BCPNP Entrepreneur Immigration Program
The BC PNP Entrepreneur Immigration stream is to absorb experienced entrepreneurs who can stimulate innovative and economic development. Successful candidates may invest and manage new start-up businesses or existing businesses to bring engagement opportunities and economic benefits to the province of British Columbia.
Application Eligibility
- Minimum of $600,000 personal net worth
- Business proposal: Demonstrate proposed business is consistent with registered business concept
- Business proposal: Eligible personal investment of at least $200,000 with a plan to create at least one permanent, new full-time equivalent job for a Canadian citizen or permanent resident of Canada in proposed business is mandatory
- If the applicant is proposing a key staff member, he or she must make an eligible personal investment of at least $400,000 and create at least 3 full-time equivalent (FTE) employees
- In the company established in BC: applicant must demonstrate his/her active management role in the day-to-day operation
Conditions for successful candidate
- Success and experience: Applicant has industry knowledge and strong background in the sector where the business is to be established in BC
- Ready for investment: Have transferable skills, experience and investment funds; ready to execute the business plan
- Ready: Learn how to make profits for the established business, understand risks, local business conditions and resources needed
- Have confidence in his or her business investment: Know the necessary actions and can clearly demonstrate them
- Adaptability: Demonstrate own due diligence to fully understand the local business environment
Registration Scoring
- Applicant will be evaluated and scored by BCPNP Office based on his/her age, education, language ability, working experience, concepts of the business proposal and so on. Total score is 200 (personal background section is 120 points and business concept section is 80 points).
- Applicant must meet the minimum score in each section. Minimum score for business concept section is 32 points. Please check BCPNP-Entrepreneur Immigration Program Guide, page 32-58 for more scoring details. https://www.welcomebc.ca/getmedia/e86adbb5-e9ad-4181-b9a7-d604f4453a51/BC-PNP-Entrepreneur-Immigration-Program-Guide.pdf.aspx
For details of the Canadian Designated Organizations, please checkIRCC’s website.
Application Procedures
Online registration:
- Create an online profile and complete all sections, including a business concept
- Non-refundable registration fee of $300 will be charged at registration submission
- Applicant will receive the overall scores within 6 weeks after submission
- Applicant who meets the minimum points requirement for each section will enter the qualified pool and remain in the pool for a maximum of 6 months
- Periodically, the BC PNP will invite the highest-scoring registrants to apply
- The BCPNP Office issues invitation according to processing capacity and overall scores of applicants
- Registrants who are invited to apply will have up to 4 months after invitation to submit a complete application
- Applicant must obtain a net worth report from a BCPNP-qualified supplier
- Applicant must pay a $3,500 non-refundable BCPNP processing fee
- If applicant is proposing a key staff member, he or she must pay an additional $1,000 non-refundable processing fee
- Application will be assessed based on the program requirements
- Applicant may be invited in-person for interview. Processing time for this stage is 3-4 months
- A Performance Agreement with the Province of British Columbia upon the approval of application must be signed
- A work permit support letter will be issued
- Once applicant arrives in B.C. with valid work permit, he/she will have up to 18-20 months to implement their business plan and actively manage the business to satisfy the performance expectations of the signed Performance Agreement
- Submit a final report to the BCPNP for assessment. The BCPNP may conduct a site visit at your B.C. business to assess eligibility for nomination at its discretion
- Applicant must demonstrate that he/she has resided in B.C. for at least 75% of the time, and within 100 kilometers of the business that applicant operates in B.C. while on a work permit
- Once the applicant has been approved as a provincial nominee, applicant and his/her eligible family members may apply for permanent residence to IRCC under the Provincial Nominee Class
- Applicant must continue to actively manage the business and reside in B.C.
