Entrepreneur Immigration - Base Category Program Requirements
This page was last updated on July 19, 2021
Effective immediately, we are temporarily pausing the intake of new registrations to the Entrepreneur Immigration - Base category. The temporary pause does NOT affect individuals who have already submitted a registration or application. They will remain active in the system and will continue to be processed through to final decisions. However, registrations have an expiry date. Should a registration expire without having received an invitation to apply, a new registration cannot be submitted during this pause.
We will post an update in early 2022 to notify people when registrations will likely resume.
Visit our News page for more details.
Contact us at En.Imm@gov.bc.ca.
If you want to immigrate to B.C. and are ready to invest in and actively manage a valid business here, you may qualify for our Entrepreneur Immigration - Base Category. Here is an overview of the requirements.
Personal requirements
To qualify, you must:
- have a personal net worth of at least CAD$600,000
- demonstrate business and/or management experience
- have, or be eligible for, legal immigration status in Canada
You must also have been lawfully admitted in the country where you currently reside.
Please review our Entrepreneur Immigration - Base Category Program Guide to see the complete personal requirements.
Business, job and investment requirements
To qualify you must:
- establish an eligible new business or purchase and improve an existing business
- make an eligible personal investment of at least CAD$200,000 in the business
- create at least one new full-time job for a Canadian citizen or permanent resident in the business
Please review our Entrepreneur Immigration - Base Category Program Guide to see the complete business and investment requirements, including business eligibility and job requirements.
Registration and application fees
All applicants must pay the following fees:
- $300 registration fee
- $3,500 application fee
How does it work?
The first step is to research B.C.’s economy and regions to find a business opportunity. The WorkBC website provides comprehensive information and data about B.C.’s labour market and industries. When you have a business idea, please create a profile and a registration with our online application and registration system, BCPNP Online. Please include a business concept.
If you are eligible, you will receive a score based on your registration information. We will also put you into a qualified pool. Periodically, we invite people with the highest scores to apply through BCPNP Online.
See how to register and apply. Registration requires a non-refundable $300 fee.
Get started
For complete, up-to-date program information and requirements, please review the BC PNP Entrepreneur Immigration - Base Category Program Guide.
Note: This website provides a high-level overview of the program only. Please refer to the program guide for the most current and complete information. Check back often to ensure you have the latest version.