The government of British Columbia has released the results of its latest Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP) draw, conducted on August 19, 2025. This round of invitations continued the province's recent focus on attracting business investment and job creation by targeting candidates in its Entrepreneur Immigration streams.
Latest Draw Results in Detail
According to official data, invitations were issued through two Entrepreneur Immigration (EI) streams:
- EI – Base Stream
- EI – Regional Pilot
A combined total of no more than 16 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) were issued across both streams, with distinct cut-off scores for each:
| Stream | Number of Invitations Issued | Cut-off Score |
|---|---|---|
| EI Base Stream | 11 | 124 |
| EI Regional Pilot | <5 | 115 |
Analysis of 2025 Trends
Data from 2025 shows a significant strategic focus on entrepreneurship within the BC PNP. With the exception of a single skilled worker draw on May 8, nearly all other invitation rounds this year have been dedicated to entrepreneurs.
The cumulative number of invitations issued through BC's EI streams year-to-date are as follows:
- EI Base Stream: Fewer than 45
- EI Regional Pilot: Fewer than 25
- Strategic Projects Stream: 0
In total, no more than 70 entrepreneur candidates have been invited to apply for a provincial nomination in 2025.
Draw Mechanism and Program Overview
The BC PNP notes that draws for the EI Regional Pilot are conducted approximately once per month, targeting entrepreneurs who have already received a referral from a participating community.
In contrast, draws for the EI Base Stream are held periodically and are primarily based on a candidate's registration score. However, to ensure timely processing, the province may conduct targeted draws. Factors influencing these targeted invitations can include:
- The candidate’s registration score;
- The proposed region for the business;
- The population size of the target community;
- Whether the business is a new startup or the acquisition of an existing one;
- The alignment of the business proposal with B.C.'s priority sectors.
British Columbia’s Entrepreneur Immigration program is designed for foreign nationals who intend to establish a new business or purchase and manage an existing one in the province.
- Base Stream: For entrepreneurs planning to operate a business anywhere in British Columbia.
- Regional Pilot: Specifically designed for entrepreneurs looking to start a new business in one of B.C.'s smaller, designated communities (such as Quesnel, Kimberley, Vernon, Campbell River, etc.).
- Strategic Projects Stream: For foreign corporations that wish to relocate key staff to British Columbia to establish strategic operations.
Key Application Requirements
It is important to note that the minimum registration score to enter the candidate pool is 115 for the Base Stream and 105 for the Regional Pilot (out of a possible 200). However, the actual cut-off scores required to receive an invitation, such as 124 and 115 in this draw, are typically higher.
Furthermore, a mandatory requirement for both streams is that the proposed business must create at least one new full-time equivalent job for a Canadian citizen or permanent resident.
The standard processing time for most complete applications is approximately four months from the date of submission. After successfully receiving a nomination certificate from the BC PNP, candidates can then apply to the federal government of Canada for permanent residence.
