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BCPNP - British Columbia PNP - Entrepreneur Immigration Regional Pilot (EIRP) Stream

One of the two PNP streams of British Columbia targeted at entrepreneurs with enough funds to invest in the province

Home > Permanent Residence > Provincial Nominee Programs (PNP) > British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BCPNP) > BCPNP - Entrepreneur Immigration Regional Pilot (EIRP) Stream

The guide below takes a deep look into one of the streams of British Columbia's Provincial Nominee Program (BCPNP), the Entrepreneur Immigration Regional Pilot (EIRP) stream. The guide will go through an overview of the stream, its eligibility requirements, how it works, the participating communities, the documentation needed, its cost and processing times.

1. Overview of the BCPNP stream

2. Eligibility requirements

3. Application process summary

4. Required supporting documents

5. Application fees

6. Processing times

7. Draw history

8. Do I have to stay in the province?

Overview of the Entrepreneur Immigration Regional Pilot (EIRP) stream

Photo from Vancouver's countryside, British Columbia

The Entrepreneur Immigration Regional Pilot (EIRP) stream is one of two PNP streams in British Columbia that are dedicated to international entrepreneurs residing outside Canada who wish to invest their money in British Columbia.

When receiving a nomination under the EIRP stream, candidates can then apply for Permanent Residence to the federal government of Canada.

This stream is not aligned with Express Entry, which means that candidates cannot take advantage of the 6-month average processing times of Express Entry. Processing times of Provincial Nominee Programs (not aligned with Express Entry) are usually longer and take at least 1 year.

The EIRP stream has minimum eligibility requirements, however, British Columbia does not send invitations to apply to every candidate that meets these minimum criteria. Each candidate, when entering the system, has a score (up to 200 points) that depends on multiple factors (explained in detail in the Eligibility Requirements section). In fact, the BCPNP conducts periodic EIRP draws, and each draw has its minimum threshold score, and all candidates with scores above or equal to that draw's threshold are invited to apply. More information is available in the Draw History section of this guide.

Eligibility Requirements

Eligible and ineligible businesses
To be eligible to the Immigration Entrepreneur Regional Pilot (EIRP) stream, the BCPNP will only consider registrations to establish a new business in a participating community that aligns with one of the economic development priorities identified by the community. The proposed business must be operated for the primary purpose of earning profits by providing products and/or services. Additionally, the business must have strong potential for sustained commercial success.

The BCPNP will not consider a business proposal for a seasonal business unless the proposed business operates for at least eight months per year.

Franchises may be considered as eligible businesses if you can demonstrate that the proposed franchise is well-established. If you are invited to apply, your application must include evidence that you have received support from the franchisor to set up a new franchise location.

Some types of businesses are not eligible for the EI stream:

An immigration-linked investment scheme pursuant to Provincial Immigration Programs Regulation section 6(e) and the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations (IRPR) section 87(5)(b) and as defined in IRPR 87(9).
Any business where the terms of investment include a redemption option pursuant to IRPR 87(6)(d).
Any business that may be a passive investment pursuant to IRPR 87(6)(c).
Bed and breakfasts, hobby farms and home-based businesses.
Payday loan, cheque cashing, money changing and cash machine businesses.
Pawnbrokers.
Tanning salons.
DVD rental stores.
Coin-operated laundries.
Automated car wash operations.
Scrap metal recycling.
Businesses selling used goods (excluding businesses that provide value-added services such as repairs, refurbishing or recycling).
Real estate development/brokerage, insurance brokerage or business brokerage.
Businesses involved in producing, distributing or selling pornography or sexually explicit products or services, or providing sexually oriented services.
Any other type of business that by association would tend to bring the BCPNP or the Government of British Columbia into disrepute.

Co-Registrant and Key Personnel
You may associate with a Canadian citizen or permanent resident businessman, but under the EIRP stream, you are not allowed to associate with a foreign businessman (Co-registrant).
You will not be able to bring with you Key Personnel to help you with the creation of the company.

Participating communities and priority sectors
Under this EIRP stream, you are eligible only if your investment is done in one of the participating communities (listed below) and that aligns with one of the economic development priorities (listed below) of the community. You must make an exploratory visit in the selected community, meet with a designated community contact person, and obtain a referral from them before registering online to enter the pool of applicants. The referral is valid for 90 days.

