- Entrepreneurship
SDÉCB : Promoter of the BC PNP – regional immigration program for entrepreneurs
The SDÉCB participates in the province’s efforts to promote and support immigration under the Regional Collaborative Immigration Initiative (BCPNP RIC).
This program aims to attract, integrate and retain foreign entrepreneurs, while ensuring consistency between the objectives of the BC PNP RIC Program and regional economic and community development needs.
BC PNP
Entrepreneur Immigration Regional stream
The Entrepreneurial Immigration component is an immigration pathway for experienced entrepreneurs, including Francophone candidates from outside Canada who wish to create and actively manage a new business outside the Greater Vancouver area of British Columbia.
For more details about the program criteria, please visit the BC PNP website: WelcomeBC – Immigrate to BC
Eligibility criteria
- Entrepreneurs and business projects must meet certain criteria of British Columbia's diverse and dynamic economy, preferably in specific fields such as technology, natural resources and tourism, although other sectors may also be eligible;
- A minimum of $100,000 in business investment;
- Minimum personal net worth of $300,000;
- At least 51% ownership;
- Minimum of 1 new local job for every Canadian citizen.
General profile of settlement regions outside Metropolitan Vancouver
- Dominant sectors: Retail, technology, real estate, financial services, creative industries (film, video games), tourism.
- Key industries: Information technology, transportation, professional services, film and television, tourism.
- Main sectors: Forestry, tourism, fishing, technology, public sector.
- Main industries: Forestry, fishing, tourism, aquaculture, technology.
- Main sectors: Agriculture, viticulture, tourism, construction, healthcare.
- Key industries: Agriculture, viticulture, tourism, healthcare, construction.
- Main sectors: Mining, forestry, tourism.
- Key industries: Mining, forestry, tourism.
- Dominant sectors: Oil and gas, forestry, agriculture.
- Key industries: Oil, gas, agriculture, forestry.
- Dominant sectors: Mining, fishing, forestry, energy projects (LNG).
- Key industries: Mining, liquefied natural gas (LNG), fishing, forestry.
- Main sectors: Forestry, agriculture, mining.
- Key industries: Forestry, agriculture, mining.
- Dominant sectors: Forestry, mining, energy.
- Key industries: Mining, mining, hydropower.
BC PNP
Communities participating in the Regional Entrepreneurial Immigration Program:
Participating communities play a key role in this program. Each has identified the types of businesses that are a priority for their community. They’ll want to know more about your background and your proposed business. If a community feels that your business proposal may fit their priorities, they may invite you to make an exploratory visit to their community in person and meet their contact person.
This visit will enable you to gain first-hand experience of your proposed business location and assess whether the lifestyle is a good fit for your family. If so, you can ask the community for a recommendation. The decision to grant a recommendation is left to the community’s discretion. A referral allows entrepreneurial candidates to register and apply for the regional component of Employment Insurance.
Communities have established their own administrative processes, and some may charge fees for their services. We ask interested parties to respect and follow each community’s own process.
Complete list of participating communities:
Process
Submitting an application
Applying to the Entrepreneur Immigration Regional stream is a multi-step process. We invite you to consult the British Columbia PNP Program Guide for more information.
In summary:
- Presentation of the business project to the region
- Exploratory visit to the region
- Recommendation of the entrepreneur for his or her region by sending a recommendation form to the province under the BC PNP - Programme régional d'immigration d'entrepreneurs étrangers francophones.
- BC PNP registration - To immigrate to British Columbia, the immigrant entrepreneur must first complete an online registration process.
- Immigration application - If you are a candidate for the BC PNP - Programme régional d'immigration d'entrepreneurs étrangers francophones, the next step is to apply to the federal government through Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).
General information by e-mail
Courriel :
PNPConcierge@gov.bc.ca
Francophone community
Additional information
Entrepreneur Immigration Base Program
If you are an experienced entrepreneur wishing to start a new business or take over and expand an existing business in British Columbia, please follow this link for the registration and application process:
