British Columbia holds provincial immigration draw targeting entrepreneurs across two PR pathways
On June 30, British Columbia conducted a new selection round through its Entrepreneur Immigration (EI) category.
The province targeted entrepreneurs with plans to establish a new business or acquire and grow an existing business in the province.
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This marks the province’s seventh selection round in 2026 targeting entrepreneurs.
Draw results
The British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BCPNP) issued invitations across both of its EI streams.
The minimum score and number of invitations varied based on stream, with the province prioritizing Base Stream candidates:
| Stream | Minimum score | Invitations issued |
|---|---|---|
| Base Stream | 118 | 14 |
| Regional Stream | 113 | <5 |
British Columbia’s June 30 draw marked the province’s second EI selection of the month, breaking from its earlier pattern of holding one such round per month in 2026.
With the exception of the February 10 draw, the June 30 round produced both the highest Base Stream cutoff and the lowest Regional Stream cutoff seen so far this year.
Throughout 2026, British Columbia has held a total of 12 EI draws—seven through the Base Stream, five through the Regional Stream.
These 12 draws yielded at least 78 invitations to apply (ITAs) for provincial nomination.
About British Columbia’s entrepreneur streams
The province has two entrepreneur streams, each with varying 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 |
*In the absence of a post-secondary credential, you must have spent at least three of the past five years as an active business owner-manager with full ownership of the business.
The pathway to permanent residence (PR) is largely the same for both streams, with two extra requirements applying to the Regional Stream:
- Find a participating community that suits your business (Regional Stream);
- Conduct an exploratory visit and request a referral from your chosen community (Regional Stream);
- Develop a business proposal;
- Register and receive a score based on human capital factors and economic factors;
- Wait for an ITA in an upcoming draw;
- Submit your nomination application within four months of ITA receipt;
- If successful, apply for a work permit with the federal government;
- Establish and operate the business in British Columbia; and
- Receive a nomination for PR if program conditions are met.
Once a nomination is received, candidates may apply directly to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada for PR.
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