Entrepreneur Immigration Stream

British Columbia Entrepreneur Immigration is a category of immigration streams contained within the British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP), a Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) operated by the province of British Columbia. The BC Entrepreneur immigration streams target foreign nationals with demonstrated experience owning and operating businesses who wish to invest their finances and expertise in business opportunities in the province of British Columbia.

Get Started

Candidates for BC Entrepreneur immigration are required to purchase a new or existing business in BC and become involved in the active day-to-day management of the BC operation. The entrepreneurial streams offer opportunities for wealthy individuals with business management experience, as well as wealthy foreign-owned companies who wish to expand the reach of their enterprise into British Columbia. Successful applicants will eventually receive a provincial nomination by the province of BC which will support applications for Canadian permanent residence. The three streams contained within British Columbia Entrepreneur Immigration are:

BC Entrepreneur

The British Columbia Entrepreneur stream targets experienced business owners and managers who wish to live in British Columbia permanently. Applicants must demonstrate management experience as well as significant personal net worth. Successful applicants will be required to invest in the purchase and management of a new or existing BC business. After proving the successful operation of a BC business, the applicant becomes eligible for Canadian permanent residence.

BC Entrepreneur Regional Pilot

The BC Entrepreneur Regional Pilot Stream of the BC PNP is for experienced entrepreneurs who want to invest in and manage a business in British Columbia. Applicants must be referred by one of the program’s participating communities in BC.

BC Strategic Projects

British Columbia Strategic Projects targets successful foreign-owned companies who wish to establish a new branch or operation in BC. Companies must prove their ability to generate significant annual revenue alongside the management of large staff teams. Successful companies will be required to transfer key staff to BC to manage their new proposed operation. After proving the successful operation of their BC enterprise, these key staff members become eligible for Canadian permanent residence.

British Columbia Entrepreneur Ranking System

The British Columbia Entrepreneur Immigration stream uses the following points-grid to rank candidates who have registered profiles. Only those candidates with the most competitive scores will be invited to apply to the program. Please note that the BC Entrepreneur Regional Pilot uses a separate ranking system.  

Scoring SectionsPoints
Self-declared
Experience20
Ownership4
Net Worth12
Total Personal Investment20
Jobs20
Regional District12
Adaptability32
Self-declared SUBTOTAL score120
Business concept
Commercial Viability30
Transferability of Skills 20
Economic Benefits30
Business concept SUBTOTAL score80
Maximum Score Available200

Experience Total Duration

Experience Total Duration Points
Business owner-manager experience
Less than 12 months 0
12 to 24 months 4
25 to 36 months 6
37 to 48 months 12
49 to 60 months 15
More than 60 months 20
Senior manager work experience
Less than 24 months 0
24 to 48 months 4
49 to 60 months 8
More than 60 months 12
Maximum Score Available 20

Ownership Amount

Ownership Amount Points
Business ownership
Less than three years of 100% business ownership in the past five years 0
100% ownership of a business for at least three of the last five years4
Maximum Score Available 4

Personal Net Worth

Personal Net Worth Points
Your total current assets (cash and liquid funds)
Less than $50,000 0
$50,000 to $199,999 2
$200,000 to $399,999 3
$400,000 or more 4
Your total personal net worth
Less than $600,000 0
$600,000 to $799,999 5
$800,000 to $1,999,999 6
$2,000,000 to $4,999,999 7
$5,000,000 or more 8
Maximum Score Available 12

Personal Investment

Total Personal Investment Points
Less than $200,000 0
$200,000 to $399,999 8
$400,000 to $599,999 10
$600,000 to $999,999 11
$1,000,000 to $1,999,999 12
$2,000,000 to $3,999,999 14
$4,000,000 to $7,999,999 16
$8,000,000 or more 20
Maximum Score Available 20

Total Proposed Full Time Jobs

Total Proposed FTE Jobs Points
Less than 1 0
1 job 8
2 jobs 9
3 jobs 10
4 jobs 11
5 jobs 12
6 jobs 13
7 - 9 jobs 14
10 - 19 jobs 16
20 or more jobs 20
Maximum Score Available 20

