British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program For Entrepreneurs
British Columbia is the most dynamic place in Canada. The British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program For Entrepreneurs is a stream under BC PNP. The registration process functions like an ‘Express of Interest Model’, which implies that eligible registered applicants must be invited to apply before they can apply to the program.
Successful applicants will obtain a work permit & if the business operation fulfills the requirement of the stream, they will be able to apply for PR in Canada via British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program for Entrepreneurs.
This stream offers a pathway to Canadian PR for experienced business people who can establish themselves in the province & invest in & operate a commercially viable business which can provide significant benefits to the provincial economy.
This blog offers all that you need to know about the British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program for Entrepreneurs. So, without further ado, let us begin!
British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program for Entrepreneurs: Base Category Overview
Minimum requirements for applicants:
- Personal net worth of at least $600,000. The net worth must be legally obtained & might be under the spouse of a common-law partner’s name.
- Post-secondary credential & expertise as an active business owner-manager with 100% business ownership for at least three of the last five years.
- Eligible experience as business owner/ manager/ senior manager.
- Submit a business concept that shows an active & ongoing management role in the everyday operations of the proposed business & the creation of at least one job in the proposed business in the province.
- Personal investment of $200,000 in eligible expenses.
Application Process
- Prepare for registration by conducting thorough business research. Foreign entrepreneurs are motivated to conduct an exploratory visit to the province in order to learn about business opportunities & local business environment.
- Individuals must register with the British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program for Entrepreneurs by creating an online profile, paying fees & obtaining a registration score based on numerous factors, including business ownership, adaptability, business concept, etc. Applicants will be assigned a point for the business concept within six weeks of making a profile.
- The applicants ranking high are invited during periodic laws held by BC PNP.
- If invited to apply, applicants have four months to submit a complete application under the BC Provincial Nominee Program for Entrepreneurs stream, obtain a review of personal net worth & funds, & pay the required fees. In addition, applications are assessed depending on the criteria of the program. They might be invited to attend an in-person interview during the application assessment stage.
- In case the application is approved, international entrepreneurs sign a Performance Agreement & obtain a Letter of Confirmation (LoC) to apply for a two-year work permit with IRCC.
- Once they come to the province, international entrepreneurs have around 20 months to implement the business plan, manage their business, & meet all the conditions of the signed Performance Agreement, demonstrating that the residency is within 100 km of the business.
- Between 18 to 20 months, entrepreneurs must submit the final report to BC PNP explaining their business activities while on a valid work permit.
- The BC government nominates approved entrepreneur applicants by issuing a confirmation of the nomination, which enables entrepreneurs & their dependent family members to apply for PR with IRCC.
- IRCC might review additional information in the application to ensure that the nominee continues the operation of the business & residence in BC.
Entrepreneur Immigration Pre-Registration Process
Before registering, international entrepreneurs are motivated to conduct thorough business research, correspond with the British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program, & make exploratory visits to the province. In this visit, the entrepreneurs can:
- Investigate & evaluate potential business opportunities.
- Conduct market research
- Make local business contacts.
- Know more about what it is like living & doing business in the province, thus gaining a better understanding of the healthcare & education programs, housing, culture, lifestyle, etc.
When purchasing an existing business, the prospective applicant must ensure that the business meets the BC Provincial Nominee Program for Entrepreneurs requirements.
BC Provincial Nominee Program for Entrepreneurs Registration Requirements
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Applicant Requirements
To be eligible to register, applicants must:
- Have a basic French/ English language proficiency equal to CLB level 4 or higher.
- Have been lawfully admitted in the nation where they are presently residing.
- Have a minimum of $600,000 in net worth. The net worth should be legally obtained & verifiable. The applicant must disclose personal net worth, including your assets & those of your spouse or common-law partner. Remember that liabilities like personal debts or mortgages aren’t included in this.
If invited to apply, applicants should obtain a verification report from the BC PNP-qualified supplier. However, failure to provide satisfactory evidence to verify personal net worth & source of funds might result in the refusal of the application.
- Have a minimum of three or more years as a business owner-manager OR a combination of at least one year OR four years as a senior manager of experience as a business owner-manager & a minimum of two years of experience as a senior manager.
- Have a post-secondary credential OR experience as a business owner-manager with 100% business ownership for at least three of the last five years. The percentage of ownership of the business might be shared between the applicant/ common-law partner/ spouse & their dependent children.