List of Participating Communities & Key Sectors

With the search bar in the table below, you can use the NAICS code to find out which communities have the corresponding priority sector.
The available priority sectors are presented below:

Community	Development region	Population	Priority sectors (NAICS codes)	Contact	Community Website	Trade and Invest Website
100 Mile House	Cariboo	1980	339 623 611	E-mail Contact	Community Website	Trade & Invest Website
Barriere	Thompson-Okanagan	1763	321 541 713 *	E-mail Contact	Community Website	Trade & Invest Website
Burns Lake	Nechako	7500	111 238 339	E-mail Contact	Community Website	Trade & Invest Website
Campbell River	Vancouver Island/Coast	34585	321 541 722	E-mail Contact	Community Website	Trade & Invest Website
Castlegar	Kootenay	8000	113 453 484	E-mail Contact	Community Website 1 Community Website 2	Trade & Invest Website
Clinton	Thompson-Okanagan	642	452 236 238	E-mail Contact	Community Website	Trade & Invest Website
Columbia-Shuswap Regional District - Sorrento and Electoral Area C	Thompson-Okanagan	7921	339 111 453	E-mail Contact	Community Website	Trade & Invest Website
Columbia-Shuswap Regional District - Falkland and Electoral Area D	Thompson-Okanagan	4044	339 111 453	E-mail Contact	Community Website	Trade & Invest Website
Columbia-Shuswap Regional District - Malakwa and Electoral Area E	Thompson-Okanagan	1185	339 111 453	E-mail Contact	Community Website	Trade & Invest Website
Columbia-Shuswap Regional District - Scotch Creek and Electoral Area F	Thompson-Okanagan	2454	339 111 453	E-mail Contact	Community Website	Trade & Invest Website
Comox	Vancouver Island/Coast	14850	311 541 721	E-mail Contact	Community Website	Trade & Invest Website
Comox Valley Regional District - Baynes Sound - Denman/Hornby Island (Area A)	Vancouver Island/Coast	7213	311 541 721	E-mail Contact	Community Website	Trade & Invest Website
Comox Valley Regional District - Lazo North (Area B)	Vancouver Island/Coast	7095	311 541 721	E-mail Contact	Community Website	Trade & Invest Website
Comox Valley Regional District - Puntledge - Black Creek (Area C)	Vancouver Island/Coast	8617	311 541 721	E-mail Contact	Community Website	Trade & Invest Website
Courtenay	Vancouver Island/Coast	27146	311 541 721	E-mail Contact	Community Website	Trade & Invest Website
Gibsons	Mainland/Southwest	4505	713 * 541 611	E-mail Contact	Community Website 1 Community Website 2	Trade & Invest Website
Hope	Mainland/Southwest	6181	721 713 * 541	E-mail Contact	Community Website	Trade & Invest Website
Kimberley	Kootenay	7425	321 339 611	E-mail Contact	Community Website	Trade & Invest Website
Mackenzie	Cariboo	3883	115 213 721	E-mail Contact	Community Website	Trade & Invest Website
McBride	Cariboo	617	811 541 722	E-mail Contact	Community Website	Trade & Invest Website
Merritt	Thompson-Okanagan	7526	484 453 493	E-mail Contact	Community Website	Trade & Invest Website
Midway	Kootenay	679	721 722 811	E-mail Contact	Community Website	Trade & Invest Website
Nelson	Kootenay	10572	321 339 541	E-mail Contact	Community Website 1 Community Website 2	Trade & Invest Website
Northern Rockies Regional Municipality	Northeast	5200	321 211 721	E-mail Contact	Community Website	Trade & Invest Website
Osoyoos	Thompson-Okanagan	5085	722 541 623	E-mail Contact	Community Website 1 Community Website 2	Trade & Invest Website
Penticton	Thompson-Okanagan	36118	311 312 541	E-mail Contact	Community Website	Trade & Invest Website
Port Alberni	Vancouver Island/Coast	17678	321 541 721	E-mail Contact	Community Website	Trade & Invest Website
Powell River	Vancouver Island/Coast	13157	311 541 721113	E-mail Contact	Community Website	Trade & Invest Website
Prince George	Cariboo	74003	448 493 541	E-mail Contact	Community Website	Trade & Invest Website
Quesnel	Cariboo	10378	311 541 722	E-mail Contact	Community Website	Trade & Invest Website
Regional District of Bulkley-Nechako - Electoral Area A (Smithers Rural)	Nechako	5256	115 339 721	E-mail Contact	Community Website	Trade & Invest Website
Regional District of Bulkley-Nechako - Electoral Area B (Burns Lake Rural)	Nechako	1938	112 321 713 *	E-mail Contact	Community Website	Trade & Invest Website
Regional District of Bulkley-Nechako - Electoral Area C (Fort St. James Rural)	Nechako	1415	113 212 321	E-mail Contact	Community Website	Trade & Invest Website
