What is the BC PNP Entrepreneur program?
The BC PNP Entrepreneur Immigration program lets experienced business owners and established foreign companies move to British Columbia, run a business and earn a provincial nomination for permanent residence.
It works in two stages. First, you get a work permit and run your business in B.C. under a performance agreement. Once you meet the terms of that agreement, B.C. nominates you, and you apply to IRCC for permanent residence with your family.
BC PNP Entrepreneur Immigration at a glance
Key takeaway
Meeting the minimums only gets you into the pool. In 2026, B.C. has held regular Base and Regional draws, each inviting only a small number of people, with cut-off scores of 115 to 121 for Base and 113 to 117 for Regional. Your score and your business concept decide whether you are invited.
Which BC PNP Entrepreneur stream fits you?
The right stream depends on how much you can invest, where in B.C. you want to live, and whether you are applying as an individual or as a company.
This page compares the three streams. For the full rules, read our BC PNP Base stream guide and our BC PNP Regional stream guide. Strategic Projects is covered in full below.
| Requirement | Base | Regional | Strategic Projects |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who it is for | Experienced owners and senior managers | Owners starting a business in a smaller community | Foreign companies opening a B.C. branch |
| Personal net worth | $600,000 | $300,000 | Company must be in good financial standing |
| Minimum investment | $200,000 | $100,000 | $500,000 (company equity) |
| Jobs to create | 1 full-time job | 1 full-time job | 3 full-time jobs per key staff member (up to 5) |
| Where and what | Anywhere in B.C.; start or buy a business | A participating community outside Metro Vancouver; new business only | A new B.C. branch or subsidiary |
| Minimum registration score | 115 out of 200 | 105 out of 200 | No points; invitation after contacting the BC PNP |
Based on the BC PNP Entrepreneur Immigration program guide and WelcomeBC, checked October 2026. Draw cut-offs are usually higher than the minimum score.
Base: in the last 10 years, more than 3 years as an active owner-manager, more than 4 years as a senior manager, or at least 1 year as an owner-manager plus 2 years as a senior manager.
Regional: the same options, but within the last 5 years.
Strategic Projects: key staff must be senior people essential to the company.
Base and Regional: a post-secondary credential, or at least 3 of the last 5 years as an active owner-manager with 100% ownership.
Strategic Projects: no published minimum.
Base: at least 33.33% of the business, and you may register with a business partner.
Regional: at least 51%, with no co-registrant.
Base: CLB 4 in English or French, proven by the final report unless you claimed language points at registration.
Regional: CLB 4, with a test result at registration.
Strategic Projects: no published minimum.
Base: not required, but a visit to B.C. is recommended and can earn points.
Regional: you must visit the community and get a referral before you register. The referral is valid for 90 days.
Who is the BC PNP Entrepreneur program designed for?
The program rewards real business experience and active management, not passive investment. It tends to suit these applicants:
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Proven business owners
You have run your own company for at least three years and want to grow it in a stable, connected market.
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Senior managers ready to own
Four or more years as a senior manager counts, so you do not need to have owned a business before.
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Entrepreneurs with moderate capital
The Regional stream halves the net worth and investment minimums if you will build in a smaller community outside Metro Vancouver.
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Companies expanding to Canada
Strategic Projects lets a foreign company open a B.C. operation and propose up to five key staff for nomination.
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Families planning a long-term move
Your spouse and dependent children can come with you, and they are included in your permanent residence application.
Why choose British Columbia for your business?
B.C. is Canada’s Pacific gateway. The Port of Vancouver is the country’s largest port and moved a record 170 million tonnes of cargo in 2025, and Vancouver International Airport connects directly to major cities across Asia. If your customers, suppliers or investors are in the Asia-Pacific region, a B.C. base puts you closest to them.
Vancouver is a major business centre with deep talent in technology, film, clean energy and professional services. Outside Metro Vancouver, cities such as Kelowna, Kamloops and Prince George offer lower costs and a high quality of life, which is where the Regional stream comes in.
What rules apply to every BC PNP Entrepreneur stream?
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Lawful, documented funds
Your net worth and investment must come from legal sources you can prove. For Base and Regional, a BC PNP-approved accounting firm verifies this after you are invited.
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Legal status where you live
You must have lawful immigration status in your current country of residence.
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Active management
You must run the business day to day. Passive or speculative investments do not qualify.
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Live near your business
Base: within 50 km of the business by road. Regional: in the community that referred you. In both, you must be in B.C. for at least 75% of your work permit time.
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An eligible business
Some business types are excluded. Check the ineligible list in the program guide before you build your plan.
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Money spent early is at your risk
Investments made before your invitation do not count, and anything you spend before your performance agreement and work permit is at your own risk.
How does the BC PNP Entrepreneur process work?
These are the steps for the Base and Regional streams. Strategic Projects follows a company-led process, explained in the next section. Your work permit comes through the C60 work permit for provincial entrepreneurs.
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Step 01
Prepare and research
Confirm you qualify and gather proof of your funds and experience. For Regional, make your exploratory visit and get a community referral, which is valid for 90 days.
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Step 02
Register online
Submit your profile and business concept. You get your score in about 6 weeks, and your profile stays in the pool for up to 6 months.
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Step 03
Get invited
B.C. invites the top-scoring profiles in regular draws. Once invited, you have 4 months to submit your application.
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Step 04
Apply with verified net worth
Submit your full application with a net worth verification report. The BC PNP may ask you to attend an interview. Decisions take about 4 months.
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Step 05
Sign your performance agreement
The agreement sets your investment, job and business commitments. B.C. then issues a letter of support for your work permit application.
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Step 06
Build the business
Arrive in B.C., file an arrival report within 60 days, then invest and hire. Base final reports are due 18 to 20 months after your work permit is issued; for Regional, it can be as early as 12 months.