If invited to apply, individuals must demonstrate that the proposed business is consistent with the registration business concept & show the capability for commercial viability as to how the proposed business will be successful in BC.
- Demonstrate a personal investment of around $200,000 in a proposed business within 610 days of arriving in the province on a BC PNP-supported work permit.
- Demonstrate that the business will be able to create at least one permanent, new, full-time equivalent job for a permanent inhabitant or Canadian citizen within 365 days of the arrival date.
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Business Concept Requirements
The registration must consist of a short business concept, which will be assigned points based on proposed commercial viability, transferability of the applicant’s skills, as well as economic benefits. If the applicant is subsequently invited to apply, they must submit a comprehensive business plan. Moreover, the BC PNP will consider registrations to establish new businesses, purchase an existing business, form a partnership with the current business, & partner with a local/ foreign entrepreneur to establish a new business.
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Investment Requirements
To register, an entrepreneur has to demonstrate that they will make an eligible investment of at least $200,000 in the proposed BC Business within 610 days of arriving in the province. The minimum investment of $200,000 must be obtained from an applicant’s personal net worth.
British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program For Entrepreneurs – Registration Scoring
Registration is not an application but an expression of the applicant’s interest in applying to the BC Provincial Nominee Program For Entrepreneurs stream. Moreover, the program’s registration scoring is based on business-concept & self-declared factors. Applicants must meet the minimum scores for each factor to enter the selection pool. The total score will determine whether or not the applicant might obtain an ITA under the BC Provincial Nominee Program For Entrepreneurs stream.
The maximum score is 200.
| Scoring Sections | Points | |
| Self-Declared | Experience | 20 |
| Ownership | 4 | |
| Net Worth | 12 | |
| Total Personal Investment | 20 | |
| Jobs | 20 | |
| Regional District | 12 | |
| Adaptability | 32 | |
| Self-declared subtotal score | 120 | |
| Business Concept | Commercial Viability | 30 |
| Transferability of Skills | 20 | |
| Economic Benefits | 30 | |
| Business concept subtotal score | 80 | |
| MAXIMUM SCORE AVAILABLE | 200 |
Self-Declared Scoring
Self-declared Factor 1: Experience
Entrepreneur immigration applicants might claim points for their business ownership and/ or senior management work experience.
Applicants must include details of their business/ work experience for the last ten years before submitting an Expression of Interest. If invited to apply, applicants must provide evidence of the reported business/ work experience.
During registration, applicants must indicate the industry sector codes under the NAICS & NOC occupation codes that best relate to their experience.
The maximum score available is 20. In addition, applicants must score at least 8 points to meet the minimum requirements for this section.
| 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 | |
| 60 months or more | 20 | |
| Senior Manager Work Experience | Less than 24 months | 0 |
| 24 to 48 months | 4 | |
| 49 to 60 months | 8 | |
| 60 months or more | 12 | |
| MAXIMUM SCORE AVAILABLE | 20 |
Self-Declared Factor 2: Ownership
Applicants will be awarded an extra four points if they have held 100% ownership of the proposed business for at least three of the most recent five years. The 100% ownership of the business might be shared between the applicant, spouses, common-law partners, & dependent children.
Self-Declared Factor 3: Net Worth Factor
Applicants can obtain points from their total net worth, including that of their common-law partners or spouses. When submitting a registration, potential applicants must have a minimum of $600,000 personal net worth.
The maximum score available for personal net worth is 12. Also, applicants must obtain at least 5 points in this sector.
| Personal Net Worth | Points | |
| 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 | |
| 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 | |
Self-Declared Factor 4: Personal Investment
Applicants might obtain points based on their proposed personal investment in the business. A proposed business-related investment must be completed within 610 days of arriving in the province on a BC PNP-supported work permit. In addition, if an applicant is proposing a partnership with a co-registrant, they might include the names of every partner with the registration.
The maximum score available for this section is 20. Applicants must score at least 8-10 points if they propose a Key Staff Member to meet minimum requirements for this section.
| Eligible 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 |
Self-Declared Factor 5: Jobs Created/ Maintained
Applicants will obtain points based on their proposed job creation & maintenance in case they purchase an existing business. The proposed job creation should occur within 365 days of the candidate’s arrival in the province.
