Provincial Entrepreneur Immigration Programs in Canada (2026)
With federal business programs closed, provincial entrepreneur streams are where most business immigration activity now happens. Each province and territory sets its own rules for investment, net worth, language, business type, and where in the province your business can be located.
How the two-step process usually works
- Qualify and register. Some provinces use an expression of interest pool with scoring and invitations. Others take applications directly.
- Visit the province, if the stream requires or rewards a business exploration visit.
- Sign a performance agreement and get a work permit to run your business.
- Operate the business for a set period, showing active management and the results you promised.
- Apply for nomination, and if nominated, apply to IRCC for permanent residence.
Where streams stand (verify each on the province's site)
- British Columbia: Entrepreneur Immigration is active, with base and regional options, and has been holding invitation rounds in 2026.
- Alberta: entrepreneur streams include rural, graduate, foreign graduate, and farm options.
- Manitoba: the Business Investor Stream runs through an expression of interest system. Check the province's page to see whether it is currently inviting applicants.
- New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland and Labrador, Yukon, and the Northwest Territories: most have active entrepreneur streams, and New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island use refundable deposits. Prince Edward Island has issued invitations only irregularly. Streams change often, so check each province's page.
- Ontario: the Entrepreneur Stream closed in November 2024 and is not accepting new applications.
- Saskatchewan: the entrepreneur category is not accepting new applications.
- Quebec runs its own business immigration programs, outside this page's scope.
Choosing a stream
Look at the investment and net worth needed, where the business must be located, language minimums, whether deposits are required, how long the performance period lasts, and how realistic the business plan is for that region. You can accept only one provincial nomination.
Get help from a licensed consultant
Provincial entrepreneur routes reward preparation and punish shortcuts. I can review your business plan, funds, and documents and tell you honestly which routes are realistic. No consultant can guarantee a nomination.
Frequently asked questions
Can I invest passively? No. The entrepreneur must actively manage the business.
Do I need to move to the province first? Most streams require you to live in the province and run the business there during the performance period.
Is a work permit part of the process? Yes, in most streams, before nomination.
Sources: Provincial government entrepreneur program pages; law-firm and news summaries.
This page is general information, not legal advice on your situation.