The entrepreneur pilot program aims to bring together professionals having experience and expertise in their respective business and vocations and further help develop and contribute to British Columbia’s economy.

The key features of this program includes role of participating communities who can refer, invite and include foreign entrepreneurs in British Columbia’s Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP). The invited individuals are then registered under the new pilot program but in different applicant pool.

Considering the role of communities in the process, it is important for applicants to understand the perspective and priority sectors of the communities. The applicants who are selected through community official intake process should meet and contact the community.

As this pilot project is going to focus on settling foreign entrepreneurs in those regional communities where the population is sparsely distributed, hence, the criteria regarding the personal net worth and investment requirements are lower than the Entrepreneur Immigration under the Base category.

Let’s have a look at the eligibility criteria of the entrepreneur immigration under regional pilot program:

1. Work experience of 3+ years in the capacity of owner or manager is required in last 5 years period
2. Net worth $300,000
3. Education up to the post-secondary level and this would be waived off if the applicant has managed a business as owner or manager for 3+ years in last 5 years in 100% owned business
4. Submit a proposal to start a new business venture in British Columbia along with getting referred by the region’s enrolled community
5. Ownership 51%
6. Investment of minimum $100,000
7. Ensuring to create at least 1 full-time job for a person who holds citizenship or PR in Canada
8. The business venture should be established in the participating regional communities only
9. Requirement of exploratory visa to meet and engage with the enrolled community before registering
10. Language requirement is a score of at least CLB band 4 in either English or French
11. Option to partner with an established local business or individual
12. No minimum points required during registration scores process
13. Submission of net worth evaluation report is mandatory
14. Including net worth of spouse, partner and dependent children
15. Excluding any liability from your net worth
16. Time taken in registration score is 4 weeks
17. Decision about candidature is made within 4 months
18. Interview is part of the process
19. Final report to be submitted within 12 months since the issuance of work permit