BC PNP Entrepreneur Immigration

With a strategic location, competitive taxes and a multicultural workforce that is well-educated, highly-skilled and productive, British Columbia is one of Canada’s most dynamic places to do business, presenting unique opportunities for entrepreneurs.

The British Columbia Entrepreneur Immigration stream of the British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP) has a unique registration system, known as the Entrepreneur Immigration Registration. The registration process functions like an 'Expression of Interest Model', which means eligible candidates, who have registered, must be invited to apply before they can submit an application to the program. 

Successful candidates will obtain a work permit and, if the business operation in British Columbia fulfills the requirements of the stream on an ongoing basis, they will be able to apply for permanent residence in Canada through the BC PNP. This stream provides a pathway to Canadian permanent residence for experienced businesspeople who can establish themselves in B.C. and invest in and operate a commercially viable business that can provide significant benefits to the provincial economy.

To learn more about the BC PNP Entrepreneur Immigration Stream, this page will cover the following topics:

• BC PNP Entrepreneur Immigration Stream Overview
• Pre-Registration Process
  
  • Registration Requirements
  • Registration Scoring
    
    • Self-Declared
    • Business Concept
• Final Scoring and Selection Pool
• Invitation to Apply
• Work Permit Period and Business Establishment
• Nomination Requirements

BC PNP Entrepreneur Immigration - Base Category Overview

Minimum Requirements for Candidates

• Personal net worth of at least $600,000 (including cash, assets in bank accounts, fixed deposits, real properties, investments, etc). The net worth must be legally obtained and may be under the spouse or common-law partner's name. This net worth must verifiable if invited to apply;
• Post-secondary credential or experience as an active business owner-manager with 100 percent ownership of the business for at least three of the past five years.
• Eligible experience as an active business owner/manager and/or senior manager;
• Submit a business concept that demonstrates an active and ongoing management role in the day-to-day operations of the proposed business and the creation of at least one new job in the proposed B.C. business; and
• Personal investment of CAD $200,000 in eligible expenses. 

Application Process

1. Prepare for registration by conducting business research. International entrepreneurs are encouraged to conduct an exploratory visit to B.C. to learn about business opportunities and the local business environment.
2. Individuals must register with the BC PNP by creating an online profile, paying fees and obtaining a registration score based on various factors, including business ownership/senior management experience, personal net worth, adaptability, business concept and others. Candidates will be assigned a score for the business concept within six weeks of creating a profile.
3. The highest-ranked candidates are invited during periodic draws held by the BC PNP.
4. If invited to apply, candidates have four months (120 days) to submit a complete application under the BC PNP Entrepreneur Immigration Stream, obtain a review of the declared personal net worth and funds, and pay the required fees. Applications are assessed based on program criteria. Applicants may be invited to attend an in-person interview in Vancouver during the application assessment stage.
5. If an application is approved, international entrepreneurs sign a Performance Agreement and receive a Letter of Confirmation to apply for a two-year work permit with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).
6. Once they arrive in B.C., international entrepreneurs have up to 20 months, or 610 days, to implement the business plan, actively manage their business, meet all the conditions of the signed Performance Agreement, and demonstrate residency within 100km of the business (for at least 75% of the work permit period).
7. Between 18 and 20 months after arriving in the province, entrepreneurs must submit a final report to the BC PNP describing their business activities while on a valid work permit.
8. The Government of British Columbia nominates approved entrepreneur applicants by issuing a confirmation of nomination, which enables entrepreneurs and their eligible dependent family members to apply for permanent residence with IRCC.
9. IRCC may review additional information in the application to ensure that the nominee continues operation of the business and residence in B.C.

Entrepreneur Immigration Pre-Registration Process

Prior to registering, international entrepreneurs are encouraged to conduct business research, correspond with the BC PNP, and make an exploratory visit to the province. In this visit, international entrepreneurs can:

• investigate and evaluate potential business opportunities;
• conduct market research;
• make local business contacts; and/or
• learn more about what it’s like living and doing business in B.C., and gain a better understanding of our health care and education programs, housing, culture, recreation opportunities, and lifestyle.

