BC Provincial Nominee Program – Business
Invest in British Columbia: The BC Entrepreneur Immigration Program
The Province of British Columbia has put in place an Entrepreneur Immigration System combines the two former categories – Business Skills and Regional Business. They have been streamlined into one Entrepreneur Immigration stream. If you wish to immigrate to BC as an entrepreneur or investor, through the PNP, this application, is mandatory. You must apply Online at BC PNP Online; the BC Provincial Nominee Program’s electronic portal.
The system is similar to the federal Express Entry program because the BC system uses this registration process to screen applicants and score them based on the information they provide during the registration process. The highest scoring registrants for the Entrepreneur program will then be invited to submit applications for nomination. Out of those applications for nomination, the top-ranked applications will then be nominated by the BC PNP and will then apply to CIC for a permanent resident visa. Because of a high volume of backlogged applications from the previous Business Skills and Regional Business categories, and the great interest among business people from abroad in starting a business in B.C., only a limited number of nominations will be available.
Index
Entrepreneur Immigration Program Requirements
There are minimum requirements at each stage of the process including the:
General Nomination Requirements for the British Columbia Business PNP
- Active Management: you will have to demonstrate to BCPNP that you are involved in the day-to-day operations of the business, and this must occur in the place of business in B.C. and not from a location abroad.
- Residency: you will have to demonstrate to BCPNP that you reside within 100 km of your place of business, and that you have been a resident of B.C. for at least 75% of the length of time of your work permit. For example, if you have used up the full 20 months you are given before preparing your Final Report (see below) you will have had to have resided in B.C. for at least 15 out of those 20 months.
- You will have to submit a Final Report (see below) to BCPNP that proves these 2 requirements, as well as many others listed below.
British Columbia PNP Personal Requirements
BC PNP Adaptability Factors
These are indicators to suggest the likelihood of your economic establishment in BC. They are not necessarily mandatory requirements, but points will be assigned based on how well you score on these adaptability factors. The more points, the more likely you are to be invited to apply and to be nominated.
- English Language Proficiency: this is NOT a mandatory requirement but you will be awarded points depending on how high your CLB level is. You may wish to take a CIC-approved language test.
- Education: You must have one of the following:
- A minimum 2 years full-time post-secondary education at a licensed institution that leads to a degree, diploma, or certificate; OR
- Have spent 3 of the past 5 years as an owner-manager with 100% ownership of your business
- Previous Visits to BC: you will have to provide details of your visits to the province, including dates, and where and when you entered and exited the province.
- Age: there are no age limits to the Entrepreneur Immigration program with BCPNP, but you will be awarded points depending on your age. See below.
- Canadian Experience: there is no eligibility requirement, but you will be awarded points for the following:
- Canadian, full-time work experience: must be for at least 12 consecutive months in any occupation including owner-manager of your own business;
- Canadian, full-time studies: you must have studied under a Canadian secondary or post-secondary program for at least 12 consecutive months, (including scheduled breaks); ESL studies do not count.
Admissibility to Canada
You must be a lawful resident of the country in which you are currently residing and you must not:
- Be prohibited from entering Canada,
- Be or have been in Canada illegally,
- Have an unresolved refugee claim in Canada,
- Be under a removal order in Canada.
Business and Work Experience for the BC PNP
You must have sufficient knowledge and experience to successfully establish your proposed business in BC. This means you must have, at a minimum:
- More than 3 years’ experience as an active business owner-manager: you must own 10% or more of the business, and be personally involved in the day-to-day operations, as well as be directly involved in the business’ decision making, for over 3 years of the last 10 years; OR
- More than 4 years as a senior manager: if you own less than 10% of the business or do not own any of the business, then you must have worked for over 4 years as an active senior manager in charge of at least 3 full-time employees; OR
- A combination of at least 1 year as an active owner-manager, and at least 2 years as an active senior manager (active = involved in day-to-day operations and directly involved in decision making).
