New developments have emerged in immigration affairs for the Canadian province of British Columbia (BC). On May 28, local time, the BC Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP) conducted a new round of Invitations to Apply (ITAs) under its Entrepreneur Immigration (EI) category, specifically for its two sub-streams: the EI Regional stream and the EI Base stream. This move reaffirms BC's active efforts to attract foreign nationals willing to establish new businesses or acquire existing ones in the province, aiming to inject new vitality into the local economy.

According to official data released by the BC PNP, the specific results of this draw are as follows:

• EI Regional stream: Fewer than 5 invitations issued, with a minimum cut-off score of 123.
• EI Base stream: 9 invitations issued, with a minimum cut-off score of 115.

Cumulatively, the total number of invitations for these two entrepreneur streams was capped at no more than 14.

A noteworthy trend is the consistent and stable invitation pace of BC's Entrepreneur Immigration program in 2025, with eight selections conducted year-to-date. This contrasts sharply with the invitation frequency of the province's skills immigration streams, which have only seen one draw under the BC PNP so far in 2025. This difference may reflect BC's current strategic emphasis on business investment-based immigration.

BC PNP official information indicates that invitations for the EI Regional stream are issued approximately once per month, primarily targeting eligible entrepreneurs who have received a referral from a participating community in BC and plan to establish a new business within that community. A key requirement for this stream is that applicants must start a new business in a designated participating rural community; acquiring an existing business is not permitted under this stream.

For the EI Base stream, the invitation mechanism is more diverse. In addition to periodic draws based on registration score rankings, the BC PNP may also issue targeted invitations based on one or more of the following factors:

• The eligible candidate’s registration score;
• The particular region where the candidate intends to establish a business;
• The population size of the community where the business would be located;
• Whether the proposed business is a start-up or involves purchasing an existing business;
• and/orWhether the business proposal aligns with priority sectors identified by BC.

The provincial nominee office also stated that invitations for the Base stream based solely on score-ranking might be limited to maintain normal processing times and to prioritize targeted invitations that align with specific development goals.

About BC PNP Entrepreneur Immigration

The BC PNP Entrepreneur Immigration is a pathway designed for foreign entrepreneurs who wish to establish a new business or purchase and actively manage an existing one in British Columbia. This branch of the BC PNP is distinct from the province's skills-based immigration streams and primarily comprises the aforementioned Regional and Base streams.

The main distinctions between these two sub-streams lie in the location and model of entrepreneurship:

• The EI Regional stream requires applicants to establish a brand-new business in a designated, participating rural community in BC and necessitates a referral from that community to be eligible for an ITA.
• The EI Base stream offers applicants greater flexibility, allowing them to start a new business or acquire an existing one anywhere in BC (including metropolitan areas like Vancouver), without requiring community endorsement.

Beyond these core differences, the two streams have further distinguishing features, including but not limited to minimum net worth requirements for candidates, minimum business ownership stake, minimum investment amounts, and timeframes for submitting a final business operation report. Prospective applicants should carefully review the official guidelines to ensure they meet all criteria. The issuance of these invitations is undoubtedly a positive signal for international businesspeople intending to immigrate to Canada through entrepreneurship.