British Columbia Entrepreneur Immigration Regional Stream

If you are an entrepreneur and you are looking to immigrate to Canada, there is good news for you. British Columbia has permanently integrated the Entrepreneur Regional Pilot Program into the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP). The Pilot program is now called the Entrepreneur Immigration Regional Stream.

This provides eligible newcomers with an additional pathway to start businesses and settle permanently in B.C.

What are entrepreneur immigration programs in British Columbia and how do they function?

Entrepreneur immigration programs within the British Columbia PNP (BCPNP) offer international entrepreneurs a pathway to start businesses and settle in B.C. The BCPNP seeks businesses that promote innovation and economic growth in the province.

The entrepreneur class immigration, including the EI Regional Stream, is a temporary to permanent residence (PR) pathway. Accepted applicants initially receive temporary status to live and work in Canada, transitioning to PR status after successfully starting their business.

What is the EI Regional Stream, and who is eligible to apply?

The EI Regional Stream is designed for international entrepreneurs aiming to start businesses in small communities, supporting the development of B.C.’s regional areas.

Communities will participate in the business process, having identified the types of businesses they prioritize. Prospective candidates must visit the community they plan to work with and be assigned a community contact to facilitate the early stages.

Entrepreneurs must receive a community referral to register and apply under the EI Regional Stream. Eligibility requirements include:

• Establishing an eligible new business aligned with the referring community’s priorities
• Demonstrating business and/or management experience
• Having a personal net worth of over $300,000 CAD
• Making a personal investment of at least $100,000 CAD in the business
• Creating at least one new full-time job for a Canadian citizen or PR
• Demonstrating a minimum language proficiency of Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) level 4
• Having or being eligible for legal immigration status in Canada
• Having been lawfully admitted into the country where they currently live

If candidates meet these criteria and have the necessary business experience sought by a community, they can contact the community using information from the community’s profile page. To view the complete list of participating community profiles, click here.

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