strategic projects


Strategic Projects Requirements

BC Provincial Nominee Program - Business Immigrants

The Strategic Projects category assists foreign-controlled companies establishing an eligible business in BC with the timely entry of foreign key managerial, professional or technical staff, up to a maximum of 5 per company, who intend to become permanent residents of Canada and settle in BC

Companies applying in this category will be required to:

  1. Make a minimum equity investment of $500,000.
  2. Create at least three jobs for Canadians or permanent residents in BC for each nominee applicant put forward by the company, except when the applicant is applying as a regional Succession Plan Buy-out which reduces this requirement by one job for each existing job to be maintained.
  3. Demonstrate a record of good business practices and successful business operations outside of Canada that are relevant to the proposed business.
  4. Establish or purchase and expand an eligible business anywhere in BC
  5. Incorporate a Canadian subsidiary or register an extra-provincial company in BC to operate the proposed business.
  6. Demonstrate that the nominee applicants are qualified senior personnel who are essential to establishing or expanding and operating the proposed business in BC
  7. Sign a Performance Agreement with the Province of British Columbia.

    8. The fast track option is NOT available to nominee candidates in the Strategic Projects category

Business Succession Plan Buy-out

Strategic Project sponsoring companies who commit to purchase an existing business will have their stipulated job creation requirements reduced by one job for each existing job that is to be maintained for Canadian citizens or permanent residents. These applications will receive priority processing.

In addition to meeting the requirements for the strategic projects category, the following additional requirements must be met.

The target business must:

  • be located outside of the Vancouver metropolitan area (PDF - 2.34MB) and the Abbotsford metropolitan area (PDF - 775KB)
  • be operated by the same owner for a minimum of 5 years
  • have employees, other than family members
  • be actively in operation.

The sponsoring company must:

  • complete an exploratory visit to meet the retiring owners and, where feasible, the local Economic Development Office
  • operate the business for a minimum of one full year prior to the Key Staff being considered for nomination, with long term intentions of continuing to operate the business
  • the succession plan buy-out transaction is to result in a complete change of ownership whereby the purchaser(s) take full control of the business.