Last Updated:September 24, 2026
Supervised by Yuki Shiraishi (Immigration Consultant)
What is the EI Regional Stream?
This category is designed for individuals who plan to establish a business in a designated area of BC and possess extensive experience in managing the proposed business. Applicants are required to visit the community, where their proposal and experience will be evaluated to ensure alignment with the community’s priorities. Additionally, each community may have its own procedures and may charge service fees.
Eligibility Requirements for the EI Regional Pilot
- Establish a new business that aligns with the priority areas of the designated region.
- Possess business or management experience.
- Have net assets of at least $300,000.
- Invest at least $100,000 of personal funds in the business.
- Create at least one new full-time job for a Canadian citizen or permanent resident.
- Alternatively, hire at least one full-time Canadian citizen or permanent resident.
- Be lawfully admitted to your current country of residence.
- Possess, or be eligible for, legal immigrant status in Canada.
- Achieve a minimum language proficiency score of CLB4 on an approved English or French language test taken within the last two years.
Language Proficiency
Applicants must have achieved a minimum language proficiency score of CLB4 on an approved English or French language test taken within the last two years.
| Test | Language | Reading | Writing | Listening | Speaking | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CLB4 | IELTS | English | 3.5 | 4.0 | 4.5 | 4.0 |
| CELPIP | English | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | |
| TEF Tests taken on or after December 11, 2023 |
French | 306-351 | 268-329 | 306-351 | 328-386 | |
| TEF Tests taken between October 1, 2019, and December 10, 2023 |
French | 300-349 | 300-349 | 300-349 | 300-349 | |
| TCF | French | 342-374 | 4-5 | 331-368 | 4-5 |
Designated Areas in BC
- Cariboo
- Kootenay
- Nechako
- Vancouver Island/Coastal
- Thompson-Okanagan
- North Coast
- Northeast
For details about each region, please contact Shiraishi Visa JP Canada.
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Immigration Consultant
Yuki Shiraishi
Born in Japan. After earning a Bachelor's degree from the University of Michigan, she worked for six years in New York as a marketing consultant at a major travel agency, while also studying in an MBA program at the City University of New York. After returning to Japan, she managed the visa center of the same travel company, handling various international visa applications for foreign clients.
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