Canada
The British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP) is an immigration program
designed to allow BC to increase the economic benefits of immigration to the province.
It allows British Columbia to select immigrants based on their ability to contribute to the
BC economy.
The BC PNP was developed under the authority of the Agreement for Canada – BC
Cooperation on Immigration.
The BC PNP became operational in 2001 and has expanded to include categories to
attract various types of economic immigrants.
Business Categories
The Business Categories component of the BC Provincial Nominee Program was
developed to provide British Columbia with a mechanism for increasing economic
benefits of immigration to the province. Please note that meeting minimum selection
criteria does not guarantee selection. Program targets and processing capacity lead to
a focus on the candidates best able to bring economic benefit to
the Province.
Regional Business Category:
This category is intended to assist people from outside Canada, with proven skills and
financial resources, to rapidly implement plans for business establishment or expansion
contributing to the regional development of British Columbia.
Qualifying criteria are:
Project must be located outside the Greater Vancouver Area (see below for definition)
Minimum net worth: CAD$ 600,000
Minimum investment: CAD$ 300,000
excluding real estate component
Applicant must have a minimum 50% equity
Business must create a minimum of 2 new jobs
Applicant to have an active management role.
The Greater Vancouver Area includes Burnaby, Coquitlam, Delta, Langley City, Langley
District Municipality, Maple Ridge, New Westminster, North Vancouver, Port Coquitlam,
Port Moody, Richmond, Surrey, Vancouver, West Vancouver and White Rock.
designed to allow BC to increase the economic benefits of immigration to the province.
It allows British Columbia to select immigrants based on their ability to contribute to the
BC economy.
The BC PNP was developed under the authority of the Agreement for Canada – BC
Cooperation on Immigration.
The BC PNP became operational in 2001 and has expanded to include categories to
attract various types of economic immigrants.
Business Categories
The Business Categories component of the BC Provincial Nominee Program was
developed to provide British Columbia with a mechanism for increasing economic
benefits of immigration to the province. Please note that meeting minimum selection
criteria does not guarantee selection. Program targets and processing capacity lead to
a focus on the candidates best able to bring economic benefit to
the Province.
Regional Business Category:
This category is intended to assist people from outside Canada, with proven skills and
financial resources, to rapidly implement plans for business establishment or expansion
contributing to the regional development of British Columbia.
Qualifying criteria are:
Project must be located outside the Greater Vancouver Area (see below for definition)
Minimum net worth: CAD$ 600,000
Minimum investment: CAD$ 300,000
excluding real estate component
Applicant must have a minimum 50% equity
Business must create a minimum of 2 new jobs
Applicant to have an active management role.
The Greater Vancouver Area includes Burnaby, Coquitlam, Delta, Langley City, Langley
District Municipality, Maple Ridge, New Westminster, North Vancouver, Port Coquitlam,
Port Moody, Richmond, Surrey, Vancouver, West Vancouver and White Rock.