Personal Net Worth Requirements for the British Columbia PNP
You must have a minimum of CAD$600,000 in legally obtained and personally verifiable net worth, net of any debts or other liabilities, including:
- Cash,
- Assets in bank accounts,
- Fixed term deposits,
- Real property,
- Investments in bonds, stocks, mutual funds,
- Investments in one or more businesses,
- Pensions and other assets.
Your declared net worth must be in your name and/or your spouse’s name. You will have to provide supporting documentation to verify any ownership of any assets, businesses, properties etc. You may NOT include future inheritances as part of your personal net worth. You will be awarded points depending on the amount of your personal net worth. See below.
Having registered with BC PNP’s Entrepreneur Immigration program, if you then receive an invitation to apply for a nomination, you will need to verify your net worth through an independent third party. This is called obtaining a verification report from a BC PNP-qualified supplier. See below for more information.
If you cannot verify your personal net worth to the satisfaction of the BCPNP, your application will be refused.
BC PNP Business Requirements
Your Business Concept for the British Columbia PNP
You must provide a brief business concept when you register which will be scored based on its evaluated commercial viability. Later when you apply for a nomination, you will have to submit a comprehensive business plan.
Business Eligibility for the BC PNP
The primary purpose of your proposed business must be to earn profits by providing goods and/or services and contributing to the provincial economy. You may:
- Establish a new business;
- Purchase an existing business;
- Form a partnership with an existing business;
- Partner with a local entrepreneur or a foreign entrepreneur to establish a new business.
You must establish what type of business you will be establishing before you submit your proposal, as you cannot change it during the application process. Your business proposal will be scored according to its commercial viability.
Commercial Viability for the British Columbia PNP
The following factors will be used to score your proposal:
- Business model: how do you plan to earn revenue and make a profit and how will your proposal be commercially sustainable?
- Minimum ownership percentage: you must either:
- Own a minimum of 1/3 or 33.3% of the business; OR
- Have a personal equity investment (see below) of C$ 1 million or greater in which case you may own less than 33.3% of the business.
- Market Strategy: how will your new business enter the BC market place, or how will your purchased business grow in the market?
- Products & Services: you must describe the products and/or services your business will be offering or that the existing business you are purchasing offers, and how they are, or will be, unique.
- Reasonable proposed investment & job creation figures: what amount will you be investing, and how many jobs will your business create?
- Risk factors: what factors could prove major risks to your business proposal? External financing, or more than 50% of personal net worth invested in the business are examples of risk factors.
- Expansion plans: for existing businesses that are purchased, how will you upgrade, improve, and/or expand the current business you are buying?
- Financial stability: for existing businesses that are purchased; is the current business you are buying a going concern?
Economic Benefits for BC
Your business proposal will be scored points for the following factors that demonstrate an economic benefit to the province:
Contributing to Key Sectors of the Economy of BC
If your proposal is in the following sectors you will be eligible for additional points:
| Agrifoods | Technology & Green Economy |
| Forestry | Transportation |
| International Education | Biomedical |
| Mining, Energy, or Natural Gas | Destination Tourism |
| Value-added Manufacturing | Aboriginal Peoples & First Nations |
Your business will get points for significant economic benefits: including the following:
- Adopting new technology,
- Developing new products & services,
- Developing innovative methods with traditional businesses,
- Increasing exports,
- Increasing R&D and commercializing technology,
- Providing products & services to under-served local or regional markets,
- Transferring technology and specialized knowledge to BC.
Location of Your Business in British Columbia
Points are awarded for investments located in smaller communities in BC.
Transferability of Skills to BC
What skills can be transferred from your business/work experience to the proposed business? To see whether your existing skills are similar and thus “transferable” you must:
- Identify your industry sector by going here;
- Identify your NOC occupation skill and level by going here.
Franchises Requirements (if applicable) for the BC PNP
You must demonstrate that your proposed franchise is a well-established one and that you are eligible to own and operate a franchise location and that you have an expansion plan consistent with franchisor requirements.