If purchasing an existing business, the prospective applicant must ensure the business meets all the eligibility requirements for the BC PNP Entrepreneur Immigration Stream.

To register to the BC PNP, individuals must create an online profile, complete all sections and include a business concept.

BC PNP Entrepreneur Immigration Registration Requirements

Candidate Requirements 

In order to be eligible to register, individuals must:

• have a basic English or French language proficiency equal to a Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) level 4 or higher.
• have been lawfully admitted in the country where they are currently residing;
• have at least a minimum of $600,000 in personal net worth. The personal net worth must be legally obtained and verifiable. The candidate must disclose personal net worth, including all your assets and those of your spouse or common-law partner, less any liabilities including mortgages and personal debts;

If invited to apply, individuals must obtain a verification report from a BC PNP-qualified supplier. Failure to provide satisfactory evidence to verify personal net worth and source of funds may result in the refusal of an application.

• have a minimum of three or more years as an active business owner-manager OR four or more years as a senior manager OR a combination of at least one year of experience as an active business owner-manager AND at least two years of experience as a senior manager (in the past 10 years);
• have a post-secondary credential OR experience as an active business owner-manager with 100 per cent ownership of the business for at least three of the past five years. The percentage of ownership of the business may be shared between the candidate, the spouse or common-law partner, and/or his or her dependent child(ren);

If invited to apply, individuals will be required to provide evidence of their education and may be required to provide an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA).

• provide details about the business concept specific to the proposal;

If invited to apply, individuals must demonstrate the proposed business is consistent with the registration business concept and show the potential for commercial viability to show how the proposed business will be successful in B.C.

• demonstrate an eligible personal investment of at least $200,000 in the proposed business within 610 days (approximately 20 months) of arriving in B.C. on a BC PNP-supported work permit;
• demonstrate that the business will create at least one permanent, new full-time equivalent job for a Canadian citizen or permanent resident of Canada within 365 days (12 months) of the arrival date.

Business Concept Requirements

The registration must include a short business concept that will be assigned points based on proposed commercial viability, transferability of the candidate’s skills, and economic benefits. If the candidate is subsequently invited to apply, he or she will be required to submit a comprehensive business plan. The BC PNP will consider registrations to establish a new business, purchase an existing business, form a partnership with an existing business, and partner with a local or foreign entrepreneur to establish a new business.

Investment Requirements

In order to register, an entrepreneur must demonstrate that he or she will make an eligible personal investment of at least $200,000 CAD in the proposed B.C. business within 610 days (nearly 20 months) of arriving in the province.

The minimum personal investment of $200,000 must be obtained from a candidate's personal net worth.

Job Creation Requirements

Candidates must demonstrate that they will create at least one new permanent, full-time equivalent job for a Canadian citizen or permanent resident in the proposed business within 365 days (12 months) of arriving in the province. Individuals must also demonstrate the likelihood of supporting long-term employment of Canadians or permanent residents in the business.

Candidates who propose a key staff member must demonstrate they will create at least three full-time equivalent (FTE) employees.

An FTE position must be for at least 30 hours per week (1,560 hours a year) and be fulfilled by one or more employees under continuous employment. FTEs must be Canadian citizens or permanent residents of Canada and must not be independent contractors or shareholders with more than 10 percent ownership of the business.

The candidate will be awarded points for the business concept if the positions created are classified under NOC skill levels 0, A or B and a rationale is provided for the creation of these FTE positions.

If an individual's plan is to purchase an existing business, the number of existing jobs in the business must be maintained and employee(s) must be paid a wage that is comparable to their skill level.

If later approved for a provincial nomination, individuals must demonstrate that they have consistently and continuously employed the required number of FTEs for at least six months.

BC PNP Entrepreneur Immigration Registration Scoring

A registration is not an application, but rather an expression of the candidate's interest in applying to the BC PNP Entrepreneur Immigration Stream. The program's registration scoring is based on self-declared and business concept factors. Candidates must meet the minimum scores for each factor to enter the selection pool. The total score will determine whether or not a candidate may receive an Invitation to Apply under the BC PNP Entrepreneur Immigration Stream.

The maximum score available is 200.

Self-Declared Scoring

Self-Declared Factor 1: Experience 

Entrepreneur Immigration candidates may claim points for their business ownership and/or senior management work experience.

