BC PNP Entrepreneur Regional Stream

What Is the British Columbia Entrepreneur Regional Stream?

The British Columbia Entrepreneur Regional Stream is a pathway for experienced entrepreneurs who want to start a new business in one of B.C.’s smaller or rural communities. This program was previously a pilot, but as of May 2024, it has become permanent. 

The stream is part of the BC Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP) and is designed to support local economic growth by attracting investment outside major urban centres like Vancouver. It is ideal for entrepreneurs who are eager to build a business while contributing to the growth of close-knit, welcoming communities across British Columbia.

Eligibility for British Columbia Entrepreneur Regional Stream

The criteria target eligible entrepreneurs wishing to grow a business in a regional BC community (under populations of 75,000). Applicants must:

• conduct an exploratory community visit;
• have a minimum of $100,000 CAD in eligible business investments;
• have a minimum personal net worth of $300,000;
• have a minimum of 51% ownership in the business; and
• create at least one new job in the local community.

As part of the exploratory visit, international entrepreneurs must present their business idea to the community’s designated contact person. The contact person will prepare a referral form for submission as part of the applicant’s BC PNP registration.

To obtain a referral, applicants must learn about the enrolled communities and their priority industry subsectors (see below). Please see the BC PNP Entrepreneur Regional Pilot program guide for full details on the application process.

The BC PNP Entrepreneur Regional Pilot is intended for entrepreneurs who are starting a new business; entrepreneurs wishing to purchase existing businesses may be able to register/apply under the BC PNP Entrepreneur Immigration category.

BC PNP Entrepreneur Stream: community eligibility

To be eligible for the BC PNP Entrepreneur Regional Pilot, communities must have a population of less than 75,000, be located beyond 30 km of a municipality of more than 75,000, and demonstrate their capacity to support foreign entrepreneurs through an established network of settlement and business support agencies.

Communities that are eligible under the BC PNP Entrepreneur Regional Pilot and that have enrolled are listed below. Each enrolled community identifies priority economic development industries, and will select or refer prospective applicants to the BC PNP.

The government of BC says that the BC PNP Entrepreneur Regional Pilot is intended to maximize the economic benefits of immigration to BC to support shared prosperity across the province.

Immigration and pilot-specific training has been available to community representatives, and this step must be completed before confirming the enrollment. Approved communities are in a position to host exploratory visits and issue referrals for potential applicants.

BC PNP Entrepreneur Regional Stream communities

The following communities are participating in the BC PNP Entrepreneur Regional Pilot. Please note that each community may have its own unique process for arranging exploratory visits or issuing referrals to foreign entrepreneurs.

Cariboo

• • Mackenzie
  • Quesnel

Kootenay

• Castlegar
• Columbia Valley & East Kootenay
• Kimberley
• Nelson & Central Kootenay (Areas E & F)
• Rossland
• Trail

Nechako

• Bulkley-Nechako

Northeast

• Fort St. John

Thompson-Okanagan

• Penticton
• Salmon Arm
• Vernon

Vancouver Island/Coast

• Campbell River
• Comox
• Mount Waddington
• Powell River

The BC PNP provides details, contact information, and priority sectors for each community, as well as a community description.

BC PNP Entrepreneur Regional Pilot timeline

The BC PNP Entrepreneur Regional Pilot is in place until at least March 31, 2024, and will be carefully monitored to assess capacity and impact, ensuring continued integrity both for the BC PNP and communities.

The Regional Pilot is designed to support shared prosperity across the province. The BC PNP reserves the right to introduce a limit on the number of referrals issued by a community.

More information

To follow updates across all PNP streams, please see our dedicated PNP Live Tracker.

For more information visit the BC PNP Entrepreneur Regional Stream page.