Ineligible Businesses for the BC PNP
The following types of businesses are not eligible under BCPNP’s Entrepreneur program:
- Immigration-linked investment schemes used to raise capital from foreign nationals interested in immigrating to Canada (IRPA 87.9).
- There is no redemption option in the terms of investment in the business (as per IRPA 87.6.d).
- Bed and breakfasts, hobby farms, home-based businesses.
- Pay Day loans, Cheque cashing, Money Changing, Cash machines.
- Pawn brokers.
- Scrap metal recycling.
- Coin-operated laundries.
- Automated car-wash operations.
- Used goods businesses – (Collectibles, or value-added like restorers and repairs are permitted).
- Real estate brokers, Insurance brokers, Business brokers.
- Pornography, sexually explicit products, sexual services.
- Any type of business that would bring BCPNP or the province into disrepute.
Your business should not be in a location saturated by similar types of businesses or it may be refused by the BCPNP even if it is not an ineligible business listed above.
Minimum Investment Requirements for the BC PNP
In order to be able to register with the BCPNP you must make a total eligible personal investment of CAD$200,000. If you are proposing to bring a Key Staff member to BC with you, you must make a total personal eligible investment of CAD$400,000. Points are awarded based on the size of your proposed total personal investment in the business. Remember that only the highest-scoring applicants will be invited to apply for a nomination as an Entrepreneur. Typically eligible investments are:
- Purchase of existing business assets (including inventory) or equity,
- New equipment purchases,
- Start-up inventory or new inventory related to an expansion plan,
- Leasehold improvements,
- New marketing costs associated with promoting your business venture,
- Operating expenses.
Some eligible investments may be only partially eligible. For example:
- Purchase of an existing business: BCPNP will count CAD$150,000 or the total purchase price of the business; whichever is LESS, conditional on:
- Spending CAD$50,000 to improve, upgrade or expand the business,
- The CAD$50,000 does not include regular operating expenses.
- Purchase of real estate (for new businesses only): only real estate essential to the business is eligible, in which case BCPNP will count CAD$150,000 or the total purchase price of the real estate; whichever is LESS, conditional on:
- Spending CAD$50,000 to improve, upgrade or expand the property,
- The CAD$50,000 does not include regular operating expenses associated with the purchased real estate.
- Purchase of a business vehicle: the vehicle must be essential to the business in which case BCPNP will count CAD$25,000, or the total cost of the vehicle; whichever is LESS.
- Purchase of inventory: the BCPNP will accept up to 3 months of inventory as an eligible expense.
- Operating expenses: expenses associated with regular, recurring, monthly expenses (wages, rent, salaries, utilities, etc.) will be considered by BCPNP as eligible expenses if:
- If you are establishing a new business, and for a maximum of 6 months,
- If you are purchasing an existing business, and for a maximum of 3 months,
- If you are establishing a new franchise location, and for a maximum of 3 months.
- Note: cash, working capital, and wages paid to yourself and family members will NOT be considered eligible investments.
- Only investments made AFTER you have been invited to APPLY for a nomination will be considered eligible investments. All investments you make are entirely at your own risk.
- You should wait to make any investments until AFTER you have signed a Performance Agreement with BCPNP and have also been issued a valid work permit by Citizenship and Immigration Canada, CIC.
- External Financing: If in addition to your personal investment in your proposed business, you also require external financing you must demonstrate the source of that financing and how it will be put to use in your business.
Job Creation Requirements for the BC PNP
You must create a minimum of 1 full-time job for a Canadian citizen or a Canadian permanent resident. You must also show that your business proposal will be supporting long-term employment for your employee(s). This means at least 30 hours per week of full-time continuous employment. Independent contractors will not count towards your job creation; only direct employees of your business will count as job creation.
- Refer to the NOC classification when determining the skill level of your offered jobs and ensure that your wages are in line with the NOC skill levels. Go here for more information on wages in B.C.
