4 o 36 to 59 months of (related experience) – 5 o 36 to 59 months of (direct experience) – 6 o 60 months of (related experience) – 8 o 60 months of (direct experience) – 10 | 15 |
| Economic Benefits | 15 |
Significant Economic Benefits – (5 Points) o Does not identify or substantiate any significant economic benefits – 0 o Substantiates at least significant economic benefits – 5
Jobs assessment – (10 Points) o The business concept does not support the creation of the at least 1 full time position – 0 o Jobs plan does not correspond to the type and scale of the business – 1 o Jobs plan corresponds to the type and scale of the business – 10 | |
Recent Draws / Invitations to Apply – BC Entrepreneur Category:
https://www.welcomebc.ca/Immigrate-to-B-C/Invitations-To-Apply
Participating Communities:
These are organized by Development Regions, some participating communities may currently be temporary paused.
Lower Mainland/Southwest Region
Cariboo
Kootney
Nechako
North Coast
Northeast
Thompson-Okanagan
Vancouver Island/Coast
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