A provincial program designed to attract entrepreneurs and skilled workers to British Columbia is working, according to a recent report ... and according to a local business owner who went through the program while emigrating from the United Kingdom to Canada.
"The B.C. Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP) is an excellent tool for attracting foreign investors and workers into British Columbia," said Andrew Nelson, owner of Helmcken Falls Lodge. "Since we moved to Clearwater in 2004 I know of several other BC PNP nominees who have moved to Clearwater to live and start businesses, which is very positive for our local community and economy."
According to the BC PNP website, an applicant under the regional business category must, among other criteria, make a personal investment of at least $200,000 CAD to establish or to purchase and expand an eligible business anywhere in B.C. outside of the Vancouver or Abbotsford metropolitan areas, as well as create at least one new job in the business for a Canadian or permanent resident.
Other categories for business immigrants include business skills and strategic projects.
"B.C. offers real opportunities for business development with an abundance of land and natural resources and I don't need to tell you what a wonderful place it is to live too," Nelson commented.
BC PNP also assists applicants in certain strategic occupations. These have five areas of focus: skilled workers, recent international graduates from eligible Canadian post-secondary institutions, recent masters and doctorate graduates from a B.C. post-secondary institution in the natural, applied or health sciences (for this category only no job offer is required), designated health professionals, and entry-level or semi-skilled workers in select occupations
"The BC PNP is also a great way to attract and recruit foreign workers, to fill 'hard to fill' job placements such as catering staff, food and beverage servers, housekeepers etc and the program enables potential employees to apply for Permanent Residency in B.C. after a qualifying period," the business owner added. "The scheme is tightly managed so as to ensure there are no existing B.C. workers that might want to fill the positions, before a foreign worker is hired."
According to a recent independent evaluation report, the positive economic and social impacts of the BC PNP have been substantial, benefiting families and communities throughout British Columbia.
The report notes that from 2005 to mid-2010, a total of 203 entrepreneurs who received permanent resident status through the program invested over $423 million in British Columbia, creating more than 1,100 jobs. More than half of the total investments made and jobs created were outside Metro Vancouver.
During the same time period, over 4,600 employers throughout the province (helping to meet a growing demand for skilled workers in a range of sectors, including health care, construction and manufacturing) employed nearly 10,000 workers nominated for permanent resident status. The report shows the vast majority continues to live and work in the communities where they first settled.
The largest numbers of immigrants are from the United Kingdom, China and the Philippines.
The evaluation report was commissioned by the Ministry of Jobs, Tourism and Innovation and prepared by Grant Thornton LLP.