- If your proposed business plan involves purchasing an existing business, you must commit to maintaining the existing number of jobs.
- In order to be nominated, you must demonstrate that you have maintained the required number of jobs for at least 6 months prior to submitting your final report, (see below).
Key Staff Member Requirements for the BC PNP
- Make an eligible personal investment of at least CAD$400,000. If you are purchasing an existing business, at least CAD$100,000 of the $300,000 must go towards improving, upgrading, or expanding the existing business you are purchasing.
- Create 3 full-time positions for Canadian citizens or permanent residents.
- Maintain the existing jobs if purchasing a business, AND create 3 new full-time positions.
- The key staff must have worked with you in a senior position for at least 1 of the past 3 years, under NOC skill level 0, or A.
- The key staff must have at least 2 years post-secondary education.
- The key staff must be paid a wage equal or greater than the median wage for that occupation on B.C.
- The key staff must not hold any ownership in the business – although they can be offered equity as part of a remuneration package; as long as the equity offered is less than 10% of the business.
- The key staff member must actively manage the business, live within 100 km of the place of business in B.C., and be admissible to Canada.
- The key staff member must perform duties as specified in the Performance Agreement.
BC Business PNP: Partnership with a Co-Registrant
You may apply in partnership with another applicant, (registrant), but the following must apply:
- A rationale for the partnership must be given, as well as your business relationship with your proposed partner.
- You must have worked together or show a prior business relationship.
- Each co-registrant must meet the individual eligibility requirements.
- Your registration scores will be matched to meet the lowest of the two registration scores: i.e. you will both be given that lowest score.
- Each application from each co-registrant will be considered separately with no guarantees of acceptance of either or both.
- Each co-registrant must register completely and provide all the necessary information as well as the rationale for your partnership.
- You must submit your registrations within 4 weeks of the earliest one.
How to Apply: The Entrepreneur Immigration Process
The application is a 4-stage process that involves:
- Preparation before you register: this involves researching the B.C. market and putting together your business proposal.
- Registering with the BCPNP: this involves creating an online profile with the BCPNP’s online portal and registering with them. If you are eligible you will be able to register and you will be scored and placed in a selection pool if your score is high enough. The top-scoring applicants will be invited to apply for a nomination. Those invited to apply will be subject to a review of their personal net worth.
- Application to BCPNP: you will submit your application to the BCPNP, undergo and interview, and sign a Performance Agreement. You will then have to apply for to the CIC and be issued a work permit.
- Nomination to BCPNP: unlike Express Entry’s Skilled Worker program, in this case you first arrive in B.C. with your work permit. You then begin building up your business for a period of up to 20 months, after which you submit your Final Report to BCPNP. Upon successful submission of your final report you are then nominated.
As one should expect, this is a fairly demanding process because not only are you applying to live and work in Canada, you are also establishing a business that you will own and manage. Let’s review each of the stages in more detail.
Preparation for Applying to the British Columbia Business PNP
An exploratory visit to B.C. to get to know the local market and the opportunities it offers is the best way to begin your preparation. A visit allows you to:
- Investigate and evaluate potential business opportunities;
- Make local business contacts;
- Learn what it is like living in, and doing business in B.C.;
- Learn about B.C.’s healthcare and educational systems, housing, as well as the province’s culture and lifestyle;
- Remember to apply for a visitor visa at a visa office or online at CIC if you need one to visit Canada.
As part of your preparation, it is a good idea to familiarize yourself with B.C. and its regions:
- The province has 8 regions, each with its own geography, climate, and economy. Go here for more information on each region, and to help you plan your exploratory visit to one or more of the province’s regions.
- Go here for information on B.C.’s Small Business environment.
- Go here to learn about Investment Opportunities in the province.
- Go here for a detailed guide on how to establish a business in B.C.
>These are some of the resources you can find online to help you prepare, in combination with an exploratory visit.