Candidates must include details of their business/work experience for the last 10 years prior to submitting an Expression of Interest. If invited to apply, will be required to provide evidence of the reported business and/or work experience.
During registration, candidates must indicate the industry sector code(s) under the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) and the National Occupational Classification (NOC) occupation code(s) that best relate to their experience.

The maximum score available for this section is 20. Candidates must score at least 8 points to meet the minimum requirements for this section.

Self-Declared Factor 2: Ownership

Candidates will be awarded an additional 4 points if they have held 100 percent ownership of the proposed business for at least three of the most recent five years. The 100 percent ownership of the business may be shared between the applicant, his or her spouse or common-law partner, and/or dependent child(ren).

Self-Declared Factor 3: Net Worth Factor

Candidates can obtain points for their total net worth including that of their spouse or common-law partner, if applicable. When submitting a registration, potential applicants must have at least a minimum of $600,000 in personal net worth.

The maximum score available for personal net worth is 12. Candidates must score at least 5 points under this factor. 

Self-Declared Factor 4: Total Personal Investment

Candidates may obtain points based on their proposed total personal investment for the business. A proposed business-related investment must be completed within 610 days (approximately 20 months) of arriving in B.C. on a BC PNP-supported work permit. If a candidate is proposing a partnership with a co-registrant, he or she must include the names of each partner with the registration. 

The maximum score available for this section is 20. Candidates must score at least 8 points, or 10 points if they are proposing a Key Staff Member, to meet the minimum requirement for this section.

Self-Declared Factor 5: Jobs Created / Maintained

Candidates will receive points based on their proposed job creation, and job maintenance if they are purchasing an existing business. The proposed job creation must take place within 365 days (12 months) of an applicant's arrival to the province.

For the proposed business, candidates must identify the number of FTE positions that will be created and maintained. The maximum score available for this section is 20. Candidates must score at least 8 points, or 10 points if they are proposing a Key Staff Member, to meet the minimum requirements for this factor. In addition, candidates will not qualify if they do not create at least one FTE. If proposing a Key Staff Member, candidates must create a minimum of three FTEs.

Self-Declared Factor 7: Adaptability

Business Concept Scoring

The proposed Business Concept will be evaluated by the BC PNP and must include an overview of the following:

• description of the business model and its operations: what will the business do and how will it do it?
• description of the types of goods and/or services the business will provide
• proposed job title and duties, and how candidate's qualifications relate to the proposed business
• description of how the business will be commercially viable: what is the market entry strategy?
• description and rationale for staffing requirements

Additionally, candidates planning to purchase an existing business, whether wholly or partially, must:

• identify and describe the business, including staffing;
• summarize the company’s financial performance, with approximate annual revenue, net profit, and total wages paid from the past three years;
• comment on business history and financial health;
• explain how they established the value of the business; and
• provide a description and rationale of the expansion plan.

In the business concept section, candidates will also be required to indicate whether you are proposing any of the following:

• franchise business
• partnership with a local partner(s)
• partnership with BC PNP co-registrant(s)
• a foreign key staff member

General market research or statistics should not be included in the Business Concept. Candidates' registration will be disqualified if they propose an ineligible business.

A candidate must score at least 32 points overall for their Business Concept. The Business Concept will be evaluated based on the following factors.

Business Concept Factor 1: Commercial Viability 

The BC PNP assesses the commercial viability of an applicant's business concept based on the following factors. Under Commercial Viability, the BC PNP examines a business's ability to compete effectively, make a profit and contribute to the economic growth of the province. The maximum score available is 30.

Learn more about how the BC PNP evaluates the Commercial Viability of a business by expanding the factors below.

Transferability of Skills Factor

The BC PNP will assign candidates points for their transferable skills, which are skills that demonstrate the similarity between the occupation and industry where a candidate obtained business/work experience to that of their proposed business in B.C. Once a candidate is invited to apply, the BC PNP will assess those skills once an application is received.

For business and/or work experience points, the candidate must have worked as an active owner-manager in a similar business or as a senior manager in a similar position within the past 10 years before applying.

