(BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA) British Columbia has stepped up its push to attract global business leaders, issuing a fresh round of invitations under its Entrepreneur Immigration stream on November 18, 2025. In this latest British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP) draw, the province invited 19 candidates in the Entrepreneur Immigration – Base category and fewer than five under the Regional Pilot, underscoring a clear focus on experienced entrepreneurs ready to invest, create jobs, and settle in communities across the province.
The draw continues a pattern of regular entrepreneur selections in 2025 and sends a strong signal to prospective investors that the province remains open for business, but with a more selective, quality‑driven approach.
Recent draw activity and trends in 2025
This November 18 draw is the sixth entrepreneur-focused selection of 2025, following several earlier rounds that set a higher bar compared with 2024. Analysis by VisaVerge.com indicates a shift toward fewer invitations and higher minimum scores in 2025.
- In 2024, roughly 80 business candidates received invitations across all entrepreneur categories.
- In 2025, the province has been issuing fewer invitations but at higher minimum scores.
For example, the August 19, 2025 draw:
– Invited 11 candidates in the Base category (lowest score: 124).
– Invited up to five candidates in the Regional Pilot (minimum score: 115).
These figures suggest that while the province still welcomes newcomers with business plans, only the strongest registrations are now most likely to receive invitations.
How BC PNP scores entrepreneur registrations
BC PNP uses a detailed points grid that rewards elements seen as most useful for long‑term economic growth. Key evaluated factors include:
- Proposed investment size
- Projected job creation
- Business experience
- Personal net worth
- Language skills
- Location and sector of the planned business
Officials set minimum registration scores of:
– 115 out of 200 for the Entrepreneur Immigration – Base category
– 105 for the Regional Pilot
Important: Recent draws suggest competitive scores are often well above these thresholds. Candidates meeting only the minimum may remain in the pool for some time if stronger profiles continue entering the system.
📝 Track BC PNP timelines closely: expect registration feedback in about six weeks and allow roughly four months for work-permit and final decisions after invitation.
Choosing between Base category and Regional Pilot
For many immigrants, the choice is between the broader Entrepreneur Immigration – Base category and the location‑specific Regional Pilot.
Base category:
– Open to entrepreneurs who want to start a new business or buy and grow an existing one anywhere in British Columbia.
– Expects businesses to be commercially viable and to deliver clear economic benefits.
– Priority sectors include technology, healthcare, and other high‑impact industries.
Regional Pilot:
– Tailored to smaller communities wanting to attract new businesses.
– Requires the entrepreneur to set up and actively manage a new business in a participating regional community.
– Has lower minimums:
– Personal net worth: CAD $300,000
– Investment: CAD $100,000
– Emphasizes boosting local economies outside main urban centres.
Core requirements across entrepreneur streams
Despite differences, core expectations for all entrepreneur applicants remain demanding. Key requirements include:
- Personal investment (Base category): at least CAD $200,000 in eligible business expenses.
- Job creation: create at least one full‑time equivalent job for a Canadian citizen or permanent resident.
- Business experience: proven record as an active owner‑operator or senior manager.
- Personal net worth (Base): at least CAD $600,000.
- Language ability: show Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) level 4 in English or French (listening, speaking, reading, writing) by nomination time.
- Ownership: at least 51 percent ownership in the proposed business — passive investing in someone else’s project does not qualify.
Strategic Projects route (separate option)
Alongside individual entrepreneur pathways, BC offers a Strategic Projects option for foreign‑controlled companies wanting to establish or expand operations and bring in key staff.
Key points:
– Minimum equity investment: CAD $500,000.
– Commitment to create at least three new jobs for Canadians or permanent residents for each foreign key staff member (cap of five such foreign key staff).
While separate from the November 18, 2025 draw, the Strategic Projects stream supports the same aim: tie foreign investment directly to job creation and a sustained presence in British Columbia.
