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If you are interested in immigrating to Canada to invest in and run a business, the province of Prince Edward Island (PEI) might be the right destination to makes these dreams a reality.

The Business Work Permit stream of the Prince Edward Island Provincial Nominee Program (PEI PNP) is for foreign nationals with business ownership or extensive management experience who would like to move to PEI to start their business.

Successful applicants first move to PEI on a work permit, before eventually transitioning to permanent residence if certain business-related targets are satisfied.

PEI PNP Work Permit stream eligibility

To be eligible for nomination through the PEI PNP Work Permit stream you must:

  • have a minimum verifiable personal net worth of $600,000, accumulated through legal and legitimate sources in your own right;
  • have a minimum education of secondary school equivalent;
  • be within 21-59 years of age at the time of application;
  • have transferable management skills and past employment or business ownership experience;
  • meet minimum language requirements equivalent to a Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 4;
  • intend to live and work in PEI while providing day-to-day active and ongoing management of your PEI-based company;
  • attend an interview with staff from the PEI Office of Immigration; and
  • meet the terms and conditions of the Performance Agreement signed with the Office of Immigration.

PEI PNP Work Permit stream application process

If you meet the eligibility criteria outlined above, you may then create a profile in the PEI Expression of Interest system, outlined below.  You will be asked to provide a valid email address, and identification information including your passport details. Once your account has been verified, you will be able to proceed to complete your profile so that a ranking score (points) may be awarded best on your credentials. Applicants can only have one active profile at any one time.

Your profile will remain active for a period of six months. You must ensure information provided in your profile is accurate and verifiable. If your situation changes prior to being invited to apply, you may update your profile. If your situation changes after being invited to apply, you must contact the PEI PNP Office with the new information, as this may impact the ultimate decision on your file.

An Expression of Interest is not an application, but an indication of your interest in being considered to apply to the PEI PNP. If you are invited to apply you will receive an email notification that will include your file and instructions for submission of your file. If you are invited to apply you must complete the application forms.

If you are invited, you may apply; if you are are approved you will receive a letter of support from PEI for a temporary work permit so that you can move to Canada and establish the business in PEI.

After you are approved for a work permit, you must move to PEI and start your business. After you have fulfilled all of the terms and conditions of your Performance Agreement you will be issued a nomination certificate, allowing then to apply for Canadian permanent residence.

PEI PNP Work Permit stream
Source: PEI PNP Office of Immigration

PEI PNP Work Permit stream application fees

There is no fee to submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) to the PEI PNP Work Permit stream. If you are selected for nomination by PEI, the application fee is $10,000 CAD, which must be submitted with your application. If your file is not accepted, the entire fee will be refunded. If your file is declined or withdrawn prior to you being interviewed by our office, $7,500 will be refunded. If your file is declined or withdrawn after you have interviewed with the PEI PNP, the entire fee is non-refundable.

Community Endorsement

The PEI PNP has developed a new category for communities to endorse the selection of a potential business applicants under the PEI PNP Work Permit stream. The vision is to have communities collaborate to identify potential candidates, provide guidance and business support that will lead to improved visibility for communities and greater likelihood for engagement and successful integration for the foreign national in that community.

If the community provides an endorsement, they agree to provide the following services:

  • Engage and provide integration support to newcomers endorsed by the community. This engagement to include business advice and guidance on items such as business location possibilities, additional markets or partnerships, and key business relationships in the community;
  • Provide an overview of the community including infrastructure and services that exist, industry profiles, business patterns, demographics, housing, and opportunities to enhance business integration (such as Chamber memberships etc.); and
  • Provide notification and required details to the Office when newcomers are provided with an endorsement.

If you receive a community endorsement and claim the associated points, you are required to establish your business in the endorsing community to be compliant with your Work Permit Performance Agreement.

PEI PNP Work Permit stream EOI points grid

Candidates are evaluated across various factors.

FactorPoints
Age20
Language40
Education20
Business Ownership or Senior Management Experience50
Community Endorsement35
Adaptability35
Maximum points200

Factor 1: Age

AgePoints
21-247
25-4420
45-4915
50-547
Over 540
Maximum points20

Factor 2: Language

Language AbilityPoints
CLB 9/1040
CLB 835
CLB 730
CLB 620
CLB 510
CLB 4 or proof of post-secondary
completion in English or French
0
Maximum points40

Factor 3: Education

EducationPoints
Master’s level or PhD from a graduate school of a college or university, after completion of a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree20
Post-secondary academic degree (Bachelor) from a college or university that required at least three years of full-time study17
Post-secondary diploma in a specific trade that required at least two years of full-time study after secondary school12
Completion of secondary school0
Maximum points20

Factor 4: Business ownership experience

Points for Business Experience will be awarded based on either proof of owner and management experience OR senior management experience.

Business Ownership ExperienceYears of ExperiencePoints
Owner (greater than 50%) and manager involved in the day-to-day operations and have direct involvement in decision-makingAt least 5 out of last 7 years50
At least 3 out of last 5 years40
Owner (20%-50%) and manager involved in the day-to-day operations and have direct involvement in decision-makingAt least 5 out of last 7 years35
At least 3 out of last 5 years25
Senior Management ExperienceYears of ExperiencePoints
Senior Manager involved in the day-to-day operations as a primary decision maker, supervising at least 3 staff and own less than 20% of the companyAt least 5 out of last 7 years30
At least 3 out of last 5 years20
Maximum Points50

Factor 5: Community endorsement

Community Endorsement points will be awarded based on a signed endorsement from a participating PEI community.

Community EndorsementPoints
Written endorsement from rural community35
Written endorsement from a community within capital region10
Maximum points35

Factor 6: Adaptability

Adaptability factorPoints
Dependent child(ren) have been enrolled in a PEI educational institution for at least 6 continuous months10
Spouse/common-Law Partner successfully graduated from a post-secondary
institution in PEI
5
Spouse/common-law partner and/or accompanying dependent child(ren) have a language ability of CLB/NCLC 6 or higher in English or French10
Spouse/common-law partner has at least 3 years of work experience in the last 5 years5
Currently have close family member(s) living in PEI for at least 12 consecutive months who are permanent residents or Canadian citizens10
Experience in farming, transferrable farming skills and plan to operate a farm in PEI (operation of a registered business where income was derived for a minimum of 3 out of the last 5 years or 5 out of 7 years. The PA must have ownership and be actively involved in the day-to-day operations of the company)10
Maximum points35

Based on your score, you may receive an invitation to apply when PEI conducts one of its EOI draws. You can keep on eye on draws with our PNP Live Tracker.

Click here to submit your Expression of Interest.

Citation "PEI PNP Business Work Permit Stream." Moving2Canada. . Copy for Citation