Regional District of Bulkley-Nechako - Electoral Area D (Fraser Lake Rural)	Nechako	1472	111 112 113	E-mail Contact	Community Website	Trade & Invest Website
Regional District of Bulkley-Nechako - Electoral Area E (Francois/Ootsa Lake Rural)	Nechako	1593	111 115 321	E-mail Contact	Community Website	Trade & Invest Website
Regional District of Bulkley-Nechako - Electoral Area F (Vanderhoof Rural)	Nechako	3665	111 339 115	E-mail Contact	Community Website	Trade & Invest Website
Regional District of Bulkley-Nechako - Electoral Area G (Houston Rural)	Nechako	903	113 321 486	E-mail Contact	Community Website	Trade & Invest Website
Regional District of Central Kootenay (Area J)	Kootenay	3500	113 236 623	E-mail Contact	Community Website 1 Community Website 2	Trade & Invest Website
Regional District of Kootenay Boundary - Electoral Area E (West Boundary)	Kootenay	2155	713 * 721 722	E-mail Contact	-	Trade & Invest Website
Rossland	Kootenay	3901	2361 518 713 *	Contact	Community Website 1 Community Website 2	Trade & Invest Website
Salmon Arm	Thompson-Okanagan	18814	111 339 541	E-mail Contact	Community Website	Trade & Invest Website
Sayward	Vancouver Island/Coast	310	452 453 454	E-mail Contact	Community Website 1 Community Website 2 Community Website 3	-
Sechelt	Mainland/Southwest	10216	541 611 713 *	E-mail Contact	Community Website 1 Community Website 2	Trade & Invest Website
Squamish	Mainland/Southwest	20799	541 **	Contact	Community Website	Trade & Invest Website
Sunshine Coast Regional District - Egmont and Pender Harbour (Area A)	Mainland/Southwest	2624	321 611 541	E-mail Contact	Community Website 1 Community Website 2	-
Sunshine Coast Regional District - Egmont and Pender Harbour (Area B)	Mainland/Southwest	2726	321 611 541	E-mail Contact	Community Website 1 Community Website 2	-
Sunshine Coast Regional District - Roberts Creek (Area D)	Mainland/Southwest	3421	321 611 541	E-mail Contact	Community Website 1 Community Website 2	-
Sunshine Coast Regional District - Elphinstone (Area E)	Mainland/Southwest	3664	321 611 541	E-mail Contact	Community Website 1 Community Website 2	-
Sunshine Coast Regional District - West Howe Sound (Area F)	Mainland/Southwest	2043	321 611 541	E-mail Contact	Community Website 1 Community Website 2	-
Terrace	North Coast	13000	115 213 339	E-mail Contact	Community Website 1 Community Website 2	Trade & Invest Website
Thompson-Nicola Regional District Area I - Spences Bridge	Thompson-Okanagan	2969	111 711 115	E-mail Contact	Community Website	Trade & Invest Website
Thompson-Nicola Regional District Area M - Nicola Valley North	Thompson-Okanagan	1181	238 337 411	E-mail Contact	Community Website	Trade & Invest Website
Thompson-Nicola Regional District Area N - Nicola Valley South	Thompson-Okanagan	1064	339 711 493	E-mail Contact	Community Website	Trade & Invest Website
Trail	Kootenay	8122	332 541 562	Contact	Community Website	Trade & Invest Website
Tumbler Ridge	Northeast	2130	611 713 * 721	E-mail Contact	Community Website 1 Community Website 2	Trade & Invest Website
Vernon	Thompson-Okanagan	42574	311 452 541	E-mail Contact	Community Website	-
Williams Lake	Cariboo	11359	561 611 722	E-mail Contact	Community Website	Trade & Invest Website
Peachland	Thompson-Okanagan	5655	512 541 721	E-mail Contact	Community Website	Trade & Invest Website
Akisqnuk First Nation	Kootenay	140	541 721 621	E-mail Contact	Community Website	Trade & Invest Website
Parksville	Vancouver Island/Coast	12500	321 541 339	E-mail Contact	Community Website 1 Community Website 2	Trade & Invest Website
Canal Flats	Kootenay	668	541 721 111	E-mail Contact	Community Website	Trade & Invest Website
Invermere	Kootenay	3391	541 721 621	E-mail Contact	Community Website	Trade & Invest Website
Radium Hot Springs	Kootenay	776	541 721 321	E-mail Contact	Community Website	Trade & Invest Website
Regional District of East Kootenay (Area F)	Kootenay	2726	541 721 311	E-mail Contact	Community Website	Trade & Invest Website
Regional District of East Kootenay (Area G)	Kootenay	1462	541 721 311	E-mail Contact	Community Website	Trade & Invest Website
Shuswap Indian Band	Kootenay	319	541 721 311	E-mail Contact	Community Website	Trade & Invest Website