For the proposed business, applicants must identify the number of FTE positions which will be created as well as maintained. The maximum score available for this section is 20.
In addition, candidates should score a minimum of 8-10 points if they are proposing a key staff member. Also, applicants will not qualify if they do not create at least one FTE. Furthermore, when proposing a Key Staff Member, applicants must create a minimum of three FTEs.
| Number of FTE Job Positions Created and Maintained | Points |
| Less than 1 | 0 |
| 1 | 8 |
| 2 | 9 |
| 3 | 10 |
| 4 | 11 |
| 5 | 12 |
| 6 | 13 |
| 7-9 | 14 |
| 10-19 | 16 |
| 20 or more | 20 |
| MAXIMUM SCORE AVAILABLE | 20 |
Self-Declared Factor 6: Regional District
Applicants are awarded points for the location of the proposed business depending upon the population size of the province’s regional districts. If invited to apply, the entrepreneur has to work at the primary place of business in the proposed regional district.
| Population of BC 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 |
Self-Declared Factor 7: Adaptability
Applicants will obtain points based on the adaptability factors. While these factors are not mandatory requirements of the stream, they demonstrate the entrepreneur’s ability to establish themselves in the province.
In addition, evidence of language proficiency, like certificates or test scores, isn’t required when applicants register for the Entrepreneur immigration stream. However, if invited to apply, entrepreneurs might need to provide evidence of their language proficiency & education, like an ECA. The BC PNP will assign applicants points for relevant work experience accumulated within the last ten years before applying.
The maximum score available for this section is 32. Well, there is no minimum score required for adaptability.
| Factor | Points | |
| English language proficiency | None/ minimal, similar to CLB 3 & below | 0 |
| Basic understanding, similar to CLB 4 | 2 | |
| Intermediate & advanced. Same as CLB 5 and above | 4 | |
| Education level | Secondary or less | 0* |
| Associate degree | 2 | |
| Diploma / certificate (non-trades) | ||
| Diploma / certificate (trades) | ||
| Bachelor’s degree or Post-graduate diploma/certificate | 5 | |
| Master’s degree or Doctorate / PhD | 8 | |
| Age | Less than 20 | 0 |
| 25 – 34 | 4 | |
| 35 – 44 | 8 | |
| 45 – 54 | 6 | |
| 55 – 64 | 4 | |
| 65 or older | 0 | |
| Business exploratory visits to BC | No/ visited the province more than 3 years ago | 0 |
| Yes, visited the province 1 – 3 years ago | 1 | |
| Yes, visited B.C. less than a year ago, but did not visit the Regional District of the business proposed | 2 | |
| Yes, visited the proposed business’s Regional District less than a year ago | 4 | |
| Canadian work experience/ business experience/ studies
from within Canada for a minimum of 12 months |
No | 0 |
| Yes | 8 | |
| MAXIMUM SCORE AVAILABLE | 32 | |
Business Concept Scoring
The proposed business concept will be assessed by the BC PNP & should include an overview of the following:
- Description of the business model & its operations: what will the business do & how?
- Description of the types of goods & services the business will offer.
- Proposed duties & job titles
- How applicant’s qualifications will relate to the proposed business
- Description of how the business will be commercially viable: what is the market entry strategy?
- Description & rationale for staffing requirements
In addition, applicants planning to purchase an existing business, whether wholly or partially, must:
- Recognize & describe business, including staffing.
- Summarize the financial performance of the company, with annual revenue, total wages paid, & net profit from the past three years.
- Comment on financial health & business history.
- Explain how they established the value of business.
- Offer a description & rationale of the expansion plan.
In the business concept section, applicants will also be required to indicate whether they are proposing any of the following:
- Partnership with BC PNP co-registrants
- Franchise business
- Partnership with local partners
- A foreign key staff member
General market research/ statistics shouldn’t be included in the Business Concept. Applicants’ registration will be disqualified if they propose an ineligible business.
An applicant must score at least 32 points. Here’s how the evaluation is done.
| Business Concept | Points |
| Commercial viability | 30 |
| Transferability of skills | 20 |
| Economic benefits | 30 |
| MAXIMUM AVAILABLE SCORE | 80 |
Business Concept Factor 1: Commercial Viability
The BC PNP evaluates the commercial viability of a candidate’s business concept based on the factors mentioned below.
