British Columbia recently held a new draw under the Entrepreneur Immigration (EI) program of the British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP), issuing invitations to eligible candidates under both the Base and Regional streams. Those invited were mainly business applicants planning to establish a new business in British Columbia or acquire and expand an existing one. In this round, the minimum invitation score was 117 for the Base stream, with 7 invitations issued, while the minimum score for the Regional stream was 129, with fewer than 5 invitations issued. Since the start of 2026, British Columbia has completed five entrepreneur-category draws, reflecting the province’s continued steady pace in attracting business immigrants and supporting regional economic development.

The Government of New Brunswick announced and implemented a wide-ranging set of changes on February 3, 2026, affecting both the New Brunswick Provincial Nominee Program (NBPNP) and the province’s Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP). The updates include removing consideration for accommodation and food services (NAICS 72) roles across multiple pathways, excluding several specific occupations from consideration, moving AIP endorsement processing to a candidate-pool model, temporarily pausing new AIP employer designation applications, and tightening endorsement eligibility for overseas candidates to three priority sectors. In addition, New Brunswick will extend its Private Career College Graduate Pilot through the end of 2026 in a limited capacity for certain international students already enrolled in eligible programs at Oulton College or Eastern College whose completion dates extend beyond the pilot’s original end date.

Under the targeted selection policies of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), the healthcare sector has solidified its position as a premier pathway for foreign workers and international students seeking Permanent Residence (PR). Recent policy analysis indicates that not all medical careers require lengthy university education; six specific occupations, requiring only two years or less of college training, are currently being prioritized by the government. Through category-based Express Entry draws, eligible candidates in these fields are receiving invitations to apply with Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) scores significantly lower than those in general streams.

On January 13, 2026, British Columbia held its first Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP) selection of the year, specifically targeting the "Base Stream" of its Entrepreneur Immigration Program. Marking the start of the 2026 selection cycle, the province issued invitations to seven candidates, with a minimum required score of 115. This draw underscores the province's continued policy focus on attracting experienced business professionals capable of establishing new ventures or taking over existing operations to stimulate local employment and economic development. Data from 2025 indicates that this stream remains one of the most frequently drawn categories, highlighting sustained demand for business immigration.

On December 16, 2025, the British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP) conducted its latest draw targeting candidates in the Entrepreneur Immigration (EI) category. The draw issued a combined total of no more than 21 invitations across the Base and Regional streams. This round marks the second-largest selection for entrepreneurs in 2025, highlighting a steady finish to the year despite initial federal quota cuts. Following successful lobbying by the provincial government, British Columbia’s total nomination allocation for 2025 has recovered to 6,214 spaces, with the province aiming to fully utilize this capacity by year-end.

Canada’s federal immigration department has announced major adjustments to its business immigration programs, including the suspension of new applications under the Start-up Visa Program and the continued pause of the Self-Employed Persons Program. The measures are intended to reduce application backlogs and prepare for a more targeted entrepreneur immigration pilot, details of which are expected to be released in 2026.

On December 11, 2025, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) conducted the first category-based Express Entry draw of the month, issuing 1,000 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) to candidates in the healthcare and social services sector. With a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 476, the draw highlights Canada’s continued focus on attracting skilled professionals in essential public service fields amid ongoing labour shortages.

Canada offers multiple immigration pathways for individuals who wish to immigrate through entrepreneurship or business investment, including the federal Start-Up Visa (SUV), several federal work permit categories, provincial entrepreneur programs, and the Quebec Immigrant Investor Program. Each pathway carries distinct requirements related to investment amounts, business experience, language proficiency, and documentation. With frequent policy changes and complex due-diligence procedures, many applicants work with immigration lawyers or licensed consultants to select the right program, prepare documentation, and maintain compliance to improve approval outcomes and protect their investment.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) conducted a new Express Entry draw on November 14, 2025, issuing 3,500 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) to candidates in the Healthcare and Social Services occupations category. The minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score required for this draw was 462—the lowest cutoff among the six Healthcare and Social Services draws held this year. This was also the third Express Entry draw of November, highlighting IRCC’s continued priority on recruiting healthcare professionals.

Between October 6 and 9, 2025, the New Brunswick Provincial Nominee Program (NB PNP) held three consecutive draws, issuing invitations to apply to over 500 candidates. The draws were conducted through two main categories: the New Brunswick Express Entry stream for individuals employed in the province, and the Skilled Worker stream for those working in priority occupations. The provincial government also reminded applicants that not all applications submitted in response to these draws will be processed by the end of 2025.