* Excluding 7132 - Gambling industries.
** Only companies focused on green building technology, clean energy, construction or efficient technologies will be considered.

Registration score and minimum eligibility requirements
As said earlier, meeting minimum eligibility requirements does not necessarily mean that you will receive an invitation to apply from the BCPNP. Each draw has a minimum threshold score, and you need to have a score above or equal to the threshold to receive an invitation to apply.

There are 2 categories under which you can score points and each category has sub-categories that are explained in detail below. Remember that for each factor you will be claiming points for, you will have to provide supporting documents to prove you satisfy to the criteria of the factor.

Category	Maximum points
A. Self-Declared	140
1. Experience & Ownership	24
2. Net Worth	6
3. Total Personal Investment	10
4. Jobs	15
5. Community Population	6
6. BC's Regions	12
7. Adaptability	67
B. Business Concept	60
1. Commercial Viability	30
2. Transferability of Skills	15
3. Economic Benefits	15
Total (A) + (B)	200

A. Self-Declared

A.1. Experience & Ownership (Max 24 points)
The number of points is based either on your (i) Business owner-manager experience OR (ii) Senior manager work experience in the last 5 years. You can claim up to 24 points for this sub-category.

You need to score at least 8 points to meet the minimum requirements of this section. You cannot of course claim points for both (i) and (ii) in the same period of time. You also cannot claim points for Senior manager work experience in a business in which you held more than 10% of ownership.

A.1. Experience & Ownership	Duration	Points
(i) Business owner-manager experience	Less than 12 months	0
		12 to 24 months	7
		25 to 36 months	12
		37 to 48 months	16
		49 to 59 months	19
		60 months or more	22
(ii) Senior manager work experience	Less than 24 months	0
		25 to 48 months	4
		49 to 59 months	8
		60 months or more	12
Maximum Points		22

In addition, you can claim an additional 2 points if you have owned 100% of a business for at least 3 of the most recent 5 years. The 100% ownership can be shared between you, your spouse or common-law partner, and/or your dependent child(ren).

A.2. Net Worth (Max 6 points)
You may claim points based on your total personal net worth, which includes that of your spouse or common-law partner, and/or your dependent children, if applicable.

You need to score at least 2 points to meet the minimum requirements of this sub-category. The maximum number of points for this sub-category is 6 points.

A.2. Net Worth	Amount	Points
Total current assets (cash and liquid funds)	Less than 10,000 CAD	0
		10,000 to 49,999 CAD	1
		50,000 to 199,999 CAD	2
		More than 200,000 CAD	3
Total personal net worth (other assets minus liabilities)	Less than 300,000 CAD	0
		300,000 to 999,999 CAD	2
		More than 1,000,000 CAD	3
Maximum Points		6

If invited, you must submit a verification report of your personal net worth from a BCPNP-authorized accounting firm (the list of firms will be provided when invited to applied) to verify your total personal net worth and accumulation of funds before you submit an application to the BCPNP.