Registration for the BC Business PNP
Entrepreneur Immigration Registration (EIR) is an online registration system with a points-based system that produces a score for each applicant, or registrant. The higher your score in EIR, the more likely you are to receive an invitation to apply for a nomination from the BC PNP. The process of registering is as follows:
Your first step is to go to BC PNP Online and create a profile. This includes:
- Email address,
- Home address,
- Telephone number,
- Passport information,
- Security Questions & Password.
You will then receive an email from BCPNP Online asking you to confirm your email address and password. Always ensure that your contact information in your online profile is up to date. Once you have completed your profile and confirmed your email and password, click on Entrepreneur Immigration Stream to continue the process.
You will be directed to My Dashboard. You will complete your registration here, entering the information one section at a time. Each section is identified by a tab in My Dashboard.
- When you click on a new tab and when you click on Next or Previous, the system will automatically save your information.
- The Submit tab contains the declaration and confirmation for you and your spouse: this is the legal equivalent of your signature and means you understand and are responsible for the information you have entered into the system.
- When you click on Submit this registration form, the system will automatically calculate your scores in each section. The Business Concept section, however, will be scored separately by the BCPNP within 4 weeks of your registering.
- You have 30 days in which to complete your online profile and your registration. Inactive profiles and registrations will be deleted after 30 days.
If your scores in each section meet the minimum requirements (see Scoring Tables below) you will be directed to the electronic payments section to pay a CAD$300 non-refundable registration fee. Only after you have paid your registration fee will your registration be submitted to BC PNP. You will also receive a fee payment receipt and an acknowledgement of receipt of your registration. Once you have paid the fee, you will NOT be able to make any changes or edits to your profile or registration.
If when registering, you do NOT meet the minimum scores in any section, you will be re-directed to My Dashboard, and any section (tab) where you do not meet the minimum scores or made any errors will be highlighted in RED. You may return to those sections and correct any errors.
Within 4 weeks of registering, the BCPNP will send you your total score which is comprised of:
- Your scores in each section which are calculated automatically when you register.
- Your Business Concept score which is calculated independently by BCPNP.
- If you are entered into the selection pool, you will receive an email notifying you.
- An update of your final score will appear in My Dashboard in your BCPNP online profile.
If you meet the minimum scores in each section, your registration will be entered into a selection pool which will be valid for 6 months from the date you receive your total registration score. If you are NOT invited to apply to BCPNP within the 6 month time frame, your registration will expire and you will have to submit a new registration. You can only have 1 active registration with BCPNP at any given time.
BC Business PNP Points System
The information you enter while registering will determine your points score. The first table below summarizes the points available in each section (tab) of the registration process. Note that the Business Concept will be scored within 4 weeks of your registering. The rest of the scores will be provided as you register.
| Factor to Be Scored | Points |
|---|---|
| Adaptability | 18 |
| Business Concept | 80 |
| Business Experience | 24 |
| Job Creation | 36 |
| Net Worth | 12 |
| Personal Investment | 30 |
| Total Points Available | 200 |
BC Adaptability Score – 18 Points
Language test results or certificates are not necessary when registering, although you may be required to provide them at a later point in the process. If your score for the Education Level is 0, you will require at least 3 years of experience as an Active Manager in a business 100% owned by you in the last 5 years, to be able to register.
| Adaptability Factor | Points | |
|---|---|---|
| Age | Less than 20 | 0 |
| 21 – 39 | 3 | |
| 40 – 60 | 4 | |
| 61 – 64 | 2 | |
| 65 or older | 0 | |
| Canadian Experience (work,business or study experience for at least 12 months) |
No | 0 |
| Yes | 5 | |
| Education Level | Less than 2 years Post-Secondary Education | 0 |
| 2 or more years Post-Secondary Education | 3 | |
| English Language Proficiency | None or minimal (CLB 3 and below) | 0 |
| Basic understanding (CLB 4) | 2 | |
| Intermediate & Advanced (CLB 5 and above) | 4 | |
| Exploratory Visit(s) to British Columbia | No | 0 |
| Yes, 1 or more years ago | 1 | |
| Yes, less than 1 year ago | 2 | |
| Maximum points available for Adaptability | 18 | |
Note: There is no minium requirement for adaptability points.
