BCPNP - British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program

Eligible applicants must be at least 18 years old with no criminal record, meet the minimum language requirement of Canadian Language Benchmark level 4, have a personal net worth of at least CAD 600,000, and have at least 3 years of experience within the last 10 years as a business owner-manager, or 4 or more years as a senior manager, or a combination of 1 or more year as a business owner-manager and 2 or more years as a senior manager. Applicants must also be committed to investing at least CAD 200,000 in a business, creating at least one full-time job, and spending at least 75% of their time developing the business from within British Columbia after the work permit is granted.

The main applicant can include their spouse or common-law partner, children under 22 who do not have a spouse or partner, and children over 22 who have relied on the main applicant for financial support since before turning 22 and cannot financially support themselves due to a mental or physical condition. After securing the work permit, the main applicant can also assist family members in applying for temporary residence permits to accompany them to British Columbia.

Applicants can propose to develop a new business or purchase and expand an existing business that contributes to the economic growth of British Columbia. The business must offer products or services for profit and have strong potential for sustained commercial success. Franchises may be accepted if the applicant can demonstrate the franchise is well-established with a sound financial track record and at least five years of operation, and that the franchisor will provide support. The business must not fall under the list of ineligible business types identified by the British Columbia government.

Yes. Applicants can use an existing company they have established in British Columbia if they hold at least one-third (33.3%) of the business in shares. Applicants who own less than one-third must make an equity investment of at least CAD 1,000,000. If purchasing an existing company, it must have been in operation for at least five years prior to the purchase.

Applicants must generally own at least one-third (33.3%) of the proposed business in British Columbia. If the proposed ownership is less than one-third, an equity investment of at least CAD 1,000,000 is required.

Applicants can apply for a 2-year employer-specific work permit to develop a business in British Columbia, and may apply for permanent residence after meeting business performance conditions. Dependent family members can obtain work and study permits to reside in British Columbia. Processing times for work permit and permanent residence applications are fast, and there is no age limit for applicants.

The process starts with submitting an Expression of Interest showcasing your qualifications and business idea. Upon receiving a government invitation, you complete a net worth assessment by an authorized accountant and submit the BCPNP Base application within 120 days. You then sign a performance agreement and receive a work permit support letter valid for 90 days. Once the work permit is approved, you travel to British Columbia to develop the business, submit an arrival report within 60 days, and implement the business plan within 610 days. You submit a post-arrival progress report within the first year and a final report approximately 18 to 20 months after the work permit is issued. If all conditions are met, you sign a nomination declaration and apply for permanent residence within 6 months of receiving the nomination confirmation letter.

The typical processing time for work permit applications is approximately 3 months. Permanent residence applications typically take around 16 months. These timeframes may vary based on application volume, case complexity, and the completeness of the application.