Provincial Guidelines - Old Regulation

Note: The following guidelines are to assist the Entrepreneur immigrants who landed in British Columbia under 1976 immigration regulations.

1. The Entrepreneur must make a substantial investment in a business in British Columbia. An Entrepreneur may start a new business, become a partner with a significant ownership stake in an existing business, or purchase an already established business (so long as that business has not previously been used by other Entrepreneurs to remove their terms and conditions, at least for the last three years). Substantial investment is defined by the province as a minimum of CAD$ 150,000 for any business located in the Greater Vancouver Region, and a minimum of CAD$ 90,000 for any business located anywhere else in the province.
   
   
2. The business the Entrepreneur invests in must make a significant contribution to the economy. Although Entrepreneurs may choose any line of business, the Provincial Government encourages them to invest in the following priority sectors but not to invest in certain sectors, which can hardly make any contribution to the economy.
    
   • Recommended Businesses:
     • Information & high-technology
     • Health & life-sciences
     • Manufacturing or processing
     • Agricultural and aquacultural production & processing
     • Tourism & recreational developments
     • Film & television industry productions & facilities
     • Education & training
   • Not Recommended Business Activities:
     • Importing finished goods for resale where no value is added in British Columbia
     • Speculative residential real estate development
     • Brokerage of real estate, insurance or businesses
     • Investment in venture capital corporations or syndicates not actively managed by the Entrepreneur
     • Professional practice (e.g. doctor, dentist, lawyer, accountant)
       
        
3. The Entrepreneur’s business must employ at least one Canadian resident, other than the Entrepreneur and his/her family members. An Entrepreneur must create a full-time job or continue a full-time job that would be lost if the Entrepreneur’s investment did not occur. A full-time job means a job suitable for the head of a household. It requires a minimum of 40 hours per week at a wage significantly above the minimum wage and in line with the wages paid in the selected industry.
   
   
4. The Entrepreneur must provide active and on-going participation in the day-to-day management of the business. The Entrepreneur Immigration category is for those who wish to be actively involved; it is not a category for anyone who wishes to make a passive investment.