British Columbia Continues to Attract Global Entrepreneurs Through Latest PNP Draw

British Columbia has once again signaled its commitment to business-led immigration by holding a new provincial immigration draw focused exclusively on entrepreneurs seeking permanent residence.

The latest selection round under the British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP) took place on December 16, 2025, with invitations issued through the province’s Entrepreneur Immigration pathways.

Results of the December Entrepreneur Draw

In this draw, the province invited candidates through both of its entrepreneur-focused streams:

• Entrepreneur Immigration Base Stream
• Entrepreneur Immigration Regional Stream

A combined total of no more than 21 invitations were issued across both pathways, with the majority going to candidates in the Base Stream.

Minimum score requirements varied by stream:

• Base Stream: minimum score of 115
• Regional Stream: minimum score of 107

This round ranked as the second-largest entrepreneur-focused draw of 2025 and marked the second-highest invitation count for the Base Stream this year.

Understanding BC’s Entrepreneur Immigration Streams

British Columbia’s Entrepreneur Immigration category is designed for experienced business owners and senior managers who plan to either establish a new business or purchase and actively manage an existing one within the province.

Each stream carries distinct eligibility criteria, including differences in:

• Minimum personal net worth
• Required investment amounts
• Business ownership thresholds

The two streams serve different business goals:

Entrepreneur Immigration Base Stream
This stream is intended for entrepreneurs looking to operate a business anywhere in British Columbia, including major urban centers. Applicants must meet a minimum score of 115 to be eligible for selection.

Entrepreneur Immigration Regional Stream
This pathway targets entrepreneurs who plan to open a new business in smaller, participating communities across British Columbia. The minimum qualifying score for this stream is 105.

Participating regions include communities across Cariboo, Kootenay, Nechako, Northeast, Thompson-Okanagan, and Vancouver Island/Coast development areas.

Regardless of stream, successful candidates must create at least one full-time equivalent job for a Canadian citizen or permanent resident.

BC PNP Activity in 2025: A Year in Review

So far in 2025, British Columbia has conducted 19 provincial immigration draws, spanning two major categories:

• Skills Immigration
• Entrepreneur Immigration

While most draws this year targeted entrepreneurs, the majority of invitations were issued under the Skills Immigration category.

Invitation totals for 2025 include:

• Skills Immigration: 978 invitations across three draws
• Entrepreneur Immigration: no more than 132 invitations across 16 draws
  • Base Stream: up to 97 invitations
  • Regional Stream: up to 35 invitations

Nomination Allocation Challenges and Recovery

British Columbia began 2025 with a significantly reduced nomination allocation of 4,000 spaces, down from 8,000 in 2024, following a federal decision to cut provincial nominations by 50%.

After sustained discussions with the federal government, the province secured two allocation increases:

• An additional 1,254 nominations announced in October
• A further 960 nomination spaces granted in mid-December

As a result, British Columbia has recovered approximately 77% of its 2024 allocation and plans to fully utilize its 6,214 nomination spaces before the end of the year.

For a consultation about Immigration options, reach out to the CAD IMMIGRATION today!