Business Concept Factor 3: Economic Benefits

Candidates are awarded up to 30 points for the proposed business's potential to contribute to B.C's economic growth. If invited to apply, candidates will be required to provide proof of the proposed Economic Benefit factors. The Economic Benefit points are based on the following:

Final Scoring and the Selection Pool

The BC PNP will assign scores to the Business Concept and calculate the candidate's final score.

If the candidate qualifies for the selection pool, he or she will receive an email confirmation from the BC PNP and be able to view their final registration score, including scores for each section.

• Registrations that meet the minimum points total in every section will be entered into the selection pool.
• Registrations that qualify for the selection pool are valid for 180 days (approximately six months).
• If a candidate is not invited to apply to the BC PNP within six months of qualifying, the registration will expire. At that time, he or she may submit a new registration to the BC PNP.
• Candidates may only have one active BC PNP registration at any given time.
• If the candidate is proposing a partnership with a co-registrant, the total score of the lowest-scoring candidate(s) will be applied to all co-registrants.

If a candidate has entered into the selection pool, his or her final registration score will be ranked along with other candidates. Periodically, the BC PNP will invite the highest-ranked candidates to apply to the Entrepreneur Immigration Stream.

The Invitation to Apply

Meeting the minimum eligibility requirements does not guarantee that a candidate will be invited to submit a complete application.

If a candidate is invited to apply, he or she will receive an email notification and will have up to 120 days (approximately four months) from the date of invitation to submit a complete application.

At this stage, the applicant must pay a $3,500 CAD non-refundable processing fee to the province and submit a complete application package. An applicant's spouse, common-law partner and/or dependent children are included in the application fee.

The BC PNP may invite the applicant to attend an in-person interview at the BC PNP office in Vancouver. Interviews are conducted in English only. If an applicant is unable to communicate in English, he or she must obtain the services of a certified court interpreter. This is to ensure the applicant will be able to clearly communicate to BC PNP program staff. 

If an application is approved, the BC PNP will require applicants to sign a Performance Agreement. Failure to meet the Performance Agreement expectations may result in a loss of nomination.

Applicants who are invited to apply will need to engage a qualified supplier to verify their personal net worth and accumulation of funds as part of the nomination process.

Work Permit Period and Business Establishment

If an application is approved, the BC PNP will issue a Letter of Confirmation to the applicant. The Letter of Confirmation serves as a work permit support letter that allows approved applicants to obtain a two-year work permit from IRCC. This allows the applicant and his or her dependents to move to B.C. to start implementing the business plan. The letter remains valid for 90 days (approximately three months).

Within 60 days of arriving in B.C. with the valid work permit, the entrepreneur must submit an arrival report to the BC PNP. The arrival report must include basic information about updated contact information in B.C., the work permit, and whether the requisite funds were transferred into a financial institution in B.C.

The international entrepreneur will have up to 610 days (approximately 20 months) to implement the business plan, actively manage your business, and satisfy the conditions of the signed Performance Agreement.

Nomination Requirements

If the applicants meet the requirements of the Performance Agreement within the 20 months, the BC PNP will nominate him or her for permanent residence. An applicant, along with his or her dependent family members, can then apply for Canadian permanent residence under the BC PNP with IRCC.

Once the entrepreneur completes the terms of the Performance Agreement, he or she can submit a Final Report to the BC PNP to be issued a nomination certificate. The entrepreneur must demonstrate that he or she:

• is actively managing a business (i.e., be accountable for the day-to-day operations of the business) in British Columbia;
• resides within 100 kilometers of the business;
• has been physically present in BC for at least 75 percent of the time that he or she was on a work permit; and
• has complied with any other terms of the Performance Agreement.

Who is not eligible to apply to the BC PNP Entrepreneur Immigration Stream

The BC PNP will not nominate an individual who:

• is prohibited from entering Canada;
• has not been lawfully admitted in the country of current residence;
• is in Canada and is out of status;
• has an expired status, and who has not applied for restoration of status within the 90-day eligibility period, will be considered out of status;
• is working in Canada without authorization;
• has an unresolved refugee claim in Canada;
• is under a removal order in or outside of Canada; and/or
• are in Canada and do not have valid immigration status, or if you are working without authorization.

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