British Columbia Invited Nearly 36 Entrepreneurs to Apply for PR in 2022

On October 4, 2022, British Columbia held a draw for business applicants under British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP). A total of 5 candidates received invitations under the BC PNP Entrepreneur Base Category. This time the Cut-off Score was 116 points, which was 13 points lower than the previous draw.

The Entrepreneur Immigration stream of the British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP) allows foreign entrepreneurs who want to immigrate to British Columbia (B.C.) to establish firms that encourage innovation and economic growth in the province.

BC Entrepreneur immigration is a type of “temporary to permanent” immigration. That is, if you are meet all the eligibility requirements and granted permission by the Canadian government, you will travel to British Columbia as a temporary resident. Then after establishing the business successfully, you can apply for Permanent Residence and stay permanently.

Under this BC PNP Entrepreneur Immigration stream, one can earn a maximum of 200 points. 120 points can be gained by self-declared criteria such as experience, innovation and ownership, net worth, investment, etc. and 80 additional points are awarded based on the business concept.

Entrepreneurs who are aspiring to start a business in British Columbia, Canada can immigrate to British Columbia and obtain permanent residence through:

• BC PNP Entrepreneur Base Category
• BC PNP Regional Pilot Program

The Base Category is an immigration option for experienced businessmen and entrepreneurs who want to start a new business or take over an existing one in British Columbia.

To qualify under the BC PNP Entrepreneur Base category, you must have

• basic English or French language skills equal to Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) level 4 or higher
• business and/or management experience; if no business experience must have the equivalent of a 2-year post-secondary diploma
• a minimum investment of $200,000 CAD
• a personal net worth of at least CAD$600,000
• Create at least one new full-time job for a Canadian citizen or permanent resident
• a have legal immigration status in Canada or be eligible for it
  have been lawfully admitted in the country where you currently live

Learn more about the BC PNP Entrepreneur Base Category here.

The BC PNP Regional Pilot program is designed for entrepreneurs who want to live and work in specific regional communities in British Columbia. The province established this program to assist in the growth of these communities and to increase employment opportunities for its residents.

If you are interested in obtaining permanent residence through the Regional Pilot program, get familiar with the list of regional communities first and learn about their respective economic priorities. You must do your research and consider the chosen community’s business opportunities.

The program was initially opened in 2019 as a two-year pilot but has since been extended until 2024.

To qualify, you must:

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

More information about this category: BC PNP Regional Pilot Program

We have helped a number of prospective immigrants to permanently settle in Canada. You can contact our experts here. Our team is led by Keshav Sharma, a licensed and regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant with many years of experience. We will help you with your visitor visa application process, work permit, and permanent residence process.