A.3. Total Personal Investment (Max 10 points)
You may claim points based on the proposed amount of total personal investment in the province.
You need to score at least 6 points to meet the minimum requirements of this sub-category. The maximum number of points for this sub-category is 10 points.

A.3. Total Personal Investment	Points
Less than 100,000 CAD	0
100,000 to 349,999 CAD	6
350,000 to 599,999 CAD	8
600,000 CAD or more	10

A.4. Jobs Created (Max 15 points)
You may claim points based on the number of permanent full-time equivalent (FTE) jobs created for Canadian citizens or permanent residents of Canada in the proposed business within 365 days (12 months) of your arrival date.

An FTE job means a position of at least 30 hours per week on average and 1,560 hours per year, worked by one or more employees under continuous employment. Any shareholder with 10% ownership or more of the business will not be considered as part of your job creation requirement. FTEs must work at the primary place of business and not remotely.

You need to score at least 10 points to meet the minimum requirements of this sub-category, meaning the creation of 1 full-time equivalent job. The maximum number of points for this sub-category is 15 points.

A.4. Jobs Created	Points
Less than 1 job	0
1 job	10
2 to 4 jobs	11
5 to 7 jobs	13
8 jobs or more	15

A.5. Community Population (Max 6 points)
You can claim up to 6 points depending on the location's population of your business venture.
There is no minimum required score for this sub-category.

A.5. Community Population	Points
40,000 to 75,000	1
20,000 to 39,999	2
15,000 to 19,999	3
10,000 to 14,999	4
5,000 to 9,999	5
Less than 5,000	6

A.6. BC's Regions (Max 12 Points)
The BCPNP will assign a maximum of 12 additional points for the location of the proposed business based on BC’s development regions. There is no minimum requirement for this sub-category.

A.6. BC' Regions	Points
Lower Mainland/Southwest Fraser Valley Greater Vancouver Squamish-Lillooet Sunshine Coast	1
Vancouver Island and Coast Alberni-Clayoquot Capital Central Coast Comox Valley Cowichan Valley Mount Waddington Nanaimo Powell River Strathcona	2
Thompson-Okanagan Central Okanagan Columbia-Shuswap North Okanagan Okanagan-Similkameen Thompson-Nicola	6
Cariboo Cariboo Fraser-Fort George Kootenay Central Kootenay East Kootenay Kootenay Boundary	10
Nechako Bulkley-Nechako North Coast Kitimat-Stikine Skeena-Queen Charlotte Northeast Northern Rockies Peace River	12

A.7. Adaptability Factors (Max 32 points)
You can claim points based on five adaptability factors. Remember that to be able to claim any point, you need to provide the supporting documentation to back your claims up. There are 5 factors that can total to a maximum of 32 points:

(i) Language Proficiency: you need take an IRCC-approved test in French or English to know what your Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) score is to claim the corresponding points. You must score at least 5 points (equivalent to CLB4) to meet the minimum requirement for this factor.
(ii) Education Level: if your degree/diploma/certificate is not from Canada, you will need to have it assessed by an IRCC-approved Educational Credential Assessment (ECA). Language training such as English as a second language will not be considered towards meeting the post-secondary requirement. Also, if your score is 0, you are not eligible unless you have at least three years of active management experience of a business that you had 100% ownership in the last five years.
(iii) Age: there is no age requirements or age limits. However, your age will be assigned points.
(iv) Canadian Experience: you can earn points if you have previously worked or studied in Canada under a valid work or study permit for at least 12 consecutive months in the last 10 years.
(v) Family in the Community: you can earn points if you have an immediate family member who lives in the community in which you intend to establish your business, and who has been living in the community for at least 12 months prior to your registration. Immediate family members include your spouse or common-law partner, mother, father, sister(s), brother(s), child(ren), mother-in-law, father-in-law, sister(s)-in-law, and brother(s)-in-law.

