CA · N 49°17′ · W 123°07′
Canada
A B.C. private company can support Canadian operations, North American sales, and local hiring, including for overseas owners who prefer no resident-director rule. Federal and provincial taxes combine; the incorporation province, operating provinces, licences, and investment filings should be planned together.
A North American gateway without a resident-director rule.
British Columbia private company (B.C. Ltd.)
Talk to an advisorKey points on one page.
- Tax
- B.C. general corporate tax totals 27%; non-resident control generally cannot use the 9% CCPC rate
- Shareholders and directors
- Min. 1 shareholder and 1 individual director; B.C. has no director-residency rule
- Share capital
- No statutory minimum capital or paid-in amount; set the authorized share structure in the articles
- Local requirements
- B.C. registered and records offices required; no local director or secretary required; licences vary
- Annual maintenance
- B.C. annual report and T2 return; GST/HST, payroll and NR4 filings where applicable
- Incorporation timeline
- Approx. 1–2 weeks, once the name and filings are ready
- Public disclosure
- Directors and core company data are searchable; private-company beneficial-ownership register is not public
Facts last checked · 2026-10-23
This page summarises publicly available regulations for general reference only and does not constitute legal or tax advice. Rules in each jurisdiction may change at any time; please confirm the latest position with an Offshore Isle advisor.
References (11)›
- 01B.C. Incorporation Application Overview
- 02Corporate income tax rates and business limits — Province of British Columbia
- 03Corporation tax rates — Canada Revenue Agency
- 04Type of corporation — Canada Revenue Agency
- 05Transparency Register — Province of British Columbia
- 06Manage an incorporated company — Province of British Columbia
- 07When to file your corporation income tax return — Canada Revenue Agency
- 08When to register for and start charging the GST/HST — Canada Revenue Agency
- 09Investment Canada Act — Government of Canada
- 10Applicable rate of Part XIII tax — Canada Revenue Agency
- 11Global minimum tax — Government of Canada
02 · Advantages
Why Canada
- 01B.C. has no director-residency rule, allowing direct overseas ownership
- 02A Canadian entity can contract, employ staff, register tax accounts and serve North American customers
- 03Canada has a mature legal and financial system with strong international business standing
- 04Private companies allow flexible share structures, including no-par-value shares
- 05A private company's beneficial-ownership register is held by the company and not public
03 · Requirements
Formation requirements
- Company name: use a numbered name or an approved name with a legal ending such as “Ltd.”
- Shareholders: min. 1, individual or corporate; full overseas ownership is permitted
- Directors: min. 1 individual; B.C. has no director-residency rule
- Address: maintain B.C. registered and records offices; service address must be a physical address accessible on business days
- Foreign investment: a new business or acquisition is subject to the Investment Canada Act, with notification or review as applicable; check sector licences
04 · Compliance
Annual compliance
- File a B.C. annual report within 2 months of the anniversary date
- File the T2 within 6 months of fiscal year-end; generally pay the tax balance within 2 months
- Keep accounting books, financial statements, director and shareholder registers, and corporate resolutions
- Maintain the Transparency Register; update it within 30 days of receiving new information
- Register and file GST/HST when required; withhold, remit and file NR4 where payments to non-residents require it
After incorporation, Offshore Isle sets a compliance calendar. We remind you in advance of annual returns, renewals and filings, and handle them on your behalf.
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