Location Based on BC Region District

Location Based on B.C. Regional District Points
500,000 people or more 0
200,000 to 499,999 1
100,000 to 199,999 3
70,000 to 99,999 6
60,000 to 69,999 8
35,000 to 59,999 10
Fewer than 35,000 people 12
Maximum Score Available 12

Adaptability Factors

Adaptability Factor Points
English language proficiency
None or minimal, similar to CLB 3 and below 0
Basic understanding, similar to CLB 4 2
Intermediate and advanced, similar to CLB 5 and above 4
Education level
Secondary school or less 0*
Associate degree2
Diploma / certificate (non-trades) 2
Diploma / certificate (trades)2
Bachelor’s degree5
Post-graduate diploma / certificate5
Master’s degree8
Doctorate / PhD8
Age
Less than 25 0
25 – 34 4
35 – 44 8
45 – 54 6
55 – 64 4
65 or older 0
Business exploratory visits
No, or visited B.C. more than 3 years ago 0
Yes, visited B.C. 1 – 3 years ago 1
Yes, visited B.C. less than 1 year ago, but did not visit the Regional District of the proposed business 2
Yes, visited the Regional District of the proposed business less than 1 year ago 4
Canadian work experience, business experience, or studies from within Canada for at least 12 months
No 0
Yes 8
Maximum Score Available 32

Overall Commercial Viability

Overall Commercial Viability Points
Business model 10
Unsatisfactory / Unclear 1
Fair 5
Good10
Market & products/services 4
Does not satisfactorily address any of the Market/Product factors1
Addresses at least one of the Market/Product factors, and is consistent with Business Model4
Eligible personal investment 4
Less than $200,000 or less than $50,000 of eligible expansion investments 0*
$200,000 to $399,999 1
$400,000 to $599,999 2**
$600,000 to $799,999 3
$800,000 or more 4
Assessment of proposed personal investment 6
Investment proposal does not correspond to the type or scale of the business0
Investment proposal corresponds to the type and scale of the business4
Investment proposal corresponds to the type and scale of the business, the market, the proposed products and/or services, the business model, and the industry standard.
6
Ownership percentage 4
100% ownership 4
More than 50% and less than 100% 3
33 1/3% to 50% 2
Less than 33 1/3% ownership* 0
Risk factors 2
- proposing external financing
OR
- proposing to invest more than 50% of your PNW
OR
- you are proposing to partner with a co-registrant		0
None of the above2
Maximum Score Available 30

Transferability of Skills

Transferability of Skills Points
Business experience only 20
12+ months of experience in an unrelated industry 2
12 months or less of direct experience or 12 to 36 months of related experience 5
13 to 24 months of direct experience or 37+ months of related experience 8
13 to 24 months of direct experience and 37+ months of related experience 10
25 to 36 months of direct experience 12
25 to 36 months of direct experience and 37+ months of related experience 14
37 to 60 months of direct experience 16
37 to 60 months of direct experience and 37+ months of related experience 18
More than 60 months of direct experience 20
Work experience only 14
12+ months of experience in an unrelated industry 2
12 months or less of direct experience or 12 to 36 months of related experience4
13 to 36 months of direct experience or 37+ months of related experience 6
13 to 36 months of direct experience and 37+ months of related experience 8
37 to 60 months of direct experience 10
37 to 60 months of direct experience and 37+ months of related experience 12
More than 60 months of direct experience 14
Language ability 2
Minimal to none (Similar to CLB 3 or below) 0
Basic language proficiency (Similar to CLB 4) 1
Intermediate or above language proficiency (Similar to CLB 5 or above) 2
Maximum Score Available 20

