British Columbia, Canada is inviting business owners through the BC PNP Entrepreneur Immigration program via two options: the Base Stream and the Regional Stream. If you want to move to 🇨🇦 Canada by starting or buying a business in B.C., these streams set the rules for your investment, ownership, and where you can locate your business.
The program is selective. In the December 16, 2025 Entrepreneur Immigration draw, British Columbia issued 17 invitations through the Base Stream (minimum score 115) and up to 5 invitations through the Regional Stream (minimum score 107), for a combined maximum of 21 invitations.
Why B.C.’s Entrepreneur Immigration streams matter for business owners
Entrepreneur Immigration is different from job-based pathways. You qualify by proving you can establish a business, invest your own funds, and actively manage operations in British Columbia.
If you plan to run a business in Metro Vancouver or another major market, you usually look at the Entrepreneur Immigration Base Stream. If you plan to build a business in a smaller B.C. community, and you’re ready to do an exploratory visit and secure a community referral, the Entrepreneur Immigration Regional Stream is built for you.
British Columbia continues selecting entrepreneurs. In 2025, the province received two nomination allocation increases from the federal government: +1,254 (announced October 2, 2025) and +960 (announced December 15, 2025). That brought B.C.’s 2025 allocation toward a planned total of 6,214 nomination spaces to be used by year-end.
Who qualifies: Base Stream vs Regional Stream
Your first decision is choosing the right stream. The numbers below describe typical thresholds and the kinds of applicants each stream suits.
Entrepreneur Immigration Base Stream: higher investment, broader location options
You fit the Base Stream when you want the option to start or buy a business anywhere in B.C.
Typical requirements include:
– Personal net worth: CAD $600,000
– Minimum investment: CAD $200,000
– Minimum ownership: one-third (33.3%)
– Note: Ownership can be lower if you invest CAD $1,000,000+
Entrepreneur Immigration Regional Stream: smaller communities, lower thresholds, community referral
You fit the Regional Stream when you want to operate in a smaller community and can meet community-specific steps.
Typical requirements include:
– Personal net worth: CAD $300,000
– Minimum investment: CAD $100,000
– Minimum ownership: 51%
– Exploratory visit is required
– Community referral is required
⚠️ Important: The Regional Stream is not “Base Stream with smaller numbers.” The exploratory visit and community referral are mandatory.
Step-by-step: How Entrepreneur Immigration works in British Columbia
Below is the process you follow after receiving an Invitation to Apply (ITA).
- Receive your ITA and prepare your filing package
- After selection, you move from “registrant” to “applicant.”
- Convert your registration into a full application with evidence supporting your business proposal, finances, and background.
- Complete net worth and source-of-funds verification
- Prove your personal net worth and how you obtained the funds you plan to invest.
- Expect detailed documentation for assets, business ownership history, and money movement.
Remember the Regional Stream requires an exploratory visit and a community referral; it’s not simply a smaller Base Stream. Missing these mandatory steps can block your nomination and delay progress.
- Get approved and sign your performance agreement
- If B.C. approves your application, you sign a performance agreement.
- It sets the business and settlement conditions you must meet after you arrive and begin operating.
- Apply for a temporary work permit using B.C.’s support letter
- B.C. can issue a letter of support so you can apply for a work permit.
- This allows you to come to British Columbia to build or purchase the business and manage it day to day.
- Establish and actively manage the business, then earn nomination
- Operate according to your performance agreement.
- After meeting conditions, British Columbia can issue a provincial nomination, which you then use to apply for Canadian permanent residence.
Documents you should prepare (organized checklists)
Entrepreneur Immigration cases run smoother when you collect documents early. Below are focused checklists grouped by purpose.