Under commercial viability, the BC PNP examines the ability of the business to compete, make a profit, & contribute to the economic growth of the province. The maximum score available is 3.
| Commercial Viability Factor | Points |
| Business model | 10 |
| Market & products/services | 4 |
| Eligible personal investment | 4 |
| Assessment of proposed personal investment | 6 |
| Ownership percentage | 4 |
| Risk factors | 2 |
| MAXIMUM SCORE AVAILABLE | 30 |
Business Concept Factor 2: Economic Benefits
Applicants are awarded up to 30 points for the proposed business’s potential to contribute to the province’s economic growth. If invited to apply, applicants must provide proof of the proposed Economic Benefit factor. The points are based on the following:
| Overall Economic Benefits Points | Points |
| Key Sector & Significant Economic Benefit | 12 |
| Jobs assessment | 6 |
| High-skilled jobs (NOC 0, A or B) | 4 |
| Regional Development | 8 |
| MAXIMUM SCORE AVAILABLE | 30 |
Final Scoring & Selection Pool
The BC PNP will give scores to the Business Concept & calculate the applicant’s final score.
If the applicant qualifies for the selection pool, they will obtain an email confirmation from BC PNP & be able to view the registration score, including scores for each section.
- Registrations that meet the minimum points in each section will be allowed to enter into the selection pool.
- Registrations which qualify for the selection pool are valid for around 180 days. If an applicant is not invited to apply to BC PNP within six months of qualifying, the registration will expire. Simultaneously, they might be able to submit a new registration to BC PNP.
- Applicants might only have one active BC PNP registration at any given time.
- If the applicant proposes a partnership with a co-registrant, the total score of the lowest-scoring applicants will be applied to all co-registrants.
The Invitation To Apply
Meeting the minimum eligibility requirements doesn’t guarantee that a candidate will be invited to submit the application.
Moreover, if a candidate is invited to apply, he/ she will obtain an email notification & will have up to 120 days from the invitation date to apply.
At this stage, the candidate should pay a $3,500 non-refundable processing fee to the province & submit the complete application package. An applicant’s spouse, common-law partner, & dependent child are included in the fee.
Moreover, the BC PNP might invite the candidate to attend an in-person interview at the BC PNP office. If the applicant cannot communicate in English, they must get the services of a certified court interpreter. Well, this is to ensure that the applicant can clearly interact with the BC PNP staff.
Furthermore, if an application is approved, the BC PNP will require candidates to sign a Performance Agreement. Failure to meet the expectations of the agreement might result in a loss of nominations.
Finally, candidates who are invited to apply will need to engage a qualified/ eligible supplier to verify their net worth & accumulation of funds as a part of the nomination process.
Nomination Requirements
If the applicants meet the necessary requirements of the Performance Agreement within 20 months, the BC PNP will nominate them for PR. In addition, an applicant, along with their dependent daily members, can further apply for PR under BC PNP with IRCC.
Once the entrepreneur fulfills the terms of the agreement, they can submit a final report to the BC PNP in order to be issued a nomination certificate.
Well, the entrepreneur must demonstrate that they:
- Is actively managing a business in BC
- Lives within 100 kilometers of the business
- Has been physically present in the province for at least 75% of the time that they were on a work permit
- Has compiled with any other terms of the Performance Agreement
Who Is Not Eligible To Apply to BC Provincial Nominee Program For Entrepreneurs Stream
The BC PNP will not nominate a person who:
- Is prohibited from coming to Canada
- Has not been legally admitted in the country of present residence
- Is in Canada & is out of status
- Has an expired status, & and those who haven’t applied for status restoration within the 90-day eligibility period will be out of status.
- Is working in Canada without authorization
- Is under a removal order within/ outside of Canada
- Is in Canada & does not have valid immigration status
Conclusion
The British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program for Entrepreneurs offers a wide range of opportunities to businesspeople who wish to begin & permanently establish their businesses in the province.
Interestingly, this stream is advantageous not only for entrepreneurs but the province as well, for it contributes to the growth of the economy. In addition, with an easy & straightforward application process, this stream helps stimulate economic development as well.
So, this was all regarding the BC PNP Entrepreneur stream. However, it is vital to check the eligibility criteria and other requirements for the stream in order to begin the business/ company.
Thus, the BC Provincial Nominee Program For Entrepreneurs stream enables business owners to successfully establish their businesses in Canada