On March 10, 2026, the British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP) conducted its latest provincial draw under the Entrepreneur Immigration program, issuing invitations under both the Entrepreneur Immigration Base and Entrepreneur Immigration Regional streams. The invitations were aimed at qualified entrepreneur candidates seeking to establish a business in British Columbia or take over and grow an existing business in the province.
According to the results of this draw:
| Date | Stream | Minimum Score | Number of Invitations |
|---|---|---|---|
| March 10, 2026 | Base | 117 | 7 |
| March 10, 2026 | Regional | 129 | Fewer than 5 |
Looking at the year-to-date trend, British Columbia has already held five entrepreneur immigration draws in 2026, issuing no fewer than 29 invitations to business candidates. At the same time, the province also held two Skills Immigration (SI) draws this year, on February 4 and February 11, issuing a combined total of 889 invitations. This continues a clear pattern seen in 2025: entrepreneur-category draws remain relatively frequent, but the majority of invitations are still issued through the Skills Immigration category.
What is the difference between the two entrepreneur pathways?
British Columbia’s Entrepreneur Immigration program currently includes the Base stream and the Regional stream. Both are designed for applicants with business management experience who intend to operate a business in the province, but the positioning and requirements of the two streams are different.
1. Base stream: For experienced entrepreneurs seeking flexibility across the province
The Base stream is primarily intended for more experienced entrepreneurs. Applicants may choose to:
- start a new business anywhere in British Columbia; or
- purchase an existing business and further operate and expand it.
This stream does not require a community referral, giving applicants greater flexibility in choosing where to establish their business. However, compared with the Regional stream, the Base stream has higher financial requirements, generally including:
- a minimum net worth of CAD 600,000;
- a minimum investment of CAD 200,000.
2. Regional stream: Encouraging entrepreneurship outside Metro Vancouver
The Regional stream is more specifically aimed at attracting entrepreneurs who want to establish a new business in communities outside the Metro Vancouver Regional District, in order to support regional economic development.
Compared with the Base stream, this stream has lower financial requirements, typically including:
- a minimum net worth of CAD 300,000;
- a minimum investment of CAD 100,000.
At the same time, the Regional stream is more locally focused in its eligibility framework and usually requires applicants to:
- obtain a referral from a participating community;
- complete an exploratory visit; and
- establish a new business in the designated community.
This means that while the Regional stream is more accessible in terms of financial thresholds, it places greater emphasis on the applicant’s practical connection with the local community.
How does the entrepreneur immigration process usually work?
Although requirements, timelines, and processing progress may vary from case to case, entrepreneur applicants generally move through the following steps:
- Register and receive a score Applicants must first confirm that they meet program eligibility requirements, then register in the entrepreneur immigration system and receive a score.
- Receive an invitation in a draw If an applicant’s score is competitive enough, they may receive an invitation in a scheduled draw.
- Submit a full application and obtain a work permit After being invited, applicants must submit a complete application. If approved, they will typically first obtain a work permit to implement their business plan in British Columbia.
- Establish and operate the business in British Columbia Applicants must complete the investment, set up the business, and operate it in accordance with the approved business plan.
- Receive a provincial nomination after meeting program conditions Once all program conditions are met, applicants may receive a provincial nomination and proceed toward permanent residence.
After receiving a nomination, candidates may apply directly to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) for permanent residence (PR).
What policy signals does this draw send?
From the structure of this draw, British Columbia is continuing to operate its Entrepreneur Immigration program on a regular basis, while using the Base and Regional streams in parallel to address the development needs of different parts of the province.
Specifically:
- the Base stream is better suited to entrepreneurs with stronger financial capacity who want greater flexibility in choosing where to invest and operate within the province;
- the Regional stream more directly serves the population growth and economic development goals of communities outside Metro Vancouver.
For applicants interested in immigrating to Canada through business investment, British Columbia’s Entrepreneur Immigration program remains a provincial pathway worth watching. However, because the total number of invitations remains relatively limited, especially in the Regional stream where each draw typically issues only a small number of invitations, applicants still need to prepare thoroughly in terms of business experience, financial capacity, project planning, and regional fit in order to improve their competitiveness.
