BC Entrepreneur Immigration – Regional Stream: Partnering with Communities in British Columbia
Apr 23, 2025
Entrepreneurs who choose the Regional Stream commit to building or operating a venture in a participating community, meeting lower investment requirements, and fulfilling job creation goals. By working closely with local officials, visiting the region to validate your plans, and securing a community referral, you can obtain a work permit followed by a BC nomination for permanent residence once your business milestones are met.
What is the BC PNP Entrepreneur Immigration – Regional Stream
This stream focuses on drawing business creators to smaller or more remote communities that have particular economic development objectives. It began as a pilot but has now become an ongoing part of British Columbia’s entrepreneur immigration pathways. A pivotal requirement is that you must secure a community referral—after an exploratory visit—demonstrating that local stakeholders endorse your concept. The Regional Stream also features a lower investment threshold (minimum personal investment of $100,000) and a shorter experience window, making it more accessible to certain types of entrepreneurs.
Key Features
Focus on regional economic development: Entrepreneurs establish businesses in smaller communities across B.C., promoting localized growth and fulfilling the region’s identified needs.
Mandatory community referral: Exploratory visits and local engagement are required before registering. Without a valid referral, you cannot register under this stream.
Lower investment threshold: A personal investment of at least $100,000, making it more accessible than the Base Category.
Job creation requirement: At least one new full-time equivalent job must be introduced for a Canadian citizen or permanent resident.
Exploratory visit: Engage personally with the participating community, build trust, and confirm your business idea’s fit prior to registration.
Language proficiency: A Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 4 minimum in English or French must be demonstrated when you register.
Active management and residency: You manage the venture on site, reside in the community for at least 75% of the time while on a work permit, and own at least 51% of the new business.
Eligibility Criteria
Below is an outline of general, personal, and business requirements drawn from the BC-PNP-EI-Regional-Program-Guide.pdf. You must ensure you fully satisfy these conditions prior to registration.
General Nomination Requirements
Active Management: You must physically direct day-to-day operations within the community in B.C.
Proximity: You must live in the community where your business is located and remain there for at least 75% of your time on the work permit.
Personal Requirements
Legal Immigration Status: You must be admissible to Canada and avoid any arrangement that constitutes an immigration-linked investment scheme.
Minimum Net Worth: At least $300,000 in personal net worth, subject to third-party financial verification if you are invited to apply.
Business or Senior Management Experience: In the last five years, you need one of the following:
Three or more years as an active business owner-manager, OR
Four or more years as a senior manager, OR
A combination of at least one year as a business owner-manager plus two or more years as a senior manager.
Education: No strict universal requirement, but if your Education Level score is 0 at registration, you must have at least 36 months of business ownership and 100% ownership within the last 60 months.
Language Proficiency: CLB 4 in all four competencies (listening, reading, writing, speaking) is mandatory at registration. Acceptable tests include IELTS General Training, CELPIP-General, TEF Canada, or TCF Canada.
Business Requirements
Establish a New Business: The Regional Stream focuses on launching a new enterprise in one of the participating communities, aligning with local development aims. Purchasing an existing business is generally not eligible under this route.
Percent Ownership: You must own at least 51% of the newly created business.
Eligible NAICS Code: Your enterprise must match one of the NAICS codes selected by the participating community that referred you.
Franchises: Franchises may be permissible if they have operated for at least 60 months and you have support from the franchisor for a new location.
Minimum Investment: A personal investment of at least $100,000 is required within 20 months of arriving in BC on your work permit.
Job Creation: At least one new full-time equivalent position for a Canadian or permanent resident, employed for a minimum of 180 days before submitting your final report.
Step-by-Step Application Process
The BC-PNP-EI-Regional-Program-Guide.pdf structures the journey in six stages: Preparation, BC PNP Registration, BC PNP Application, Work Permit, Nomination, and Permanent Residence.
Preparation
Study which communities are participating and whether they align with your industry interests.
