Provincial Business Programs Status Tracker
Checked September 30, 2026. “Active” means a current registration or selection route exists; it does not guarantee an invitation, available nomination or approval. Recheck the linked official source before applying.
| Province or Territory | Programs | Status |
|---|---|---|
| British Columbia | Entrepreneur Immigration: Base, Regional & Strategic Projects | Active |
| Alberta | Rural Entrepreneur, Graduate Entrepreneur, Foreign Graduate Entrepreneur & Farm | Active |
| Manitoba | Entrepreneur Pathway & Farm Investor Pathway | EOI Review |
| Ontario | Former OINP Entrepreneur Stream | Closed |
| Saskatchewan | Entrepreneur, International Graduate Entrepreneur & Farm Owner/Operator | Permanently Closed |
| Nova Scotia | Entrepreneur Stream, Including International Graduate Entrepreneurs | Active |
| New Brunswick | New Brunswick Business Immigration Stream | Active |
| Newfoundland & Labrador | International Entrepreneur & International Graduate Entrepreneur | Active |
| Prince Edward Island | Business Impact — Work Permit Stream | Active |
| Northwest Territories | Northwest Territories Nominee Program — Business Stream | Active |
| Yukon | Yukon Business Nominee Program (YBNP) | Active |
| Québec | Investor, Entrepreneur (Innovation, Startup & Takeover) & Self-Employed Worker | Separate Intake |
| Nunavut | No Provincial Nominee Program | No PNP |
Provincial entrepreneur programs usually require performance before nomination.
- 01
Confirm the stream is accepting EOIs or applications. An online profile is not an invitation and a high self-calculated score does not guarantee selection.
- 02
Meet the jurisdiction’s minimum net worth, investment, ownership, senior-management or business-owner experience, language, age and community-visit rules.
- 03
Prepare a credible business concept tied to the local market, job creation, eligible sector and the applicant’s experience. Some sectors, passive investments and property-rental businesses are excluded.
- 04
After invitation, complete third-party net-worth verification where required, interview and sign a performance agreement. The province may issue a work-permit support letter.
- 05
Operate the business on the required work permit, live in the province, meet investment/ownership/job and reporting milestones, then request nomination. Apply federally for PR only after nomination and continue meeting the agreement until finalization.
British Columbia — Active
Entrepreneur Immigration: Base, Regional & Strategic Projects
- 01
Registration and invitation procedures depend on the stream. Regional applicants need a participating community’s referral; community availability can differ. Strategic Projects has a separate process for foreign companies.
Alberta — Active
Rural Entrepreneur, Graduate Entrepreneur, Foreign Graduate Entrepreneur & Farm
- 01
Alberta lists four entrepreneur streams. The three entrepreneur routes use their own EOI requirements; the Farm Stream has a separate application process. Check the selected route’s community or designated-agency requirements.
Manitoba — EOI Review
Entrepreneur Pathway & Farm Investor Pathway
- 01
Business-investor EOI draws are not currently conducted, but Manitoba says submitted EOIs are reviewed individually for an invitation or feedback. This is not a closed intake. The Farm Investor Pathway uses separate forms and procedures.
Ontario — Closed
Former OINP Entrepreneur Stream
- 01
The former Entrepreneur Stream is closed to new applicants. Existing-file arrangements do not mean the stream has reopened. Do not use historical investment or points criteria as a current application route.
Saskatchewan — Permanently Closed
Entrepreneur, International Graduate Entrepreneur & Farm Owner/Operator
- 01
Saskatchewan permanently closed these three business categories on March 27, 2025. They are retained here to identify unavailable routes, not as options accepting new applications.
Nova Scotia — Active
Entrepreneur Stream, Including International Graduate Entrepreneurs
- 01
The Entrepreneur Stream uses an EOI and invitation process. International graduate entrepreneurs have distinct eligibility conditions within the current entrepreneur framework; select the criteria matching your education and business history.
New Brunswick — Active
New Brunswick Business Immigration Stream
- 01
Submit an EOI and obtain an invitation before applying through this stream. Business approval, work authorization and performance obligations are separate stages; an EOI alone is not a nomination.
Newfoundland & Labrador — Active
International Entrepreneur & International Graduate Entrepreneur
- 01
Both official category pages state that EOIs are open. The graduate and general entrepreneur categories have different eligibility and business-operation requirements; an EOI still requires selection.
Prince Edward Island — Active
Business Impact — Work Permit Stream
- 01
The Work Permit Stream uses EOI selection. Intake and invitations may be limited by provincial priorities; a period with no business invitations is not itself a formal program closure.
Northwest Territories — Active
Northwest Territories Nominee Program — Business Stream
- 01
The government’s September 2026 update confirms that the Business Stream remains open on a first-come, first-served basis. The employer-driven EOI draw schedule does not govern business-stream intake.
Yukon — Active
Yukon Business Nominee Program (YBNP)
- 01
Eligible initial applications enter a candidate pool for selection. Invitation, assessment and business performance are required before nomination. This business process is separate from worker-stream intake windows.
Québec — Separate Intake
Investor, Entrepreneur (Innovation, Startup & Takeover) & Self-Employed Worker
- 01
Québec uses its own selection system, outside the PNP. Investor, business-startup and self-employed application pages permit submissions at any time. Use the exact category’s rules, including French and financial requirements, before applying.
Choose the route that matches the applicant’s actual role.
Investor
Capital, lawful source and accumulation of net worth, management background and an approved investment structure are central. Québec—not the federal government—currently defines the active Canadian investor selection route.
Entrepreneur
The applicant normally establishes, buys or actively manages a qualifying business and creates economic benefit under a performance agreement. Passive ownership is usually insufficient.
Self-employed
The applicant creates their own employment and must satisfy the exact Québec or provincial stream; the paused federal cultural/athletic program should not be advertised as open.
Innovative start-up
Do not pay a third party for a supposed guaranteed designation. A previous federal Start-Up Visa commitment is useful only if it met the official timing and filing rules.
Business visitor
For short international business activities where the main place of business and source of remuneration remain outside Canada and the person does not enter the Canadian labour market.
Business files are evidence-heavy and source-of-funds errors are serious.
Identity and control
Corporate registries, shareholder records, licences, contracts, tax filings and bank signing authority should prove ownership and management—not only a job title.
Net worth
List assets and liabilities consistently across countries and currencies. Valuations must be supportable and ownership must match civil and corporate records.
Source and accumulation
Trace employment income, dividends, retained earnings, sale proceeds, inheritance and gifts from origin to current account. Large unexplained transfers create credibility and misrepresentation risk.
Business performance
Use financial statements, tax returns, payroll, invoices, supplier/customer contracts and organizational charts to prove scale and active management.
Business plan
Market, competition, licence, location, staffing, financing, operating costs, sales assumptions and implementation milestones should be realistic for the chosen community.
Avoid guaranteed-program and guaranteed-investment claims.
- 01
No consultant, incubator, fund, province or employer can guarantee a visa, nomination or permanent residence.
- 02
Verify the stream and intake on the government site before paying an agent, buying a business, transferring an investment or signing a lease.
- 03
Use independent legal, tax, accounting and commercial due diligence. Immigration eligibility does not prove that an investment is sound or recoverable.
- 04
Disclose refusals, ownership, related parties, criminal or regulatory history and the true source of funds. False records can lead to refusal and a five-year misrepresentation ban.
Official sources & application
The practical answer is in this guide; use these links to verify live changes and apply officially.
Ghasedak explains the eligibility, evidence, process and important cautions in plain language. Because laws, forms, fees and filing methods can change, also check the live official instructions on the day you submit. This is general information, not individual legal advice.