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Step 07
Nomination and permanent residence
If you met your commitments, B.C. nominates you. You then apply to IRCC for permanent residence for you and your family.
Before you register
Your performance agreement is built from the numbers in your application. Do not inflate your investment or hiring plans to raise your score; you will have to deliver every one of them to be nominated.
How does the Strategic Projects stream work?
Strategic Projects is for established foreign companies, not individual entrepreneurs. Your company opens a branch or subsidiary in B.C. and can propose up to five key staff for provincial nomination.
There is no public points registration. Your company contacts the BC PNP first, discusses the project and is invited to apply if it fits.
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Company standing
Well established, in good financial standing and able to expand internationally. Successful companies are often large, with around 150 staff and $20 million or more in annual revenue, but that is not a published minimum.
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$500,000 equity investment
The company must invest at least $500,000 in its B.C. operation.
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3 jobs per key staff member
Create at least three new full-time jobs for Canadian citizens or permanent residents for each key staff member, up to five.
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Qualified key staff
Permanent, full-time senior people with the experience to manage the B.C. business.
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Fees
$300 registration, $3,500 application, plus $1,000 for each additional key staff member.
Discuss your project with the BC PNP and confirm it fits the stream before you register.
If the BC PNP invites your company, submit the complete application within 90 days.
After approval, the company and key staff sign a performance agreement. Key staff use the letter of support to apply for work permits within 90 days and must arrive in B.C. within 6 months.
File an arrival report within 2 months of arriving, then deliver the investment and hiring commitments.
Submit the final report 12 to 24 months after arrival. Once the BC PNP confirms the commitments are met, key staff are nominated and apply to IRCC for permanent residence.
How much does it cost and how long does it take?
Government fees are small next to the investment itself. Budget for the investment, professional fees and enough money to support your family while the business grows.
| Cost | Amount (CAD) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| BC PNP registration | $300 | Per registration |
| BC PNP application | $3,500 | Strategic Projects adds $1,000 per additional key staff member |
| Request for review | $500 | Only if you are refused and ask for a review |
| Net worth verification | Varies | Paid to a BC PNP-approved accounting firm (Base and Regional) |
| Work permit (IRCC) | $155 + $85 biometrics | Per person; a spouse’s open work permit adds a $100 holder fee |
| Permanent residence (IRCC) | $1,590 per adult | $270 per dependent child; fees in effect since April 30, 2026 |
| Minimum investment | $100,000 to $500,000 | Depends on the stream |
| Professional fees | Starting at $25,000 | Legal, business plan and accounting support; varies by case |
Government fees as of October 2026. Check WelcomeBC and IRCC for current fees before you pay.
| Stage | Base and Regional | Strategic Projects |
|---|---|---|
| Registration score | About 6 weeks | Not applicable; contact the BC PNP first |
| Deadline to apply after invitation | 4 months | 90 days |
| Application decision | About 4 months | Not published |
| Running the business | Base: 18 to 20 months. Regional: 12 to 20 months | 12 to 24 months after arrival |
| Final report decision | About 4 months | Not published |
| Permanent residence (IRCC) | Often 20 months or more | Often 20 months or more |
BC PNP processing times cover about 80% of cases. Check IRCC’s website for current permanent residence processing times.
Plan for the long run
From registration to permanent residence, plan for three to four years or more. Build your family’s budget, schooling and housing plans around that timeline, not just the nomination.
What mistakes sink BC PNP Entrepreneur applications?
Inflating your commitments
Why it hurts
The numbers in your application become your performance agreement. Missing them can cost you the nomination after you have already moved.
What works instead
Commit only to the investment and hiring you can actually deliver.
Unclear source of funds
Why it hurts
Unexplained transfers, informal gifts or undocumented income cause problems at the BC PNP stage and again at IRCC.
What works instead
Gather three to five years of bank, tax, property and business records before you are invited.
A generic business concept
Why it hurts
Your concept is scored separately, and Base requires at least 40 of 80 concept points. A plan that could fit any province loses points.
What works instead
Show a real gap in a specific B.C. market and why your experience fits it.
Poor community fit (Regional)
Why it hurts
Communities refer businesses that match their economic priorities. A location chosen only for immigration rarely earns a referral.
What works instead
Visit, talk to the community and propose a business it actually needs.
BC PNP Entrepreneur FAQs
It depends on the stream: $200,000 for Base, $100,000 for Regional (a new business in a participating community), and a $500,000 company equity investment for Strategic Projects. Base and Regional also require personal net worth of at least $600,000 and $300,000.
Yes. B.C. has held regular Base and Regional draws in 2026, although each one invites only a small number of people. Strategic Projects runs by invitation after a company contacts the BC PNP. Rules change often, so check the current status before you register.
Yes. Your spouse or partner and dependent children can join you in B.C. while you hold your work permit, and your spouse may qualify for an open work permit. They are included in your permanent residence application once you are nominated.
Only in the Base stream. The business must have been run by the same owner for at least five years, you must keep all existing jobs, and at least $50,000 of your investment must go to improving or expanding it. The Regional stream requires a new business. See our Base stream guide for details.
The BC PNP may refuse to nominate you, which ends your path to permanent residence through this program. If your plans change, get legal advice early rather than waiting until the final report.
CLB 4 for Base and Regional, which is a basic level. Base applicants can prove it by the final report unless they claimed language points at registration. Regional applicants need a test result when they register. Higher scores earn more registration points.
Plan for several years. Scoring takes about 6 weeks, then you wait for an invitation, have 4 months to apply and wait about 4 months for a decision. You then run the business for 12 to 20 months before your final report, and IRCC permanent residence processing adds more time.