BC Business Concept Score – 80 Points
This will be scored separately after you have registered according to the following tables outlined below. Your Business Concept should be between 1,000 and 1,500 words long (i.e. way shorter than this page). It should include the following:
- A brief description of your proposed business and its operations;
- Analysis of the competition;
- Elaboration of your proposed investments and rationale for major expenditures;
- Human resource overview, including how you will create and maintain jobs;
- Your own experience, skill set and assessment of the business’ viability under your management;
- Your proposed role in the business;
- What activities you are doing/will do to ensure due diligence;
- Potential risk factors.
If you are purchasing an existing business please also include the following:
- Identify the business you are buying and describe it, including staffing;
- Summarize the business’ financial performance over past 3 years: revenue, profits, wages paid, etc.;
- Comment on the business history and financial health of the business;
- Explain how you established what the business was worth, i.e. its value;
- Provide a description and rationale for your expansion/improvement plans.
If any of the following apply include the additional required information in your business concept:
- Partner: whether Canadian or foreign, or co-registrant: provide a rationale for the partnership and describe your business relationship with your partner(s).
- Key Staff: identify the Key Staff, provide a rationale why they are necessary, describe your business relationship with your key staff.
Note: If you are applying with a co-registrant, you must submit your registration within 4 weeks of the earlier (or earliest) registration.
Note: Do NOT include general market analysis or statistics in your business concept.
The following table summarizes the scoring that will be applied to your Business Concept. Additional tables will provide more detail, which can help serve as a guide to how you put together your proposal.
| Business Concept Factor | Points |
|---|---|
| Commercial Viability | |
| Business Model (new business) OR Expansion Plans (purchased business) | 10 |
| What is the Market Like? | 4 |
| Unique selling point or advantage? | 4 |
| Due diligence | 4 |
| Ownership percentage of proposed business¹ | 4 |
| Potential risk factors | 2 |
| Total Commercial Viability Points | 28 |
| Economic Benefits | |
| Identify at least 1 key sector OR 1 significant economic benefit | 10 |
| Identify at least 1 key sector AND 1 significant economic benefit | 16 |
| Location (based on a BC Regional district) | 12 |
| Total Economic Benefits Points | 28 |
| Transferability of Skills | |
| Business Experience only² | 24 |
| Work Experience only | 14 |
| Language ability (bonus Points) | 2 |
| Total Transferability of Skills Points | 24 |
| Maximum Points Available for Business Concept | 80 |
Minimum Required Points to Apply: 32 but no minimum for individual sections.
¹ Ownership percentage points are awarded as follows:
| Ownership Percentage | Points |
|---|---|
| 100% | 4 |
| 67% – 99% | 3 |
| 50% – 66% | 2 |
| 33% – 49% | 1 |
| Less than 33% ownership | 0 |
²If you have business ownership experience AND senior management experience then your points will be calculated as follows:
Business experience only points + 50% of (Work experience only points)
Unless: (Work experience only points) is greater than the Combined Total.
Business experience points range from 2 points for 12+ months experience to 24 points for 61+ months experience.
Work experience points range from 2 points for 12+ months experience to 14 points for 61+ months experience.
BC Business Experience Score – 24 Points
| Experience | Duration of Experience | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Business Owner-Manager Experience | Less than 12 months | 0 |
| 12 – 24 months | 4 | |
| 25 -36 months | 6 | |
| 37 – 48 months | 12 | |
| 49 – 60 months | 15 | |
| 61 months or more | 20 | |
| Senior Manager Work Experience | Less than 24 months | 0 |
| 24 – 48 months | 4 | |
| 49 – 60 months | 8 | |
| 61 months or more | 12 | |
| The maximum points available for Experience | 24 | |
Note: The Minimum Required Points for this section is 8
Note: if you were an owner-manager you cannot also count that experience as a senior manager. They must be from separate businesses/employers that you worked at or owned at different time periods.
