British Columbia invites entrepreneurs to pursue provincial nomination
On September 22, the British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BCPNP) issued no fewer than 10 invitations to apply for provincial nomination through its Entrepreneur Immigration category.
Invitations were issued through both its entrepreneur-focused streams, to foreign nationals intending to establish a new business in the province or purchase and grow an existing one.
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Nomination applicants approved by British Columbia will be issued a work permit support letter, which can then be used to apply to the federal government for a work permit.
Those who meet the terms of their business performance agreement and are nominated may become eligible for a Bridging Open Work Permit (BOWP) after submitting their permanent residence (PR) application.
Since June 9, 2026, nominees applying for PR through a base PNP pathway have been able to apply for a BOWP months sooner under a temporary federal measure that removes the need to first receive an Acknowledgement of Receipt (AOR) for their PR application.
Draw details
Invitations were issued through both the Base Stream and the Regional Stream of the Entrepreneur Immigration category, with the majority issued through the former.
Candidates under both streams needed to have a score of at least 119 to be selected in this round.
| Stream | Invitations issued | Minimum score |
|---|---|---|
| Base Stream | 10 | 119 |
| Regional Stream | <5 | 119 |
With a cutoff of 119, both streams saw their highest threshold in 2026 in several months: since February 10 for the Base Stream and March 10 for the Regional Stream.
This latest round marked the province’s 10th entrepreneur-focused selection round of 2026.
Under its 10 entrepreneur selections rounds, the province has conducted 17 draws—10 targeting Base Stream candidates, and the remaining seven targeting Regional Stream candidates.
View the table below to see how this round compares to previous Entrepreneur Immigration selections held over the course of 2026:
| Date of draw | Stream | Minimum score | Invitations issued |
|---|---|---|---|
| 22 Sep | Base | 119 | 10 |
| Regional | 119 | <5 | |
| 25 Aug | Base | 116 | 11 |
| Regional | 116 | 5 | |
| 28 Jul | Base | 117 | 10 |
| 30 Jun | Base | 118 | 14 |
| Regional | 113 | <5 | |
| 2 Jun | Base | 117 | 15 |
| Regional | 117 | <5 | |
| 5 May | Base | 115 | 8 |
| Regional | 115 | <5 | |
| 14 Apr | Base | 115 | 14 |
| 10 Mar | Base | 117 | 7 |
| Regional | 129 | <5 | |
| 10 Feb | Base | 121 | 13 |
| Regional | 105 | <5 | |
| 14 Jan | Base | 115 | 7 |
As of September 22, the BCPNP has issued no fewer than 114 invitations to apply for provincial nomination through the Entrepreneur Immigration category in 2026.
Factoring in Skills Immigration invitations (>5,300), the BCPNP has issued no fewer than 5,414 invitations over the course of the year.
The Base Stream vs. the Regional Stream
While both pathways are intended for entrepreneurs seeking permanent residence in British Columbia, the Base Stream and Regional Stream each operate under different eligibility rules and requirements:
| Criteria | Base Stream | Regional Stream |
|---|---|---|
| Business type | Launch a new business or take over + grow existing one | Launch a new business outside the Metro Vancouver Regional District |
| Business experience | 3 years as a business owner-manager in the last 10 years | 3 years as a business owner-manager in the last 5 years |
| *Education | Post-secondary credential | Post-secondary credential |
| Minimum language proficiency | CLB 4 | CLB 4 |
| Minimum personal net worth | $600,000 | $300,000 |
| Minimum investment | $200,000 | $100,000 |
| Minimum ownership | 33.33% | 51% |
| Community referral required? | No | Yes |
| Exploratory visit required? | No | Yes |
| Minimum registration score | 115/200 | 105/200 |
| Registration with BCPNP co-applicant permitted? | Yes | No |
*Applicants without a post-secondary credential must have at least three years of active business ownership and management experience within the past five years, during which they held full ownership of the business.
Pathway to permanent residence for entrepreneurs
The process toward permanent residence is broadly similar under both entrepreneur streams, although Regional Stream candidates must complete two additional steps at the outset:
- Select a participating community that fits the proposed business concept (Regional);
- Complete an exploratory visit and secure a community referral (Regional);
- Develop a business proposal;
- Register with the BCPNP and receive a score based on human capital and economic factors;
- Wait for an invitation to apply in a future draw;
- Submit a provincial nomination application within four months of receiving an invitation;
- If approved, apply to the federal government for a work permit;
- Move to British Columbia and establish and operate the proposed business; and
- Receive a provincial nomination after meeting the applicable program requirements.
After receiving a nomination, candidates can submit an application for permanent residence to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada.
