British Columbia PNP Entrepreneur Immigration

In our previous posts, we mentioned different provincial and federal business immigration paths to Canada. Depending on the nature and requirements, some of these allow you move to Canada by investing and others by bringing your existing business or establishing a new one. Workers who wish to live in a province or territory and wish to become permanent citizens, and who has the education, training, and job experience necessary to support that province or territory's economy are eligible to apply for the provincial nominee program (PNP). Every province and territory have different standards (also known as “streams”, immigration schemes that target certain people). For instance, these may target skilled workers, businesspeople, and students in a program stream. 

One of these is the British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program, also known as the BC PNP program, which allows you to come to British Columbia as a temporary resident and eventually apply to become a permanent one. You (and your family) may apply for permanent residence in Canada through Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) if you are nominated. It enables the Province to choose economic immigrants who will settle in British Columbia and assist in running enterprises or filling jobs. 

There are two primary parts to BC PNP: Skills Immigration, which is intended for workers and new graduates who possess the abilities, credentials, and experience that firms in British Columbia require; and Entrepreneur Immigration, which is intended for experiences business owners who want to establish and run a company in the province. In this post, the focus will be primarily on the entrepreneur streams. 

These "temporary to permanent" paths may allow you to arrive in British Columbia as a temporary resident before submitting an application to remain permanently after launching a profitable business. It is a means for foreign businesspeople who want to relocate to British Columbia to establish companies which will foster economic development and innovation. 

The base stream of this program requires you to have a personal net worth of at least $600,000 (as of December 2024), along with business or management experience. If you don’t have the necessary experience, you must at least have 2-year post-secondary diploma instead. If you also meet the minimum English or French language standards, then you may prepare a business proposal and register it with the BC PNP. After submitting your proposal, the system takes into account a variety of factors and eventually award points based on the quality of your proposal, your personal qualifications, and possible benefits of the proposal to the regional economy. If your application is approved, you may then be invited to apply for a work permit and come to Canada within 12 months. 

The regional stream, on the other hand, is a path for entrepreneurs from all over the world to explore the numerous business opportunities available in different part of British Columbia. Entrepreneurs can start their own company in one of the smaller communities of the province and see firsthand why so many people decide to live outside of a major city. The Province provides an immigration pathway for innovative people who want to establish a new business in a small community and settle in British Columbia through the Entrepreneur Immigration Regional stream. Communities that participate in this path are quite important, as each has determined what types of businesses are most important to their local community. They are seeking business owners who have managed these kinds of companies before in order to ensure suitability and success. 

In this post, we primarily focused on the entrepreneur streams of the BC PNP immigration path. However, it’s one of the most comprehensive provincial streams in Canada and skilled workers or recent international graduates from Canadian post-secondary institutions. If you any more questions or inquiries about British Columbia’s immigration options, feel free to reach out to us at mail@atasoylaw.ca.

Disclaimer:

The information provided in this blog post is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Reading this post does not create a solicitor-client relationship. Refugee and immigration law is complex and fact-specific; outcomes can vary depending on individual circumstances. For legal assistance regarding business immigration programs, please contact our office directly.