On June 30, British Columbia initiated a new selection round within the Entrepreneurial Immigrant (EI) category. This initiative aims to attract entrepreneurs who intend to establish new ventures or expand existing businesses within the province.
This marks the seventh selection round for entrepreneurs in 2026, underscoring the province’s continued commitment to fostering business growth.
Results of the Latest Draw
The British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BCPNP) has issued invitations spanning both EI streams. The minimum scores required and the number of invitations issued differ by stream, with a notable preference for candidates from the base stream.
Stream Minimum Score | Number of Invitations Issued
Base Stream: 118 | 14
Regional Stream: 113 | 5
British Columbia’s June 30 draw represents the province’s second EI selection this month, deviating from its usual pattern of one selection round per month throughout 2026. Notably, with the exception of the draw on February 10, this round produced the highest cutoff score for the base stream and the lowest cutoff for the regional stream observed this year. So far in 2026, the province has hosted a total of 12 EI draws, comprising seven from the base stream and five from the regional stream.
These 12 draws have resulted in at least 78 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) for provincial nominations, reflecting a dynamic entrepreneurial landscape in British Columbia.
Understanding British Columbia’s Entrepreneurial Streams
British Columbia offers two distinct streams for entrepreneurs, each with its own set of rules and requirements. The criteria for each stream are as follows:
Criteria
Base Stream: Starting a new business or acquiring an existing one + Growth
Regional Stream: Starting a new business outside the Metro Vancouver area
- Business Experience: 3 years as a business owner and manager within the last 10 years (Base Stream); 3 years as a business owner and manager within the last 5 years (Regional Stream).
- Education: Required qualifications differ: higher education for the Base Stream and upper secondary for the Regional Stream.
- Language Proficiency: A minimum of Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) level 4 across both streams.
- Minimum Personal Net Worth: $600,000 for the Base Stream and $300,000 for the Regional Stream.
- Minimum Investment: $200,000 for the Base Stream and $100,000 for the Regional Stream.
- Ownership Requirement: At least 33.3% ownership for the Base Stream and 51% for the Regional Stream.
- Community Referral: Not required for the Base Stream, but essential for the Regional Stream.
- Exploratory Visit: No requirement for the Base Stream; required for the Regional Stream.
- Minimum Registration Score: 115/200 for the Base Stream and 105/200 for the Regional Stream.
- Co-Applicant Registration: Allowed in the Base Stream; not permitted in the Regional Stream.
In cases where applicants lack post-secondary qualifications, they must have at least three years of active business ownership and management within the last five years. Although the pathway to permanent residence (PR) is largely similar for both streams, the regional stream entails additional requirements.
Prospective entrepreneurs must identify a suitable community for their business endeavor, conduct research visits, and seek referrals from selected communities. They need to prepare a business proposal and undergo a scoring process based on human capital and economic factors. Following this, they await an ITA in upcoming draws. Once an ITA is received, applicants should submit their nomination application within four months. If successful, they apply for a work permit from the federal government, after which they can establish and operate their business in British Columbia. When program conditions are met, candidates will receive a recommendation for PR.
Upon receiving a nomination, candidates are positioned to apply for permanent residency directly with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, further facilitating their entrepreneurial journey in British Columbia.
