Businesspeople and Investors

Are you a businessman or businesswoman with a wealth of experience and significant financial capital looking to settle in Canada? You can use one of the immigration programs for businesspeople and investors.

Self-Employed Persons Program

This program seeks to attract immigrants who have the intention and ability to create their own jobs. To immigrate as a self-employed worker, you must meet a number of specific requirements, including the following:

• Be self-employed
• Have at least two years of experience in your field
• Have the intention and the ability to create your own job in Canada
• Meet the program’s selection criteria
• Pass a medical exam and obtain a police certificate stating that you do not have a criminal record

You will also be assessed based on various selection factors, such as your education, academic degrees, work experience, age, language skills, business plan or investment plan.

Start-Up Visa

This program targets immigrant entrepreneurs who have the skills and ability to start a business in Canada who

• Innovate;
• Can create jobs for Canadian citizens;
• Can be competitive in the global market.

To be eligible for the Business Start-Up Visa Program, you will need to meet a number of criteria, including the following:

• Have an eligible business; i.e., as the owner, you must hold more than 50% of the voting rights attached to the shares of your business
• Obtain a letter of support from a designated organization; i.e. have received approval from a business group authorized by the government to invest or support you in your business project
• Meet the language requirements; i.e., have achieved the minimum level of the Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 5 in both oral and written French and English

Have enough money to support yourself and your dependents. The amount of money you need depends on the size of your family. The amount is updated every year. Contact us to learn about the cost of living in the province where you wish to settle.

Immigrating to Quebec

The province of Quebec has its own immigration programs for businesspeople and investors.

Quebec Entrepreneur Program

This program aims to recruit people who have the skills and experience needed to operate a business in the province. To take part, you must have a minimum net worth of $900,000 and have gained at least two years of experience in business management over the past five years.

The program is made up of two streams:

• The skills stream, which concerns people who want to start a business
• The acquisition stream, which concerns people who wish to take over a business as a partner or manager

Quebec Investor Program

To be eligible for this program, you must have a net worth of at least $2 million; have at least two years of business management experience; sign an investment agreement with a financial intermediary, real estate broker or trust company authorized to participate in the Program; make a five-year term investment of $1,200,000 with Investissement Québec - Immigrants Investisseurs Inc.

For more information, please contact one of our immigration specialists.

Self-Employed Worker Program

As is the case with the federal program, to apply for immigration under the Quebec self-employed worker program, you will need to be ready to create your own job, have a net worth of at least $100,000 and have at least two years of work experience in the profession you wish to practise in Quebec as a self-employed worker.

If you want to settle in Quebec as a businessperson or investor, contact us for more details and personalized, fast, effective support.