Ontario Closes Entrepreneur Stream, British Columbia Issues More Provincial Nominations

On November 4, the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) officially closed its Entrepreneur Stream. This move follows a suspension on new applications that has been in effect since December 2023.

Meanwhile, the British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BCPNP) held rounds of invitations for entrepreneurs and skilled workers to immigrate to the province on November 5 and 6.

Ontario's Entrepreneur Stream Closure

The Ontario government has announced its plans to formally "wind-down and close" the Entrepreneur Stream of the OINP. While no new applications are being accepted, candidates who have already submitted their applications can still proceed with the process under updated rules. This means they may remain eligible for provincial nomination for permanent residence, provided they continue to meet commitments related to establishing their businesses in Ontario.

The OINP will reach out to current Entrepreneur Stream applicants and their authorized representatives shortly, providing details on the next steps they can take.

For further information about the OINP, you can visit their official webpage. Additional details about entrepreneurial pathways to immigrate to Canada are available as well.

British Columbia's PNP Draws

On November 5, the BCPNP conducted two draws for its Base and Regional Entrepreneur streams. The selections resulted in at least 11 invitations to apply (ITAs) being issued, with different minimum scores required for each stream:

• Entrepreneur Base Stream: 10 ITAs issued with a minimum score of 115.
• Entrepreneur Regional Stream: Fewer than 5 ITAs issued, with a minimum score of 130.
  
  

The following day, on November 6, British Columbia conducted another draw targeting skilled workers and international graduates. Candidates with valid Express Entry profiles were also considered under the Express Entry British Columbia (EEBC) option. This nomination allows provinces to nominate eligible candidates for immigration through an "enhanced" provincial nomination process.

Invitations were issued based on candidates' work experience in priority occupations. Here are the details of the targeted streams:

• Skilled Worker, International Graduate (Childcare): Cut-off score of 96; 7 ITAs issued.
• Skilled Worker, International Graduate (Construction): Cut-off score of 97; 5 ITAs issued.
• Skilled Worker, International Graduate (Healthcare): Cut-off score of 111; 8 ITAs issued.
• Skilled Worker, International Graduate (Tech): Cut-off score of 128; 3 ITAs issued.

For more details on BCPNP draws and immigration pathways, interested candidates can refer to British Columbia’s official resources.