Business Immigration

What is the Business Immigration Program?
The Business Immigration Program is a category of Canadian Immigration under which individuals with business/managerial experience and relatively high net-worth may qualify for a Canada Immigration (Permanent Resident) Visa. There are three sub-categories within the Business Immigration Program: Immigrant Investors, Entrepreneurs and Self-Employed Persons.

What documents must I provide in support of my application under the Business Immigration Program?
In addition to Citizenship and Immigration Canada application forms, education-related and status documents (passports, birth/marriage certificates, etc.), you must submit documents proving your business and/or managerial experience, as well as documents evidencing your net worth.

Under the Business Immigration Program, am I required to live in a particular province?
After becoming a Canadian Permanent Resident, you may live, work and engage in business activities in any Canadian province or territory, regardless of where you initially indicated you intended to reside on your application form. However, as an Entrepreneur intending to reside in the Province of Quebec you will be required to manage a commercial enterprise, which you must establish or acquire a portion of, in that province.

How can I qualify under the Immigrant Investor Program?
PLEASE NOTE: The Federal Investor Program is closed until further notice.
As an Immigrant Investor planning to reside anywhere in Canada, except in the Province of Quebec, you must have:

• A net worth of at least CAD$1.6 million, lawfully obtained;
• The funds to invest CAD$800,000 (financing available) for five years with Citizenship and Immigration Canada, which acts as agent on behalf of provincial and territorial investment funds; and
• Managed and owned an equity interest in a qualifying business, as defined under Citizenship and Immigration Canada Regulations; or, managed/supervised at least five employees for a period of two years within the last five years.

PLEASE NOTE: The Quebec Investor Program will be accepting applications between August 1st and August 16th, 2013.

As an Immigrant Investor planning to reside in the Province of Quebec, you must have:

• A net worth of at least CAD$1.6 million, lawfully obtained;
• The funds to invest CAD$800,000 for five years in a government of Quebec guaranteed investment fund; and
• Managerial experience in a commercial, industrial or agricultural enterprise; or managerial experience in a government, governmental organization, or international organization for a period of two years within the last five years.