A.7. Adaptability Factors		Points
(i) Language Proficiency	CLB3 and below	0
		CLB4	5
		CLB5	10
		CLB6	15
		CLB7 and above	23
(ii) Education Level	Secondary (high) school diploma or less	0
		Associate degree	6
		Diploma / certificate (non-trades)	6
		Diploma / certificate (trades)	6
		Bachelor’s degree	14
		Post-graduate diploma/certificate	14
		Master’s degree	16
		Doctorate/PhD	16
(iii) Age	Less than 25 years old	2
		25 to 29 years old	8
		30 to 44 years old	16
		45 to 54 years old	10
		55 to 64 years old	4
		More than 65 years old	0
(iv) Canadian work experience, business experience, or studies from within Canada	Less than 12 months	0
		12 to 24 months	4
		More than 24 months	8
(v) Immediate family member living in the community for at least 12 months	No	0
		Yes	4
Maximum Points		67

B. Business concept

There is no minimum score requirement in this category to be eligible to receive an invitation to apply.
Your business concept will be scored on the following factors:

B. Business Concept Sub-categories	Maximum points
B.1. Commercial viability	30
(i) Business model	12
(ii) Market and products/services	4
(iii) Eligible personal investment	4
(iv) Assessment of proposed personal investment	8
(v) Ownership percentage	2
B.2. Transferability of skills	15
(i) Business owner-manager experience only	15
(ii) Senior manager work experience only	10
B.3. Economic benefits	15
(i) Significant economic benefits	5
(ii) Jobs assessment	10
Total B.1 + B.2 + B.3	60

B.1. Commercial Viability (Max 30 points)
There are six factors in which you can claim points : (i) Business model, (ii) Market and products/services, (iii) Eligible personal investment, (iv) Assessment of proposed personal investment, and (v) Ownership percentage.

B.1.(i). Business Model (Max 12 points)
You must describe how your proposed business will generate revenue and profit, and how the business will be viable and have the potential for sustained commercial success under your management. You can claim up to 12 points.

B.1.(i). Business Model	Points
Unsatisfactory/Unclear	1
Fair/Good	8
Excellent	12

An unsatisfactory/unclear business model will be determined if any of the following are identified:

The business model does not clearly identify and/or describe the business operation from start to finish.
The business model does not clearly identify the products and/or services being offered o proposed scale of business is not consistent with industry/regional norms.
The business concept does not provide details of applicant’s proposed role.
The business concept does not provide substantive information on local business partner and/or co-applicant and/or key staff (if applicable).
The proposed key staff is ineligible and/or the co-registrants do not demonstrate a prior working/business relationship.
If purchase of existing business: the proposed expansion plan does not effectively address a plan to upgrade/improve or expand the existing business, or is ineligible.
If purchase of existing business: the proposed expansion plan relies primarily upon unsubstantiated investment.

A fair/good business model will be determined if all of the following are met:

The business model is clearly identified and describes the business operation from start to finish.
The business model clearly identifies the products and/or services being offered.
The proposed scale of business is consistent with industry/regional norms.
The business concept provides substantive information on local business partner and/or coapplicant and/or key staff (if applicable).

An excellent business model will be determined if, in addition to core requirements for fair/good, the business concept also meets at least 3 of the following factors:

The proposed investment and jobs plan are consistent with the business model (must score 6 points for assessment of investment and score 6 points for jobs assessment).
The business model identifies a clear strategy to become commercially viable.
The business model’s operational plan is internally consistent.
The applicant’s proposed duties with the business are consistent with applicant’s experience.

B.1.(ii). Market and products/services (Max 4 points)
You must provide an effective market entry strategy to show how your proposed business will be successful in British Columbia. If you are planning to purchase an existing business, you must be able to demonstrate how the business will grow and expand under your management. You can claim up to 4 points.

B.1.(ii). Market and products/services	Points
Does not satisfactorily address any of the Market/Product factors	1
Addresses at least one of the Market/Product factors, and is consistent with Business Model	4

Scoring will be based on whether the registrant demonstrates at least 1 of 4 critical factors, which are consistent with the business model:

Competitive edge: the product/service offers distinction from its potential competitors. If local competitors offer the same or similar product/service, then it does not offer substantive distinction.
High-value: the proposed product/service will be a specialized product/service that is differentiated from generic, mid to low-value products/services.
New product/service: the product/service is “new to the market” or “new to the world”. The business concept should demonstrate that the product/service is not locally available.
Competitive analysis/market entry strategy: the business concept provides a competitive analysis that identifies current/potential competitors, how to make the product/service unique or distinguishable, how to attract the target market, strengths and weaknesses of current and potential competitors, and how the proposed business’s competitive advantage will effectively enter the market.