Identity, status, and civil documents
- Passport biographic page and travel history records
- Birth certificate
- Marriage certificate or divorce documents (if applicable)
- Children’s birth certificates (if applicable)
Net worth proof (assets and liabilities)
- Bank statements and bank reference letters
- Investment account statements
- Real estate ownership records and valuations
- Business ownership documents (share certificates, corporate registries, partnership agreements)
- Loan and debt statements (mortgages, business loans, personal loans)
- Tax records supporting your declared income and assets
Source of funds and investment trail
- Sale agreements for businesses or property sold
- Dividend records, retained earnings proof, or shareholder distributions
- Employment income records and pay history (if relevant)
- Gift deeds and proof of donor ability (if funds were gifted)
- Wire transfer receipts and bank transaction records showing movement of funds
Business proposal and operations evidence
- A business plan covering:
- Business model: what you sell and to whom
- Location and market rationale: why B.C., why that community
- Staffing plan and roles you will fill
- Financial projections and start‑up budget
- Implementation schedule
- Proof of relevant business or senior management experience:
- Reference letters
- Corporate documents showing your role
- Contracts, invoices, or other proof of operational responsibility
Regional Stream extras
If you’re applying through the Regional Stream, also prepare:
– Notes and agenda for your exploratory visit
– Meeting notes from discussions with community contacts
– Materials used to assess the local market (leases reviewed, competitor research, supplier discussions)
– Your community referral documentation (as issued through the community process)
💡 Pro Tip: Treat net worth and source-of-funds proof like an audit file. Clear timelines and clean document trails prevent long back-and-forth later.
Fees and timeline: what you can plan around
Your timeline depends on how quickly you compile a verifiable financial file and credible business plan, then how smoothly your work permit and business launch progress.
Key points to plan for:
– You must meet all conditions in your performance agreement before you can receive nomination.
– You must be ready to actively manage the business in British Columbia after you arrive.
To map your timeline, estimate:
– How long it will take to gather net worth and source-of-funds records across countries and institutions
– How long it will take to complete an exploratory visit (Regional Stream)
– How long it will take to identify a business to purchase or a location to lease
Common mistakes that lead to refusals or delays (and how to avoid them)
1) Choosing the wrong stream for your real business plan
– Problem: Applying under the wrong stream (e.g., Regional Stream for a major urban market).
– Fix: Pick the stream that matches where you will operate and the mandatory steps you can complete.
2) Underestimating how strict net worth and source-of-funds review is
– Problem: Incomplete money trails or hard-to-prove ownership.
– Fix: Build a consistent financial narrative with documents that match (dates, amounts, ownership shares).
3) Treating the business plan like marketing material
– Problem: Projections or staffing that don’t match your investment or role.
– Fix: Make the plan operational: what you will do early on, who you will hire, and how you will execute.
4) Forgetting the “active management” expectation
– Problem: Treating the pathway like passive investment.
– Fix: Prepare proof you can operate day to day: role descriptions, experience records, and a realistic schedule for your involvement.
5) Waiting too long to prepare for community expectations (Regional Stream)
– Problem: Rushed exploratory visits and weak outcomes.
– Fix: Treat the exploratory visit as due diligence. Plan meetings, document learnings, and align your plan with real local needs.
Next steps: what to do this week
- Choose your stream (Base Stream vs Regional Stream) based on your target location, ownership structure, and ability to complete Regional Stream referral steps.
- Write a one-page business concept with your planned industry, investment amount, ownership share, and where in B.C. you want to operate.
- Start your net worth and source-of-funds file now by collecting bank statements, tax records, corporate ownership proof, and sale agreements.
- Book an exploratory visit plan (Regional Stream only) with a meeting list, market research, and a clear explanation of what you want to build in that community.
- Get professional review before you file after an ITA so your financial narrative, business plan, and supporting documents line up cleanly.
For more immigration guides written for real-life applicants, you can also visit VisaVerge.com.
British Columbia’s Entrepreneur Immigration program facilitates Canadian residency for business owners through the Base and Regional streams. The December 2025 draw issued 21 invitations, highlighting the province’s commitment to economic growth. Successful applicants must meet investment and net worth thresholds, manage their businesses actively, and fulfill performance agreements. With increased nomination allocations for 2025, these pathways remain vital for international entrepreneurs seeking permanent residency in Canada.