BC Job Creation Score – 36 Points
Remember to identify the number of full-time equivalent (FTE) positions that will be created and maintained by your business. You must create at least 1 FTE, unless you have Key Staff in which case you must create at least 3 FTEs.
| Number of FTEs Created AND Maintained | Points |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 | 0 |
| 1 | 2 |
| 2 | 6 |
| 3-4 | 12 |
| 5-6 | 20 |
| 7-8 | 28 |
| 9-10 | 32 |
| 11 or more | 36 |
| Maximum points available for Job Creation | 36 |
Minimum points required for Job Creation is 2, unless you are bringing a “Key Staff Member” with you, then it is 12.
BC Personal Net Worth Score – 12 Points
| Personal Net Worth | Amount | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Total Current Assets = cash + liquid funds | Less than $50,000 | 0 |
| $50,000 to $199,999 | 1 | |
| $200,000 to $399,999 | 3 | |
| $400,000 or more | 6 | |
| Total Personal Net Worth | Less than $600,000 | 0 |
| $600,000 to $799,999 | 1 | |
| $800,000 to $1,999,999 | 3 | |
| $2,000,000 to $4,999,999 | 5 | |
| $5,000,000 or more | 6 | |
| Maximum points available for Net Worth | 12 | |
Note: Minimum Required Points for Net Worth: 1
BC Personal Investment Score – 30 Points
As explained above, these must be eligible investments that you make in your new or purchased business.
| Eligible Personal Investment | Points |
|---|---|
| Less than $200,000 | 0 |
| $200,000 to $399,999 | 6 |
| $400,000 to $999,999 | 20 |
| $1,000,000 or more | 30 |
| Maximum points available for Personal Investment | 30 |
Note: Minimum Required Points for Investment: 6. If you are bringing a Key Staff Member with you: 20.
Invitation to Apply to the BC PNP
Only the highest ranked applications in the selection pool will receive invitations to apply. If invited to apply, you will receive an email from BCPNP including:
- Your BC PNP Entrepreneur Immigration file number,
- Instructions on how to complete your application,
- A list of so-called qualified suppliers who are authorized by BCPNP to verify your net worth,
- A timeline for the submission of your application.
You will have 4 months from the date of the invitation to submit a complete application. This will allow you to complete your business plan and to have your net worth verified by a qualified supplier. If the information in your application is materially different from your registration, your application may be refused.
Review of Personal Net Worth for the BC PNP
Once you receive your invitation to apply email, you will need your Entrepreneur Immigration file number in order to engage a qualified supplier. These are professional chartered accountants who are qualified by BCPNP to conduct a verification of your personal net worth. This will involve reviewing supporting documentation as well as reviewing so-called accumulation of funds: how you accumulated your net worth. The qualified supplier will contact you if additional information is needed. When the report is complete the qualified supplier will send copies of the report to you AND to BCPNP. You will need to provide the following to the qualified supplier:
- CIC’s Schedule 4A: personal net worth form. Go here to download it. You may have to download it to your hard drive and open it from there.
The report must be delivered within 60 days, and the actual length of time depends upon the complexity of your particular financial situation. The cost – which you are responsible for paying – should range between $3,000 and $5,000. Again, this will depend on the complexity of your net worth.
Note: you should NOT contract a qualified supplier until you have been invited to apply by the BC PNP.
Note: Failure to provide satisfactory evidence that verifies your personal net worth may result in the refusal of your application.
Applying to the BC PNP
Once you have received an invitation to apply, you will have 4 months to submit a complete application along with:
- A verification report of your personal net worth,
- All supporting documents,
- A comprehensive business plan.
The BC PNP will screen your application and may contact you over missing or incomplete information. You will have 14 calendar days to respond or your application will be returned to you.
