Business in British Columbia
If you’re an experienced entrepreneur, the province of British Columbia is ready to help you bring your business visions to Canada. A special subsection of the province’s Provincial Nominee program includes three entrepreneur programs: base category, regional pilot and strategic projects.
Base category
This immigration pathway is for entrepreneurs proposing a new business in a small community. If you want to bring more employment opportunities to a small town in British Columbia or have a way to create a business that can enhance that town’s local economy (as well as the regional and federal economies), this is the program to explore.
Talk to us about your business idea and we can help you determine if locating to a small town in BC, Canada is viable. We will assist in identifying the right communities for you to settle and develop your business.
Regional pilot
Similar to the Base Category program, the regional pilot is focused on bringing new businesses to small communities. In this case, small communities have identified the types of businesses they are looking for in their community and are actively seeking out experienced entrepreneurs to begin these businesses.
Because it is based on community-identified needs, this program is based on applications that illustrate ways to fill those specific needs.
To apply, you’ll need a proposal and information about your background to share with the specific community you are looking at settling in. This is an interactive process where we can help you navigate the discussion with the community liaison to lead to a community referral and therefore establish the steps towards immigrating to Canada and that specific community.
Find a list of participating communities here.
Strategic projects
Strategic projects are all about bringing bigger business opportunities to Canada. When a foreign corporation is looking to expand to British Columbia, Canada with a branch or facility, up to five employees can immigrate to take an active position in the running of that local business location.
The foreign corporation must be able to provide a significant benefit to BC through investment in the province and will create at least three new full-time (or equivalent) jobs for Canadian citizens or permanent residents for each foreign staff member. Therefore, if you want to have five existing foreign employees immigrate to BC, you will need to also create at least 15 new full-time jobs within the company.
Is it time for you to expand your business into Canada? Or are you ready to purchase or establish a new business in BC that will grow to benefit your family, workers and community? Talk to us we can help you understand the options within British Columbia’s Entrepreneur Immigration programs.
