BC PNP ENTREPRENEUR IMMIGRATION: Base Stream (2023 Version)

(Updated on November 16, 2022)

BC Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP) Entrepreneur Immigration (EI) is a way for international entrepreneurs wishing to immigrate to British Columbia (B.C.) to set up businesses that support innovation and economic growth in the province.

Entrepreneur Immigration is a “temporary to permanent” immigration pathway. That means that if you are approved, you will initially come to B.C. as a temporary resident, and then apply to stay permanently once you have successfully started a business.

 

Streams at a Glance

	EI – Base	EI – Regional Pilot
Experience	Within last 10 years:	Within last 5 years:
	3+ years of experience as a business owner-manager, OR, 4+ years of experience as a senior manager,  OR, a combination of 1+ year of experience as a business owner-manager and 2+ years of experience as a senior manager
Net worth	At least $600,000	At least $300,000
Education	Obtained a post-secondary credential,  OR, experience as an active business owner-manager for at least 36 of the last 60 months  with 100% ownership in the business
Business proposal	You must submit  a business proposal to establish a new business or purchase of an existing business in British Columbia	You must submit  a business proposal to establish a new business in British Columbia and be referred by an enrolled  community
Ownership percentage	At least one-third (33.33%)	At least 51%
Investment	Minimum $200,000	Minimum $100,000
Job creation	Must create at least one full-time equivalent job for a Canadian citizen or permanent resident  of Canada
Location	Anywhere in British Columbia	Participating communities
Exploratory visit required?	No, but strongly recommended	Yes. You must engage and visit an enrolled community for support before registering
Language requirement?	Minimum of CLB 4 equivalent in English or French. Must submit  a copy of valid language proficiency test results at final report (if not previously  submitted)	Minimum of CLB 4 equivalent in English or French. Must submit  copy of valid language proficiency test at registration
Partner with BC PNP co- registrant allowed?	Yes	No
Partner with a local business/person allowed?	Yes
Registration  scores	Total 200 points (120 points for self-declared section; 80 points for business concept). Must score minimum of 40 points in business concept section. Total score must be at least 115 points to qualify.	Total 200 points (140 points for self-declared section; 60 points for business concept). No minimum business concept score. Total score must be at least 105 points to qualify.
Registration  timeframe	Registrations are scored within  six weeks	Registrations are scored within  four weeks
Net worth verification	Yes, you must obtain a net worth verification report if you are invited to apply
Application timeframe	Application decisions are typically made within  four months
Interview required  for approval?	Yes
Minimum amount  of time to submit a final report	18 months  after issuance of a work permit	12 months  after issuance of a work permit
Fees	Registration: $300 Application: $3,500	Registration: $300 Application: $3,500

Base stream

Eligibility

Please review our Entrepreneur Immigration – Base Program Guide to see the complete personal, business, investment and job requirements.

Personal requirements

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

Business, job and investment requirements

• establish an eligible new business or buy and improve an existing business
• make an eligible personal investment of at least CAD$200,000 in the business
• create at least one new full-time job for a Canadian citizen or permanent resident

Fees

• $300 registration fee
• $3,500 application fee

Process

1. Prepare a business proposal
2. Register your proposal with the BC PNP
3. Get a work permit
4. Build your business
5. BC PNP nomination
6. Permanent Residence

Prepare a comprehensive business proposal

The first step is to prepare a great business proposal that is well suited to your unique knowledge and experience and to the needs to the B.C. economy. You should do research to help you determine what kind of business to propose and which location in B.C. would be a good fit for your business. There are government resources to help you, such as the Starting a Small Business Guide.

You may also want to consider proposing a business that is related to one of the key sectors or significant economic benefits that are listed in the program guide. The Trade and Invest British Columbia website contains a wealth of information about the key industries and sectors as well as different regions and communities in B.C.