- Applicant will obtain Permanent Resident Visa upon the approval of application
Comparison between types of Provincial Nominee Programs in Entrepreneur category
| BCPNP (Entrepreneur) | MPNP (Entrepreneur) | OINP (Entrepreneur） | NBPNP (Entrepreneur） | SINP (Entrepreneur） | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Age |
Applicants will be evaluated and scored based on different aspects
Applicant aged 35-44 earn full point; and 64 or over receive 0 points |
No age limit but ranking points are allocated to candidates aged 25-49 | No mandatory requirement | 22-55 years old | 21-54 years old |
| Education Level |
Post-secondary credentials or have at least 3 years of active business owner-manager experience with 100% shareholding in past 5 years |
Minimum Canadian high school certificate equivalent | At least 6 months of post-secondary credentials | At least 2 years of post-secondary credentials | Has a trade or occupational certification requiring at least 1 year full-time post-secondary training or apprenticeship equivalent |
| Business ownership percentage |
Own at least 33.33% of business
Earn full point if own 100% of business |
Own at least 33.33% of business | Own at least 33.33% of business | Own at least 33.33% of business | Own at least 33.33% of business |
| Business Experience |
*More than 3 years of experience as an active business owner-manager or *more than 4 years of experience as a senior manager 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 |
*Minimum 3 years of full-time work experience in the past 5 years Either as an active business owner or working in a senior management role of a successful business *Business owners receive more points than a senior management position |
Minimum 3 years of full-time work experience in the past 5 years
Either as an active business owner or working in a senior management role of a successful business |
Minimum of 3 years of full-time work experience in the past 5 years as an active business owner
or working in a senior management role of a successful business or have 5 years out of 5 years experience in a senior business management role |
Candidates must have a minimum of 3 years of Entrepreneurship within 10 years preceding submission of an EOI |
| Relevant working experience | Industry that the business invested in BC must be relevant to previous experience | Industry that the business invested in Manitoba must be relevant to previous experience |
No mandatory requirement
May earn points based on past specific experience in a high- growth business and/or in an export trade business (within the last 60 months) |
No mandatory requirement |
Industry the business invested in Sakatchewan must be relevant to previous experience
May claim points based on past specific experience in annex port trade and/or registered 1 or more patents in a high-growth business if this experience was gained within last 60 months |
| Source of funds |
*Need to provide all supporting financial documentation that demonstrates source of funds
*Must submit verification report of personal net worth issued by BCPNP qualified supplier |
*Need to provide all supporting financial documentation that demonstrates source of funds
*Must submit financial report of personal net worth issued by professional chartered accounting services supplier, qualified by the MPNP |
*Need to provide all supporting financial documentation that demonstrates source of funds
*Must submit financial report of personal net worth issued by professional chartered accounting services supplier, qualified by the OINP |
*Need to provide all supporting financial documentation that demonstrates source of funds
*Must submit financial report of personal net worth issued by professional chartered accounting services supplier, qualified by the NBPNP |
*Need to provide all supporting financial documentation that demonstrates source of funds
*Must submit financial report of personal net worth issued by professional chartered accounting services supplier, qualified by the SINP |
| Minimum of personal net worth requirement | Have a minimum CAD$600,000 in personal net worth | Have a minimum CAD $500,000 in personal net worth | Have a minimum CAD$1,500,000 in personal net worth | Have a verifiable personal net worth of at least CAD $600,000 (CAD$300,000) must be liquid and unencumbered funds | Have a minimum CAD$500,000 in personal net worth |
| Residency |
Must reside and operate business in B.C.
Applicant must demonstrate that he has resided in B.C. for at least 75 per cent of the time, and within 100 kilometers of where the business applicant operates in BC while on a work permit |
Must reside and operate business in Manitoba | Must be physically residing in Ontario for 75% (nine months out of a year) of the period in which you are in Ontario establishing your business |
Must be physically residing in New Brunswick
Submit deposit of CAD$100,000 to NBPNP to promise he or she will start or purchase the existing business in New Brunswick Applicant can apply for a refund and return of deposit of CAD$100,000(without interest): -within 3 years following the landing date in New Brunswick, or 1 year after the business commencement date (whichever comes first) -If you fulfill the terms and conditions as set out in the signed and dated Business Performance Agreement |
Must be physically residing and operating business in Saskatchewan |
| Language Proficiency |
Language proficiency is scored
|
English level meets CLB Level 5 | English level meets CLB Level 4 | English level meets CLB Level 5 | English level meets CLB Level 4 |
| Application processing time |
*Applicant receives overall score within 6 weeks of online registration
*Applicant receives invitation letter within 6 months upon submission of registration *After passing the interview stage, applicant gets work permit within approximately 4 months *Once applicant arrives in B.C. with valid work permit, applicant will have up to 18-20 months to implement his or her business plan, actively manage his or her business, and satisfy the performance expectations of the signed Performance Agreement *Once the applicant has been approved as a provincial nominee, applicant and eligible family members then apply for permanent residence. It takes approximately 19 months to obtain permanent resident status |
Cannot guarantee the total processing time. The application assessed based on its own merits | Cannot guarantee the total processing time. The application assessed based on its own merits | Cannot guarantee the total processing time. However, after NBPNP receives the complete application, it expects to take approximately 6-8 weeks to process and make the decision | On applications received from 1/1/2018 to 31/3/2018, the processing time takes approximately 12 weeks to complete |