Provincial and territorial entrepreneur immigration in Canada in 2026

Canada does not have one open federal "entrepreneur visa." The federal Start-up Visa is paused, so many founders and business owners need to compare provincial or territorial business immigration instead.

IRCC confirms that the Provincial Nominee Program can include entrepreneurs and investors, but each province or territory sets its own criteria. A provincial nomination is not permanent residence by itself: IRCC makes the final federal PR and admissibility decision.

Active entrepreneur pathways found in official 2026 sources

| Jurisdiction | Current business pathway | Important distinction | | --- | --- | --- | | British Columbia | Entrepreneur Immigration Base, Regional, Strategic Projects | Base and Regional are entrepreneur streams; Strategic Projects is for eligible foreign corporations establishing operations in B.C. | | Alberta | Rural Entrepreneur, Graduate Entrepreneur, Farm, Foreign Graduate Entrepreneur | Four separate AAIP entrepreneur streams with different applicant profiles | | Manitoba | Business Investor Stream: Entrepreneur Pathway and Farm Investor Pathway | Entrepreneur Pathway exists, but Manitoba currently says EOI draws are not being conducted; Farm Investor uses its own process | | New Brunswick | Business Immigration stream | Entrepreneur establishes/buys and operates the business before requesting nomination | | Prince Edward Island | Business Impact — Work Permit Stream | Temporary work-permit/business-establishment model before nomination | | Nova Scotia | Entrepreneur, including International Graduate sub-criteria | Invitation-based; current 2026 structure consolidated former entrepreneur categories under one Entrepreneur stream | | Newfoundland and Labrador | International Entrepreneur and International Graduate Entrepreneur | Business operation is required before nomination; graduate route requires prior local study and business operation | | Yukon | Yukon Business Nominee Program | Entrepreneur pool and business-concept assessment for eligible sectors | | Northwest Territories | Business Stream | NWT states the Business stream accepts applications on a first-come, first-served basis in 2026 | | Québec | Entrepreneur Program and separate Self-Employed Worker Program | Québec business immigration is outside the PNP and uses Québec selection before federal admission |

British Columbia

B.C. currently lists Base, Regional, and Strategic Projects under Entrepreneur Immigration. The Base stream is for starting or taking over a business; Regional requires a participating community referral and targets communities outside Metro Vancouver; Strategic Projects is for qualifying foreign corporations expanding into B.C.

B.C.'s official 2026 invitation history shows Entrepreneur Immigration invitations continuing in both Base and Regional streams.

Alberta

Alberta currently publishes four entrepreneur streams: Rural Entrepreneur, Graduate Entrepreneur, Farm, and Foreign Graduate Entrepreneur. These are not interchangeable. For example, the Foreign Graduate Entrepreneur Stream is designed for foreign-educated graduates launching innovative businesses and requires an approved designated-agency recommendation.

Manitoba

Manitoba's Business Investor Stream contains the Entrepreneur Pathway and Farm Investor Pathway. The Entrepreneur Pathway uses a work-permit-to-business-establishment model, but Manitoba currently states that EOI draws for the Business Investor Stream are not being conducted. Do not treat an existing program page as proof of an active invitation cycle.

Atlantic provincial business routes

New Brunswick's current Business Immigration stream requires eligible business experience, a business plan and active operation before nomination. PEI's Work Permit Stream is for experienced business owners/managers who move on a work permit, operate the business and later seek nomination. Nova Scotia's current Entrepreneur stream includes regular entrepreneur and international-graduate sub-criteria. Newfoundland and Labrador maintains International Entrepreneur and International Graduate Entrepreneur categories.

These are provincial nomination routes, distinct from the federal Atlantic Immigration Program, which is employer-driven rather than an entrepreneur program.

Yukon, NWT and Saskatchewan

Yukon's Business Nominee Program remains available for eligible entrepreneurs in listed strategic sectors. NWT identifies a Business Stream and says it continues to accept business applications on a first-come, first-served basis in 2026.

Saskatchewan is the opposite: it permanently closed its Entrepreneur, International Graduate Entrepreneur and Farm Owner/Operator pathways on 27 March 2025. Existing files may continue processing, but new applicants should not be directed there.

Québec is separate

Québec is not part of the PNP. Its current business selection system separately publishes an Entrepreneur Program—including an innovative-business stream—and a Self-Employed Worker Program. Québec's official site states that applications to the Self-Employed Worker Program can currently be submitted at any time.

Applicants planning Québec should use Québec's own selection rules first and then follow the applicable federal immigration stage.

Work permits during entrepreneur programs

Many entrepreneur nomination models require the applicant to establish or operate the business in Canada before nomination. The supporting work-permit basis varies by program. Do not assume every entrepreneur uses the same LMIA exemption.

A separate federal route may exist for a business owner who can demonstrate significant Canadian benefit; see the significant-benefit entrepreneur work permit.

For broader comparisons, return to the Canada hub, PNP guide, entrepreneur visa type hub, startup visa type hub, and self-employment hub.

Related country research: Mexico, Portugal, and Australia.

Verified against federal, provincial and territorial government sources on 18 September 2026.

Official and supporting sources

Related routes in Canada