The Strategic Projects stream is for foreign corporations who have identified strategic investment opportunities in B.C. to establish operations that are integral to the growth and expansion of their core business.

This stream enables foreign corporations to permanently transfer key staff with the corporate knowledge and expertise to B.C. The foreign corporation may apply for provincial nomination to support the permanent residence of up to five of its current senior employees. These employees will actively manage the B.C. operation.

Is my company eligible?

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.

Are the key staff members eligible?

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

We will not accept applications of key staff members who:

• are prohibited from entering Canada
• have not been lawfully admitted in the country of current residence
• are in Canada and are out of status
  • an individual whose status has expired, and they cannot demonstrate they have applied for restoration of status within the 90-day eligibility period, will be considered out of status
• are working in Canada without authorization
• have an unresolved refugee claim in Canada
• are under a removal order in or outside Canada

What are the requirements?

The foreign corporation must:

• make a minimum equity investment of at least CAD$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)

Which types of businesses are ineligible?

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
• real estate development activities
• goods trading businesses (e.g. import/export), unless value add is demonstrated

What is the application process?

Step 1: Make an exploratory visit to B.C.

We encourage senior executives representing the company to visit B.C. to explore and learn more about opportunities and the local business environment.

Step 2: Discuss your proposal

Before applying to the Strategic Projects stream, the company must first contact the BC PNP to discuss the business proposal.

Step 3: Register

The company must register expressing the company’s interest to apply. As part of the registration, the company will be asked to provide the following:

• company details
• proposed investment in B.C.
• proposed key staff qualifications

Please contact the BC PNP for further details on submitting a Strategic Projects registration.

There is a registration processing fee of CAD$300.

Step 4: Invitation to apply

We will review the registration and determine if the foreign corporation is eligible to apply.

If invited to apply, the company must submit a full application within 90 days. The invitation to apply will expire after 90 days; the corporation may choose to submit a new registration.

Step 5: Applying to the BC PNP

The company must submit all the required forms as a single complete application package including key staff forms and other supporting documentation. The application processing fee is CAD$3,500 for the company and an additional CAD$1,000 for each key staff proposed.

We will review the application for completeness. We may ask the foreign corporation clarifying questions and request additional documentation. As part of the application assessment process, each key staff member may be invited to attend an in-person interview at the BC PNP offices in Vancouver.

A decision will be made regarding the application and communicated to the company.

Step 6: Signing Performance Agreements

If the application is approved, the company’s designated signing authority signs a corporate Performance Agreement with the Province of B.C. Each approved key staff member will also be required to sign a Performance Agreement.

Step 7: Work Permit & Arrival Report

We will issue a work permit support letter to each approved key staff member so they can apply to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) for a work permit. This work permit support letter is valid for 90 days.

After signing their Performance Agreement, each key staff must arrive in B.C. with their valid work permit within 180 days (6 months) from the date of issuance of their work permit support letter.

Within 60 days (2 months) of arriving in B.C., each key staff must submit a completed arrival report form to the BC PNP.

Step 8: Business Establishment & Nomination

After fulfilling its obligations under the executed Performance Agreement, the foreign corporation must submit a final report to the BC PNP to demonstrate how the company has met the terms and conditions of the Performance Agreement. We will review the report, and may conduct site visits or interviews to verify information.

If we determine that the company has met the terms and conditions of the Performance Agreement, each key staff member who has satisfied the terms and conditions of his/her Performance Agreement will be nominated for permanent residence.

Step 9: Apply for Permanent Residence

Each key staff must submit their application for permanent residence to IRCC within 180 days from the date of nomination.

For more information

For more information (i.e. regarding using an immigration representative, submitting a request for review, nomination cancellation details, etc.), please contact us at

en.imm@gov.bc.ca

.