B.1.(iii). Eligible personal investment (Max 4 point)
You will receive points for your proposed eligible personal investment based on the following table. You can claim up to 4 points.
You must score at least 1 point to meet the minimum requirement for this section.

B.1.(iii). Eligible personal investment	Points
Less than 100,000 CAD	0
100,000 to 299,999 CAD	1
300,000 to 499,999 CAD	2
500,000 to 799,999 CAD	3
800,000 CAD or more	4

B.1.(iv). Assessment of proposed personal investment (Max 8 points)
The BCPNP will assess your proposed investments and assign you a score in your business concept based on whether the expenditure is deemed essential to establish and operate a new business or to purchase, improve and operate an existing business. Your proposed personal investment will also be considered against the type and scope of the proposed business, the market, the products/services, the business model, and the industry and/or local standards.
You can claim up to 8 points.

B.1.(iv). Assessment of proposed personal investment	Points
Unsubstantiated	0
Substantiated	5
Well-substantiated and researched	8

The assessment of proposed personal investment is based on the following criteria:

Unsubstantiated: the proposed investments are not substantiated, or appear overstated and/or unreasonable based on the type and scale of the business (and expansion plan, if applicable).
Substantiated: the investment appears to correspond to the type and scale of the business given the information provided.
Well-substantiated and researched: the proposed investments are detailed and substantiated in the business concept demonstrating that the registrant has conducted a significant amount of due diligence. The investment appears to correspond to the type and scale of the business as well as the market, the proposed products and/or services, the business model, and the industry standard.

B.1.(v). Ownership percentage (Max 2 points)
You must demonstrate you will own at 51% of the business, which means scoring at least 1 point.
You can claim up to 2 points for this factor.

B.1.(v). Ownership percentage	Points
100% ownership	2
Between 51% and 99,99% ownership	1
Less than 51%	0

B.2. Transferability of skills (Max 15 points)
There are 2 factors in which you can claim points : (i) Business owner-manager experience only, (ii) Senior manager work experience only. You can claim a maximum of 15 points in this sub-category.

You will receive points based on your direct experience and/or experience in related industries for the last 5 years.

Direct experience is defined as experience gained in the same industry and sector corresponding to the first three digits of the proposed business' NAICS code.
Related experience is defined as experience gained in a similar industry operating in a related business line as the proposed business' NAICS code.

If you have both (i) business owner-manager experience and (ii) senior manager work experience, points will be assigned for the most relevant experience that is not duplicated in time.

B.2.(i). Business owner-manager experience only (Max 15 points)
You can claim points based on how many years as an active owner-manager in a similar business from the last 5 years based on the proposed business' NAICS. You can claim up to 15 points for this factor.

B.2.(i). Business owner-manager experience only	Points
Less than 12 months	0
12 to 35 months of related experience	2
12 to 35 months of direct experience	5
36 to 59 months of related experience	6
36 to 59 months of direct experience	10
60 months of related experience	12
60 months of direct experience	15

B.2.(ii). Senior manager work experience only (Max 10 points)
You can claim points based on how many years as a senior manager experience (with no or less than 10% ownership) in a similar business from the last 5 years based on the proposed business' NAICS. You can claim up to 10 points for this factor.

B.2.(ii). Senior manager work experience only	Points
Less than 12 months	0
12 to 35 months of related experience	1
12 to 35 months of direct experience	4
36 to 59 months of related experience	5
36 to 59 months of direct experience	6
60 months of related experience	8
60 months of direct experience	10

B.3. Economic Benefits (Max 15 points)
You will receive points based on the potential to add economic benefits to British Columbia. The BCPNP will review your registration and assign points for the following factors used to demonstrate the economic benefits of the proposed business in BC. You can gain up to 15 points in this sub-category.

B.3.(i). Significant economic benefits (Max 5 points)
You may claim up to 5 additional points if your proposed business presents significant economic benefits.

Significant economic benefits that the proposed business may demonstrate:

Adopting new technology: the new technology must not already be in regular use in similar businesses.
Developing new products & services.
Developing innovative approaches to traditional businesses: innovative approaches are considered high-value (technology-based) and not already in regular use by similar businesses.
Increasing exports: primary businesses that will/may increase exports. This does not include businesses that facilitate exports/trade such as trading companies or agencies.
Increasing research and development, and technology commercialization.
Indigenous Peoples and First Nations: partnering with or receiving support from First Nations communities for businesses that affect the First Nation community, and/or largely benefit First Nations communities and/or Indigenous peoples.
Providing products or services to an under-served local or regional market.
Transferring technology and specialized knowledge to BC: facilitates and/or supports the high technology industry, and/or provides opportunities to develop technology products/services in BC.

