Entrepreneurs invited in British Columbia PNP draw

British Columbia has extended Invitations to Apply (ITAs) to entrepreneurs.

The British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP) targeted candidates through two of its Entrepreneur Immigration (EI) streams.

This marks the sixth entrepreneur-focused selection round conducted by the province in 2025 thus far.

Assess your eligibility for enhanced PNP streams

Draw results

On August 19, the province conducted draws through the following EI streams:

EI Base Stream; and
EI Regional Stream.

Cumulatively, no more than 16 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) were issued across both streams—with cut-off scores varying stream-to-stream:

Stream	Number of invitations issued	Cut-off score
EI Base Stream	11	124
EI Regional Stream	<5	115

With the exception of a skilled worker draw on May 8, the BC PNP has focused almost entirely on entrepreneurs this year.

The number of invitations issued through British Columbia’s EI streams to date are as follows:

Stream	Invitations issued
EI Base Stream	<45
EI Regional Stream	<25
EI Strategic Projects Stream	0

In total, no more than 70 EI candidates have received invitations to apply for provincial nomination in 2025.

The BC PNP notes that it issues ITAs under the EI Regional Stream approximately once per month to entrepreneurs who have received referrals from participating communities.

For the EI Base Stream, draws which are based on score alone will be held periodically but may be limited based on targeted invitations to ensure timely processing.

The following factors may influence targeted ITAs under the EI Base Stream:

The candidate’s registration score;
The region in which the candidate plans to establish their business;
The population size of the community targeted for the business;
Whether the business is a startup or an acquisition of an existing operation; and
The alignment of the business proposal with established priority business sectors.

Entrepreneur Immigration

The BC PNP’s Entrepreneur Immigration category is intended for foreign nationals aiming to launch a new business or acquire and manage an existing one in British Columbia.

Each stream has unique eligibility requirements and conditions regarding minimum net worth, business investment, and ownership share, among other factors.

EI Base Stream: For entrepreneurs intending to start a new business or acquire and run an established BC business, anywhere in the province.

EI Regional Stream: For entrepreneurs interested in starting a new business in one of British Columbia’s smaller participating communities, organized by development region below.

Development region	Participating communities
Cariboo	-Mackenzie -Quesnel
Kootenay	-Castlegar and Central Kootenay (Areas I & J) -Columbia Valley and East Kootenay -Kimberley -Nelson & Central Kootenay (Areas E & F) -Rossland -Trail
Nechako	-Bulkley-Nechako
Northeast	-Fort St. John
Thompson-Okanagan	-Penticton -Salmon Arm -Vernon
Vancouver Island/Coast	-Cambell River -Comox -Mount Waddington -Powell River

Eligibility for consideration under the EI Base Stream requires a minimum registration score of 115 out of 200, while candidates applying through the EI Regional Stream must attain a minimum score of 105.

An essential requirement of both streams is the creation of at least one full-time equivalent job for a Canadian citizen or permanent resident.

The standard processing time for most applications is approximately four months from the date of submission.

Strategic Projects Stream: For corporations interested in relocating essential personnel to BC for strategic investment opportunities.

After having received a certificate of nomination from the BC PNP through an EI stream, successful nominees can apply to the Canadian federal government for permanent residency.

Assess your eligibility for enhanced PNP streams