BC PNP Strategic Projects

The Strategic Projects category of the British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP) sits within the Entrepreneur Immigration stream and provides a route to Canadian immigration for key staff of successful foreign corporations who have identified a strategic investment opportunity in British Columbia to develop and expand their core business.

Overview

The BC PNP Strategic Projects category of theBritish Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP)provides a route to Canadian immigration for entrepreneurs and foreign corporate staff in British Columbia. Through this process, a company may propose up to 5 key staff to work and settle in the province in order to manage the company’s operations in British Columbia.

If successfully nominated under this Strategic Projects category, the key staff operating the business in British Columbia may apply for Canadian permanent resident status.

The industries that have used the BC PNP Strategic Projects category include advanced manufacturing, technology, new media, specialist engineering, forestry and scientific research and development. In most cases, these businesses have created high-impact occupations in British Columbia.

Minimum requirements for the business

To be eligible under the BC PNP Strategic Projects category, companies must:

• Be in excellent financial standing; provide evidence of good business practice and successful business operations outside Canada, related to the proposed business operation in British Columbia.
• Identify an investment opportunity in British Columbia based on sound commercial decisions and a credible foundation.
• Demonstrate that the proposed key staff are suitably qualified senior employees needed to establish and operate the business.

In most cases, successful corporate applicants usually have at least 150 employees and annual revenue of at least CAD 20,000,000.

The company is required to:

• Make a minimum capital investment of at least CAD 500,000 to establish or purchase and expand an eligible business in British Columbia.
• Create at least 3 new jobs for Canadian citizens or permanent residents for each proposed foreign key staff member (up to a maximum of 5 key staff).
• Establish or purchase and expand a company in British Columbia.

Minimum requirements for key staff

The BC PNP requires Strategic Projects category key staff to be admissible to Canada. The BC PNP does not accept applications from key staff where they:

• Are inadmissible to Canada
• Are not lawfully admitted in the country in which they are residing
• Are in Canada without authorisation or without legal status
• Are working in Canada without authorisation
• Have an unresolved asylum claim in Canada
• Are subject to a removal order in or outside Canada

How to apply

To apply to the BC PNP under the Strategic Projects category, candidates go through 3 main steps:

Exploration

The BC PNP recommends that companies make an exploratory visit to British Columbia to gain a better understanding of the local business environment and opportunities before applying.

Proposal discussion

All Strategic Projects category applicants must contact the BC PNP to discuss the business proposal and to find out about the programme. Companies are also required to register an expression of interest (EOI) to apply to this category, pay the CAD 300 registration fee, and provide the following information in their proposal:

• General information about the company (year of incorporation, a description of the business operation, sales revenue, number of employees, and so on)
• A description of the business the applicant intends to establish or purchase and expand in the province
• An explanation of how the business relates to the company’s core business operation
• The commercial feasibility study and due diligence carried out
• The reasons for the investment, including details of the investment analysis
• Projected annual revenue
• The type of jobs the proposed business will create for Canadian citizens and permanent residents
• Other information as required

Applying

Where the business proposal meets the requirements, the BC PNP sends the application package to the Strategic Projects category applicant by email. The applicant and the key staff must submit all the required forms and supporting documents. The applicant must pay a corporate application processing fee of CAD 3,500 plus an application fee of CAD 1,000 for each proposed key staff member.

The BC PNP reviews the application. If it passes the initial assessment, all the key staff are required to attend an in-person interview at the BC PNP office in Vancouver.

After the application is approved

If the application is approved, the company must take the following steps:

• Sign a Performance Agreement with the Government of British Columbia
• If the application is approved, the company must sign a Performance Agreement with the province of British Columbia, executed by the company’s designated signing authority. Each key staff member is issued a work permit support letter by the BC PNP in order to apply for a 2-year work permit fromImmigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC)
• Submit a final report to the BC PNP demonstrating how the company has met the terms and conditions of the Performance Agreement
• Key staff must apply to IRCC for a Canadian permanent resident visa within 180 days of the date of nomination (where the company has met the terms and conditions of the Performance Agreement)

Find out more about BC PNP Strategic Projects on the government website athere.