Overall Economic Benefit

Overall Economic Benefit Points Points
Key Sector & Significant Economic Benefit 12
Does not identify or substantiate any key sectors or any significant economic benefits 3
Substantiates at least 1 key sector or at least 1 significant economic benefit 8
Substantiates at least 1 key sector and at least 1 significant economic benefit 12
Jobs assessment 6
The business concept does not support the creation of at least 1 FTE position, or, if proposing a key staff, the creation of at least 3 FTE positions 0
Jobs plan does not correspond to the type and scale of the business 1
Jobs plan corresponds to the type and scale of the business 6
High-skilled jobs (NOC 0, A or B) 4
Business concept does not propose or substantiate hiring any high-skilled positions 0
Business concept substantiates the creation/maintenance of 1 high-skilled position 2
Business concept substantiates the creation/maintenance of 2 or more highskilled positions 4
Regional Development 8
Lower Mainland / Southwest 2
Vancouver Island and Coast 4
Thompson / Okanagan 4
Cariboo 6
Kootenay 8
Nechako 8
North Coast 8
Northeast 8
Maximum Score Available 30

British Columbia Entrepreneur - Recent Draws & Invitation History

Below is the information regarding recent British Columbia Entrepreneur Immigration draws and the historic information about issuance of invitations to apply.

DateStreamMinimum ScoreNumber of Invitations
May 14, 2024Regional Pilot113<5
May 14, 2024Base1165
April 16, 2024Regional Pilot119<5
April 16, 2024Base1186
February 27, 2024Regional Pilot106<5
February 27, 2024Base1155
January 16, 2024Regional Pilot135<5
January 16, 2024Base116<5
December 5, 2023Base1165
October 24, 2023Regional Pilot112<5
October 24, 2023Base116<5
September 12, 2023Regional Pilot126<5
September 12, 2023Base1185
August 1, 2023Regional Pilot123<5
August 1, 2023Regional Pilot117<5
June 20, 2023Regional Pilot119<5
June 20, 2023Regional Pilot152<5
May 9, 2023Regional Pilot119<5
May 9, 2023Regional Pilot11510
March 30, 2023Regional Pilot1157
February 28, 2023Regional Pilot112<5
February 28, 2023Regional Pilot1167
January 24, 2023Regional Pilot129<5
January 24, 2023Regional Pilot115<5
December 13, 2022Regional Pilot134<5
November 8, 2022Regional Pilot114<5
November 8, 2022Regional Pilot1208
October 4, 2022Regional Pilot1165
August 30, 2022Regional Pilot129<5
August 30, 2022Regional Pilot1166
July 19, 2022Regional Pilot111<5
June 28, 2022Regional Pilot110<5
May 10, 2022Regional Pilot109<5
March 22, 2022Regional Pilot117<5
October 12, 2021Regional Pilot12310
August 17, 2021Regional Pilot1268
June 15, 2021Regional Pilot1269
April 13, 2021Regional Pilot1266
February 2, 2021Regional Pilot1228
October 20, 2020Regional Pilot12215
September 1, 2020Regional Pilot1266
July 28, 2020Regional Pilot1257
June 2, 2020Regional Pilot12129
April 6, 2020Regional Pilot10718
February 4, 2020Regional Pilot11514
January 14, 202011718
December 17, 201911824
November 12, 201911218
October 29, 201911419
September 17, 201911530
August 20, 201911018
August 20, 201911018
July 30, 201911422
June 13, 201911720
May 7, 201910920
March 26, 201910623
Feb 27, 201910819
January 30, 201910919
December 12, 201811025
October 31, 201811225
September 19, 201811418
July 25, 201811614
June 13, 201811514
May 2, 201811515
March 21, 201811311
February 21, 201811515
January 17, 201811515
November 29, 201711511
November 1, 201711712
September 27, 201711912
August 31, 20171209
August 2, 201712313
June 21, 201712115
April 19, 201712016
March 22, 201712612
February 23, 20171438
February 17, 201713020
December 21, 201614013
October 28, 201613211
September 27, 201613310
August 24, 201612912
June 30, 201613015
May 31, 201613316
March 31, 201612717

Ready to
start?

Free Immigration Assessment

Discover your Canadian immigration options! Complete our free assessment today and a member of the Canadim Team will contact you to discuss your immigration to Canada.

Get Started

Related Links

Free assessment

Discover your Canadian immigration options. Get your free assessment now!

Find out if you qualify