In a bid to attract entrepreneurial immigrants, Victoria has chosen Squamish to be one of several communities where a pilot immigration program will be tested.
Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) Entrepreneur Immigration Regional Pilot is intended to help meet the communities' economic development needs and encourage investments outside urban areas, reads a news release from the province.
"Due to an aging workforce and a preference for city living, some smaller towns can face challenges growing their local economies," said Jobs Minister Bruce Ralston in the news release.
"This pilot will attract new businesses that create jobs and spread investment around the province so more British Columbians can benefit from shared prosperity."
The province is calling this new pilot B.C.'s only direct economic immigration tool to attract experienced entrepreneurs and high-demand foreign workers.
It's intended to set newcomers on a "permanent immigration pathway" to live and work in B.C.
The province says this new pilot complements the existing PNP Entrepreneur Immigration base category that is currently in place, but has different financial criteria to reflect the lower cost of starting a business in a smaller centre.
In order to participate in the program, communities need to have a population of fewer than 75,000 and be located 30 kilometres away from a municipality of more than 75,000. They must also identify three priority economic development sectors.
Those who want to apply to get in the program need to have a minimum of 51 per cent ownership (local partnerships are permitted) of their business and live in the community. They must also have more than three years of experience as an active business owner or more than four years as a senior manager within the last five years.
