Business Immigration Update 2026: The BC PNP Entrepreneur Program

By Catherine Sas, K.C.
Special to The Post

The current state of business immigration in Canada can only be described as abysmal. There is currently no federal immigration program open for business. There remain some types of business work permits but many categories are either limited or completely closed and presently they do not provide a path to permanent residence.
At an immigration program that I attended last year, a spokesperson from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) claimed that notwithstanding the closure of all federal business immigration programs, IRCC remains committed to business immigration through the ongoing provincial and territorial nominee (PNP) business immigration programs! Wow! What a statement!
Given that IRCC is endorsing the provincial and territorial programs for prospective federal business applicants, let’s review the current state of business immigration in British Columbia with the BC PNP Entrepreneur program.

The BC PNP Entrepreneur program was revised and re-introduced in the summer of 2015. For a full description of the program as reintroduced, I refer you to a series of blogs that I wrote at the time:

• BC's Business Immigration Program Reopens for Business - 14 July 2015
• Understanding BC's new PNP Entrepreneur Immigration Stream ・ The Devil is in the Details - 28 July 2015
• You've been Invited to Apply! What's next for a BC PNP Business Applicant? - 11 August 2015
• The BC PNP Entrepreneur Immigration Stream: A 10 Step Program - 24 August 2015

The structure as I have described is essentially the same but it has had moderate tweaks over the years. A significant modification to the BC PNP Entrepreneur program was the introduction of the Regional Pilot program which has since become a permanent program.
This means that prospective business immigrants to British Columbia have two choices - the Base Entrepreneur program and the Regional Entrepreneur program.
For a quick reference point as to the differences between the two programs, I refer you to the 撤rograms at a Glance・ on page 7 of the Guides (Base Stream, Regional Stream).
Also the BC PNP program has two distinct guides for each program. The Guide is your BIBLE! Read it and re-read it. It tells you pretty much (emphasis on pretty much) everything you need to know from a technical perspective. However, as in most things in life, you need to know a bit more than the mere technical requirements.

Here are some key takeaways that I have come to know in my many years as an immigration lawyer advising prospective business immigrants:

Don’t Go for the Minimum

A review of the differences between the Base and the Regional BC PNP Entrepreneur programs indicates different minimum investment thresholds: a minimum $200,000 investment for the Base program and $100,000 for the Regional program.
Don’t count on receiving an invitation to apply (ITA)  if you only offer the minimum in your registration or business plan. These thresholds are set province wide. The acceptable threshold in Vancouver is not likely the same as the threshold for Chetwynd or Prince Rupert.
And there are no guidelines as to what will be accepted. The same applies to job creation. While the programs call for the establishment of one full-time job to be created, that is the mere minimum.
Planning for a higher degree of both investment and job creation strengthens the basis of your application. Remember that this is an economic program meant to provide economic stimulus to the province of BC. It is not meant for applicants to offer the bare minimum as the basis to obtain permanent residence to Canada.

Make an Exploratory Visit (Or Several)

Whether you are opting for either the Base or Regional program you are well advised to make one or more visits to various regions of BC. The Regional program does require a visit to the region, but that is only AFTER the region endorses your proposal.
You are well advised to visit several regions in BC in advance of submitting a registration in order to demonstrate both your commitment to the province and that you are serious about learning about where your business will be the most successful.

BC is not your Only Option

There are several other PNP business immigration programs across the provinces and territories of Canada. They are not always open - for example at present the Ontario business immigration programs is closed. Aspiring business immigrants to Canada should explore all of their options for this category of immigration. Given the many regional differences, it is worthwhile to engage a local immigration professional to learn the specifics of the program of any region that you are considering.

Business Immigration is not for the Faint of Heart

As my series of blogs on the BC PNP entrepreneur program indicate, this is a process with many, many stages and it is not a speedy route to permanent residence. You need to be prepared for a lot of work, waiting time, and expense - not only to an immigration professional but to accounting professionals and in many cases translators and interpreters.
You will need to have a language test in either or both English or French regardless of whether these are your native languages. It is worthwhile to invest some preliminary time and money to learn about this program in depth to see if it is the right program for you. 

You need Competent Representation

In my experience this is not a course of immigration that a person can do on their own. Few immigration lawyers tackle this area of practice given its complexity. Furthermore, as I have indicated above, you want to have a regionally experienced immigration professional.
A lawyer in Atlantic Canada may be very well versed in the business programs in that part of the country yet not know the program details in Ontario, Manitoba or British Columbia. You will be well served to have professional guidance at every step of the way and certainly well before starting this process.
Also, check the references of the immigration professional that you are considering. Ask whether they have prepared such applications before and how recently. There is a lot at stake in terms of what you will be investing in both time and money and you want to make sure that you are being advised properly.

Business immigration has never been easy in Canada. Over the years, I have made many, many presentations about business immigration both within Canada and internationally, and my message has always been bleak - I refer you to my blog from 2022 entitled The Absence of a Meaningful Business Immigration Program: Canada痴 Lost Opportunity”. I am still of this view and since the end of April of 2024 things have only become significantly worse. (Click here for a complete list of our business immigration blogs).
Earlier this year I was invited to speak at an event where my host wanted me to extoll the virtues of the BC PNP Entrepreneur program so as to entice the audience to pursue this permanent residency pathway.
I scratched my head to think “what positive thing could I possibly say about a program that I have never felt good about and have always publicly criticized?” I was candid with the audience and told them that the most positive thing about the BC PNP Entrepreneur program is that IT IS THE ONLY GAME IN TOWN! If this is your goal, then you need to know how to play the game.

Catherine Sas, K.C. has over 35 years of legal experience. She provides a full range of immigration services and is a leading immigration practitioner (Lexpert, Who’s Who Legal, Best Lawyers in Canada). Go to canadian-visa-lawyer.com or email [email protected].