BC Entrepreneur Immigration - Strategic Projects

To be eligible, the foreign corporation must meet the following requirements:

• be well-established and in good financial standing
• demonstrate investment readiness and capacity for international expansion into B.C.
• provide significant economic benefit to the province by making a high value investment in B.C.

To be eligible as key staff, the individual(s) must meet the following requirements:

• be current senior employees of the foreign corporation who have the qualifications and experience that are  essential to establish and operate the business in B.C.
• is being appointed to an executive or senior managerial position, or has specialized knowledge essential to the proposed B.C. operation
• will be employed in a permanent full-time capacity at the B.C. operation
• is offered a wage commensurate with his/her expertise and consistent with industry and corporate compensation structures

The foreign corporation must:

• make a minimum equity investment of at least $500,000 directed toward the corporation’s operations in B.C.
• establish new or purchase and expand an eligible business in B.C.
• create at least three new full-time equivalent jobs for Canadian citizens or permanent residents for each foreign key staff member proposed (to a maximum of five key staff)

The following types of businesses are ineligible under the BC PNP:

• an immigration-linked investment scheme pursuant to Provincial Immigration Programs Regulation section 6(e) and the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations (IRPR) section 87(5)(b) and as defined in IRPR 87(9)
• any business where the terms of investment include a redemption option pursuant to IRPR 87(6)(d)
• any business that may be a passive investment pursuant to IRPR 87(6)(c)
• bed and breakfasts, hobby farms and home-based businesses
• payday loan, cheque cashing, money changing and cash machine businesses
• pawnbrokers
• tanning salons
• DVD rental stores
• coin-operated laundries
• automated car wash operations
• scrap metal recycling
• businesses selling used goods (excluding businesses that provide value-added services such as repairs, refurbishing or recycling)
• real estate development/brokerage, insurance brokerage or business brokerage
• businesses involved in producing, distributing or selling pornography or sexually explicit products or services, or providing sexually oriented services
• any other type of business that by association would tend to bring the BC PNP or the Government of British Columbia into disrepute