Administrative Services

Support or back office functions related to a financial activity

• By establishing an international business (IB) in British Columbia, a company can receive a full refund of the British Columbia taxes paid on the net income of the qualifying business (75% refund for patent income). 
• Companies can register a business or part of a business in the program. For income to qualify for the refund, one side of the transaction must be with a non-resident.
• The International Business Activity Act (IBAA), legislated by the Province of British Columbia in 2004, provides the legislative framework for the tax incentive program.

Qualifying Activities

• Administrative activities directly related to a financial activity of a non-resident financial business (excludes call centres, marketing, and advertising)
• Back-up office services, equipment and premises to a non-resident to continue business operations in the event primary equipment or premises become temporarily unusable

British Columbia's Competitive Advantages

• All cities in British Columbia offer an ample workforce with the characteristics suited to staff administrative operations.
• Over 66% of people employed in Vancouver have some form of higher education (62% in British Columbia).
• 41.7% of people residing in Vancouver are visible minorities (24.8% of British Columbians).
• In Vancouver, 46.5% of the population know one or more non-official languages (31% in British Columbia).
• There is a continuous supply of new entrants to the workforce to replace those exiting:
• There were 329,596 students enrolled in public post-secondary institutions in British Columbia in 2007-08.
• In 2008, British Columbia gained over 55,000 (net international migration) and 6,405 (net interprovincial migration).

Registering an IB

Further details on administrative services and the IB program can be found in Bulletin IFA 001, International Financial Activity Overview.

The program is administered by the BC Ministry of Finance (formerly the BC Ministry of Small Business and Revenue). For more information regarding the legislation or provincial registration, please visit their website. The information on this website is provided for convenience and guidance only and is not a replacement for the legislation. Businesses considering accessing the benefits under the IBAA should consult with their professional advisors on the applicability of the legislation to their particular circumstance.

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