As part of the application you must pay a CAD$3,500 non-refundable processing fee or a CAD$4,500 non-refundable processing fee if you will be using a Key Staff member.
If your application is complete, it will be fully reviewed by the BC PNP and then a decision will be made as to whether to proceed to the interview stage.
BC Business PNP Business Interview
You may be requested to attend an in-person interview which will be held in BC PNP’s offices in Vancouver.
- The interview will enable you to demonstrate your business and work experience and to demonstrate you have a thorough understanding of your proposed business plan.
- You may NOT provide new information to help your application during the interview. The information you have already provided will be the basis for the interview.
- Interviews will be conducted in English or French. You may hire a certified translator if you are not fluent in either official language.
- If you require a temporary resident visa, TRV, to attend the in-person interview, BC PNP will provide you with a support letter for your TRV application which is your responsibility.
British Columbia Business PNP Performance Agreement
If your application is approved you will have to sign a Performance Agreement with the province of British Columbia. This is a document which outlines the performance expectations you must meet in order to be nominated. It will be based on your unique situation and will include:
- Type of business and location,
- Investment amounts and timelines,
- Number and type of jobs created for Canadian citizens or Permanent Residents,
- Active Management requirements,
- Residency requirements,
- Timeframes for meeting these requirements.
Failure to meet performance expectations within the time frames may result in refusal of your application at the nomination stage.
Canadian Work Permit for the BC PNP
If your application is approved you will receive a Letter of Confirmation which acts as a work permit support letter. Using this letter, you must apply to CIC for a 2-year work permit. The work permit will allow you and your accompanying family members to move to British Columbia so can begin to implement your business plan. Your work permit does NOT give you Permanent Resident status. It only allows you to work in Canada on a temporary basis.
Nomination for Permanent Residence by British Columbia
Once you sign your Performance Agreement, you will have 12 months to arrive in B.C. with your valid work permit. The 12 months are calculated from the date of your Letter of Confirmation. If you do not arrive in B.C. within 12 months of that date, your file will be closed.
Letter of Acceptance from the British Columbia PNP
If you are nominated you will receive a Letter of Acceptance (Nomination Certificate) from the BC PNP. You can then proceed to apply for Permanent Residence as outlined below.
BC Business PNP Arrival Report
This must be submitted within 2 months of your arriving in the province. It provides basic information on:
- Your updated contact information,
- Your work permit,
- Whether or not you have transferred the required funds to a financial institution located in B.C.
Building your Business in British Columbia
You will have 20 months to implement your business proposal/plan from the date you arrive in B.C. with your valid work permit. You must:
- Actively (day-to-day involvement) manage your business,
- Satisfy the performance expectations of your Performance Agreement.
BC Business PNP Final Report
This must be submitted within 18 to 20 months of your arriving in B.C. Go here to download the report form and the guide. You must demonstrate that you have met the performance expectations from your Performance Agreement.
Applying for Permanent Residence through the British Columbia Business PNP
Once you have been nominated and received your Letter of Acceptance, you and your accompanying family members can apply to CIC for Permanent Residence under the Provincial Nominee class. CIC will decide if you qualify for permanent residence, as BC PNP has no authority over that decision. Having been nominated should mean you will qualify, but the CIC will have to ensure that:
- You do not pose a security threat to Canada,
- You meet all admissibility requirements,
- You continue to meet the performance expectations of your Performance Agreement.
If your Work Permit is 3 months from expiry you will need a new letter of support from BC PNP in order to apply for an extension of your work permit. Before issuing the letter of support, BC PNP may request evidence to ensure you continue to meet your performance expectations and all other conditions of your nomination.
Please visit IRCC’s site for more information on processing times for Permanent Residence applications.
British Columbia PNP Points Cut-Offs
British Columbia uses its own scoring system:
British Columbia PNP Notifiations
BC Entrepreneur PNP Points Cut-Offs
