British Columbia zeroes in on skilled business owners in their recent Provincial Nominee Program draw
British Columbia PNP Holds Entrepreneur Immigration Draws
The British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP) recently conducted selections for entrepreneurs seeking to immigrate to the province, issuing no more than 17 invitations in total through the Entrepreneur Immigration (EI) Base stream and EI Regional stream.
On July 8, the BC PNP held these draws, marking the fifth entrepreneur-focused selection round to take place in 2025. So far in the year, the province has almost exclusively focused on entrepreneur candidates, with just one exception: a May 8 draw targeting skilled workers.
Foreign entrepreneurs can start a new business or purchase and operate an existing business in British Columbia through either the EI Base stream or EI Regional stream. The EI Base stream received 12 invitations, while the EI Regional stream received less than 5 invitations.
The minimum registration score for the EI Base stream is 115/200, while the EI Regional stream requires a minimum score of 105/200. The cut-off score for the EI Base stream was 121, and for the EI Regional stream, it was 115. To date, the province has issued up to 39 invitations through its EI Base stream and no more than 20 through its EI Regional stream.
Candidates of the EI Base stream are not restricted to particular regions or communities and can start or purchase an existing business. On the other hand, EI Regional stream candidates must start a business in one of British Columbia's participating rural communities and secure a referral from the community they want to establish operations in. Candidates are not required to undergo a community referral process when applying for the EI Base stream.
It is worth noting that the EI Strategic Projects stream, a method for corporations to relocate essential personnel to British Columbia for strategic investment opportunities, was not mentioned in the previous bullet points. The BC PNP has made the decision not to conduct any draws through the EI Strategic Projects Stream in 2025 so far, as no invitations to apply have been issued under this stream to date in 2025.
The BC PNP usually completes its review of applications and renders a decision within four months. Entrepreneurs who receive an invitation to apply must submit their complete application within 90 days. If their application is approved, they will receive a provincial nomination, which can help them in the process of applying for permanent residency in Canada.
Overall, the BC PNP's focus on entrepreneur immigration is a testament to the province's commitment to attracting and supporting innovative businesses and entrepreneurs who can contribute to its economy and communities.
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