Undertake a mandatory exploratory visit to engage with local officials, finalize your concept, and gather a community referral.
Complete a designated language test at CLB 4 level or above.
BC PNP Registration
Create an online profile detailing your net worth, business plan, and job creation strategy.
Upload your valid language results and community referral.
The registration is scored on factors like experience, net worth, investment, community attributes, adaptability, and your commercial plan’s viability.
A minimum total score of 105 is needed to enter the qualified pool, with no separate business concept score requirement.
BC PNP Application
If among the highest-scoring registrants, you receive an invitation to apply (ITA).
Obtain a net worth verification report from an approved BC PNP accounting firm.
Submit documents confirming your referral, experience, net worth, and a comprehensive business plan consistent with your registration.
Work Permit
Sign a Performance Agreement with BC PNP that outlines investment size, job creation, and operational benchmarks.
BC PNP provides a letter supporting your work permit application to IRCC so you can move to BC and begin operating the business.
Nomination
Implement the venture within about 12 months, fulfilling the performance agreement’s obligations (required investment, at least one job creation, etc.).
Provide a final report to BC PNP proving compliance.
If satisfied, the program issues a provincial nomination.
Permanent Residence
Nominees apply to IRCC for permanent residence in the Provincial Nominee Class.
IRCC carries out health, security, and criminal checks before granting a final decision.
Registration and Scoring
When you register, you self-declare your background (owner-manager or senior management experience, net worth, personal adaptability, etc.) and your business concept (commercial viability, potential economic benefits). You must:
Achieve the minimum total score of 105 to join the qualified pool.
Obtain at least 40 points in the business concept portion is not required here (differing from the Base stream).
Use a NAICS code consistent with the community’s focus.
Avoid changing your business concept after registration; it must remain consistent throughout.
Important Considerations
Community alignment: The entire process hinges on the local municipality endorsing your plan. Without a referral, registration is impossible.
Physical presence: You must spend 75% of your time in BC, living within that community while operating the business, ensuring active management.
Net worth and authenticity: Thoroughly document assets and liabilities, as any discrepancies can derail the application.
Prohibited misrepresentation: Falsifying details can result in immediate disqualification or even a multi-year ban from applying.
FAQ: What is the difference between the Entrepreneur Immigration – Base and Entrepreneur Immigration – Regional streams?
The key differences between the Entrepreneur Immigration – Base and Entrepreneur Immigration – Regional streams revolve around:
Location
The Regional Stream necessitates establishing a new business in a participating small community and mandates a referral from local authorities.
The Base Stream offers freedom to launch or acquire businesses anywhere in British Columbia without a community referral.
Investment Threshold
Regional: Minimum eligible personal investment is $100,000.
Base: Minimum is $200,000.
Language Requirement
Regional: CLB 4 proof is needed at registration.
Base: Language proficiency is mandatory for nomination but not scored at registration, typically presented by the time you finalize your performance agreement.
Net Worth
Regional: Minimum net worth is $300,000.
Base: Minimum net worth is $600,000.
Business/Management Experience Window
Regional: Must have recent experience from the last five years.
Base: Looks at the last ten years.
Scoring Differences
Regional: No separate business concept score threshold; overall minimum total score is typically 105.
Base: Requires a business concept score of at least 40 and a total of 115 or more.
Final Report Timing
Regional: Submit your final report in 12 months.
Base: A final report is usually after 18 months.
The BC Entrepreneur Immigration – Regional Stream provides a lower-investment, community-driven avenue for obtaining permanent residence in British Columbia. By centering on smaller communities eager to expand their local economies and requiring a direct referral, the stream fosters a symbiotic relationship where entrepreneurs fill strategic gaps and communities receive the employment and innovation they need. Thorough research, transparent net worth verification, a genuine exploratory visit, and compliance with all program guidelines are key to securing your nomination and forging a successful venture in one of BC’s scenic and welcoming regions.
