BC PNP’s Immigrant Entrepreneur Program Has 50 Communities Interested

1.8 minute read

"The British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP) introduced the Regional Pilot Program (BC PNP) in 2019 to encourage business immigration to smaller regional centers in the province. In the second phase of the pilot, 50 communities in the province have agreed to participate in the pilot program."

Written by My Visa Source Team
Published on: Nov 26, 2021

The British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP) introduced the Regional Pilot Program (BC PNP) in 2019 to encourage business immigration to smaller regional centers in the province. In the second phase of the pilot, 50 communities in the province have agreed to participate in the pilot program.

What Are the Requirements for the Regional Pilot Program (BC PNP)?

International entrepreneurs and investors interested in establishing their business in British Columbia need to meet the following requirements to qualify for the pilot program:

Establish a qualifying business in the province in line with the priorities of the community where the business is to be located
Have previous business ownership and/or management experience
Have a personal net worth of at least $300,000
Have the capability to make a personal investment of at least $100,000 in the qualifying business
Create at least 1 full-time job opportunity for a Canadian citizen or permanent resident
Demonstrate language proficiency with at least a level 4 on the Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB) for English or French
Be eligible for permanent residence in Canada
Be admissible to enter Canada
Have legal status in the country where they are currently living

The Regional Pilot Program (BC PNP) was introduced in 2019 as a 2-year pilot and then later extended in March 2021 for another 3 years until March 31, 2024.

How Many Business Immigrants Did British Columbia Invite in 2021?

Despite the ongoing pandemic, British Columbia managed to invite 300 new immigrants through its business immigration programs until the end of August this year, according to the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). Last year, immigration levels to British Columbia took a hit and fell almost 43.3% from 50,230 to 21,740 due to pandemic-related restrictions. However, the province plans to bounce back to the immigration levels post-pandemic quickly. Till August 2021, the BC PNP has managed to invite 37,675 new immigrants, recovering the immigration levels by almost 12.5%.

What Are the Requirements for the Communities to Participate in the Regional Pilot Program (BC PNP)?

Participating communities need to meet the following criteria to qualify for the pilot program:

Have a population of fewer than 75,000 people

Be located at least 30 kilometers from a municipality of more than 75,000 people

Demonstrate the capacity to support foreign entrepreneurs through a network of well-established settlement and business support organizations

Given the relaxations in international travel and border restrictions with the wide-scale distribution of Covid-19 vaccines, smaller communities are back on track on attracting international entrepreneurs who can help these communities with economic recovery and growth post-pandemic. Over the last 2 years, the Regional Pilot Program (BC PNP) has adequately demonstrated its success in attracting foreign entrepreneurs to establish their business in small communities in British Columbia.