Home > Permanent Residence > Provincial Nominee Programs (PNP) > British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BCPNP) > BCPNP - Entrepreneur Immigration (EI) Stream
The guide below takes a deep look into one of the streams of British Columbia's Provincial Nominee Program (BCPNP), the Entrepreneur Immigration (EI) stream. The guide will go through an overview of the stream, its eligibility requirements, how it works, the documentation needed, its cost and processing times.
Overview of the Entrepreneur Immigration (EI) stream
The Entrepreneur Immigration (EI) 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 EI 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 EI 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 EI 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.
The EI 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 EI 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 (EI) stream, the BCPNP will only consider registrations to establish a new business or purchase and improve/expand an existing business that contributes to the economic growth of the province. 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.
In addition to the general requirements above, if purchasing an existing business, you must indicate the specific target business or local partner in your registration, and the business must have been operated by the current owner for at least five years.
For partnerships, you must identify partners and their percent ownership in your registration (total ownership must add up to 100%).
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 purchase and operate a franchise location. If you are proposing to establish a new franchise location or purchase an existing franchise, ensure that you obtain a disclosure document from the franchisor before you make a decision to invest. The BCPNP will only consider the purchase of an existing franchise location as an eligible business if it includes an expansion/improvement plan that is consistent with franchisor requirements.
If you are proposing to establish a new farm/agricultural business or purchase an existing farm/agricultural business, you must provide copies of the following documents at the time of application: (i) the filled Taking Stock: A Farm Business Planning Workbook For The Beginning Farmer document, and (ii) a feasibility statement showing how the proposed business makes economic sense, prepared by a Qualified Business Consultant.
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 brokerage, insurance brokerage or business brokerage.
- Real estate development activities.
- Goods trading businesses (e.g. import/export), unless value-added is demonstrated.
- 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.
For regulated industries, it is unlikely that the BCPNP will approve an application if it does not properly address the regulatory requirements of doing business in the proposed industry.
Co-registrants
You may partner with a foreign national businessperson, a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident businessperson. Under the Immigration Entrepreneur Stream, only one foreign co-registrant is allowed, and they must also meet all the minimum requirements, as they also need to separately submit a registration, get invited, apply to the stream and pay the fees.
The second co-registrant must submit their online registration within 30 days of the first co-registrant submitting their registration. The registration scores of co-registrants will be adjusted to match the lowest scoring co-registrant, so that they can be invited in the same draw.
Key staff applicant
You can no longer be able to bring with you Key Personnel to help you with the creation of the company.
Strategics Projects
The Strategic Projects is a special category of the Entrepreneur Immigration stream for foreign corporations who have identified strategic investment opportunities in BC to establish operations that are integral to the growth and expansion of their core business. To be eligible, the foreign corporation must meet the following requirements:
- be well-established and in good financial standing,
- demonstrate investment readiness and capacity for international expansion into BC, and
- provide significant economic benefit to the province by making a high value investment in BC.
This category enables foreign corporations to permanently transfer key staff with the corporate knowledge and expertise to BC. The foreign corporation may apply for provincial nomination to support the permanent residence of up to five of its current senior employees. The foreign corporation must:
- make a minimum equity investment of at least 500,000 CAD directed toward the corporation’s operations in BC,
- establish new or purchase and expand an eligible business in BC, and
- create at least three new full-time equivalent jobs for Canadian citizens or permanent residents for each foreign key staff member proposed (to a maximum of five key staff).
Key staff for Strategic Projects
If you meet the requirements (detailed in the appropriate categories below), you may propose key staff applicants whose expertise is essential to the success of your proposed business. The key staff applicant(s) will be eligible to apply for a work permit to work for you in B.C. during the business establishment period and may also be eligible to be nominated for permanent residence.
There are eligibility requirements for the key staff applicant, summarized below:
- They must have worked with you, the principal applicant, in a senior position for at least one year out of the last three years, and have a critical skill set for the proposed business.
- They demonstrate education and experience consistent with the proposed occupation in BC as a senior manager, professional or technical position related to the proposed business.
- The proposed position they will fill must fall under the NOC TEER Category 0 or 1.
- If education and work experience are not specifically identified in the proposed position in BC, they must possess a minimum of two years of post-secondary education.
- The wage offered must be equal to or greater than the median for that occupation in BC.
In order to be approved for nomination, the key staff applicant must meet the terms and conditions outlined in the Performance Agreement, including:
- continue to work on a full-time basis for the business, a minimum of 30 hours per week,
- work in the occupation identified in the Performance Agreement,
- have proof of French or English proficiency at a Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) score of 4, and
- reside within 100 kilometres of the place of business in BC, and
- must not hold 10% or more ownership of the proposed business.
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 | 120 |
1. Experience & Ownership | 24 |
2. Net Worth | 12 |
3. Total Personal Investment | 20 |
4. Jobs | 20 |
5. Regional District | 12 |
6. Adaptability | 32 |
B. Business Concept | 80 |
1. Commercial Viability | 30 |
2. Transferability of Skills | 20 |
3. Economic Benefits | 30 |
Total (A) + (B) | 200 |