Timelines, predictability, and application flow
BC PNP has published target timelines to give applicants more predictability:
- Registration score notification: within about six weeks.
- Decisions on complete work permit‑stage applications: around four months.
- Decisions at final report stage: similar four‑month target.
- After receiving an invitation, candidates have 120 days to:
- Submit a full application.
- Undergo review of declared personal net worth and funds.
- Pay all required fees.
These timelines provide a roadmap for planning, though they remain subject to change.
🔔 After receiving an invitation, you typically have 120 days to submit a full application, verify funds, and pay fees—mark the deadline and prepare all supporting documents in advance.
From invitation to permanent residence — step-by-step
The path under the entrepreneur stream generally follows this sequence:
- Develop a detailed business proposal showing commitment to actively manage the business and meet BC PNP criteria.
- Register online with the province.
- If the registration score is high enough, receive an invitation in a draw (e.g., 19 Base candidates on November 18, 2025).
- Submit a full BC PNP application.
- If approved, receive a letter of support to apply for a federal work permit.
- Move to British Columbia and typically have 18 to 20 months to:
- Implement the business plan,
- Invest the promised funds,
- Create required jobs.
- Submit a final report to BC PNP at the end of the performance period.
- If satisfied, the province issues a nomination.
- Apply for permanent residence with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) via the federal process explained on the official IRCC website.
Federal approval completes the journey to permanent resident status in Canada.
What types of proposals score well
Provincial officials favor business plans tied to priority sectors and regional needs. Proposals that tend to stand out:
- Healthcare‑related services
- Technology and other high‑impact industries
- Projects that address gaps in smaller communities
Other scoring advantages:
– Stronger language skills
– Deeper work experience
– Higher education levels
The BC PNP guidance on the BC PNP official site explains how these factors help ensure entrepreneurs can integrate, manage staff, and adapt to B.C.’s business environment long term.
Program access and frequency of draws
One encouraging sign for overseas applicants is that British Columbia has kept entrepreneur draws active throughout 2025, even as some worker and graduate categories see pauses or more targeted rounds.
Benefits of the rolling approach:
– Invitations issued for both Base and Regional Pilot categories.
– Multiple chances in a year to secure an invitation.
– Opportunity for candidates to improve their registration score by:
– Adjusting business plans,
– Strengthening language results,
– Gathering more proof of management experience,
– Re‑registering.
Impact on families and communities
The program’s policy choices affect real people and places:
- For mid‑career business owners abroad with savings and a track record, the BC PNP entrepreneur stream offers a structured path to building a life in British Columbia while continuing to run a business.
- For small towns facing closures and youth out‑migration, a single well‑planned Regional Pilot project can bring new jobs, services, and a stronger tax base.
- Higher thresholds and strong competition mean some applicants who meet baseline rules still may not receive invitations, pushing them to either improve their profiles or consider other immigration options.
Key takeaway: British Columbia is balancing openness to business immigration with a focus on program integrity and measurable economic outcomes. The province seeks entrepreneurs willing to commit funds, create local jobs, and meet language and experience standards.
Conclusion
The November 18, 2025 entrepreneur draw is another clear signal that British Columbia wants investors and entrepreneurs who will take real risks, relocate, and deliver on business plans. For those prepared to meet the requirements — investment, job creation, language, experience, and ownership — the BC PNP entrepreneur streams continue to offer a direct, though demanding, route to permanent residence and a long‑term future on Canada’s Pacific coast.
British Columbia’s November 18, 2025 BC PNP entrepreneur draw invited 19 Base candidates and fewer than five Regional Pilot applicants. The province has held six entrepreneur selections in 2025, favoring fewer invitations with higher minimum scores than in 2024. Core requirements include minimum investments (Base CAD $200,000), net worth thresholds (Base CAD $600,000), CLB 4 language ability, active business management, and job creation. Regional Pilot offers lower financial thresholds but requires establishing the business in participating regional communities.