B.3.(i). Significant economic benefits	Points
Does not identify or substantiate any significant economic benefits	0
Substantiates at least 1 significant economic benefit	5

B.3.(ii). Jobs Assessment (Max 10 points)
The BCPNP will assess your jobs plan based on the type and scope of the proposed business, the market, the proposed products and/or services, the business model, and the industry standard.
You must score at least 1 point in this factor to be eligible to apply to the stream. You can claim up to 10 points in this factor.

B.3.(ii). Jobs Assessment	Points
The business concept does not support the creation of at least 1 FTE position	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	10

Application Process Summary

For a better understanding of the process, below is a list of the steps involved in obtaining Permanent Residence through the Entrepreneur Immigration Regional Pilot stream. Obtaining the provincial nomination is a two-step process:

Step 1:

The candidate must make an exploratory visit in the chosen community, meet with a designated community contact person, and obtain a referral from them (which is valid for 90 days).
The candidate must create a profile and submit an online registration to the BCPNP. This allows them to be included in the pool of candidates and be assigned a score out of 200 based on their specific factors. This step requires paying registration fees.
If selected by the BCPNP (see Draw History section for more information), the candidate must apply online within 120 days, meaning filling in forms, uploading supporting documentation (including the verification report of the candidate's net worth), and paying required application fees.
During the processing of the application, the candidate might need to attend an in-person interview in BCPNP's offices in Vancouver.
If the processing of the candidate's application is successful, they must sign a Performance Agreement whereby they commit to achieving their intended investment. The agreement usually contains (but is not limited to) (i) the type of business and its location, (ii) the eligible investment amounts, (iii) the number and type of positions to be created for Canadians or permanent residents, (iv) the active management requirements, (v) the residency requirements, and (vi) the timeframes within which to meet these requirements.

Step 2:

The BCPNP will issue the candidate a letter of confirmation to apply for a Temporary Work Permit to the federal government (IRCC). The candidate must arrive in BC with their valid work permit within 365 days (12 months) from the date on the letter of confirmation.
The candidate has 60 days from arriving in BC or from the date the Performance Agreement was signed, whichever is later, to submit an Arrival Report to the BCPNP.
The candidate has 610 days (around 20 months) from arriving in BC to establish the business.
The candidate has between 366 to 610 days (around 12 to 20 months) from the issuance date of the valid work permit to submit their Final Report.
If the candidate satisfies to all the requirements, they will be issued a provincial nomination. They must demonstrate that they:
1. are actively managing the business (i.e., be accountable for the day-to-day operations of the business) in BC,
2. reside within the boundaries of the community,
3. have been physically present in BC for at least 75% of the time that they were on a work permit, and
4. have complied with any other terms of the Performance Agreement.
Apply for permanent residence to IRCC within 6 months of receiving the nomination. The candidate needs to apply on paper to IRCC, and include the Confirmation of Nomination received from the BCPNP.

Required Supporting Documents

After receiving your invitation to apply through your online profile, you will have 4 months to submit a full application to the BCPNP, including supporting documentation. Specific requirements for documents are explained in detail here.

Application Fees

The fees for this stream is quite expensive, one of the most expensive in all other Provincial Nominee Programs. It is set at

300 CAD for the registration, and
3,500 CAD for the application processing.

Registration and application fees are both non-refundable.

Processing Times

The Entrepreneur Immigration Regional Pilot stream has 2 phases, and each has its own processing times:

For the online registration phase, it takes around 6 weeks for the BCPNP to issue the candidate a score out of 200.
For the application processing phase (post invitation to apply), it takes around 4 months for the BCPNP to process the application.

Draw History

You can check out our awesome Live PNP Monitor to see the latest news and draw history on the Entrepreneur Immigration Regional Pilot stream, as well as for all the other PNP streams.

Do I have to stay in the Province?

This is a tricky question and there are multiple situations that can happen. You can learn more about this subject on our dedicated article: Can I move to another province?

What's next?