Business Immigration

bi-01aFederal Investor Program

Note: As of July 1, 2012, Citizenship and Immigration Canada has temporarily stopped accepting applications for the federal Investor program to focus on processing the applications that are already in process. It does not apply to the Quebec Immigrant Investor Program. (Read More)

 

bi-04a

Federal Entrepreneur Program – Start-up Visa

Get your business idea funded and immigrate to Canada permanently. Canada’s new Start-Up Visa Program is the first of its kind in the world, linking immigrant entrepreneurs with experienced private sector organizations that have expertise in working with start-ups. (Read More)

 

bi-02a

Federal Self-Employed Program

The Self-Employed Persons Program seeks to attract applicants who intend and are able to become self-employed in Canada. Self-employed persons must have either: (Read More)

 

 

Provincial Nominee Programs:

Certain provinces have their own Business Immigration programs within their Provincial Nomination Programs (PNP).

Province

Minimum personal net worth

Minimum investment required

Business management experience required?

Business plan required?

Government deposit required?

Performance agreement required?

Exploratory visit required?

Additional selection criteria?

Manitoba

$350,000

$150,000 and ownership of at least 1/3 of an eligible business

Yes: Previous business ownership or a minimum of 3 years of senior management experience

Yes

$75,000 refundable deposit

Participate in day-to-day management of business

Yes, for a minimum of 7 days

Yes

Saskatchewan

$300,000

$150,000 and ownership of at least 1/3 of an eligible business

Yes: minimum of 3 years of business management experience

Yes

$75,000 refundable deposit

Participate in day-to-day management of business & create new jobs for Canadians or permanent residents

No, but recommended

Yes

British Columbia: Vancouver & Abbotsford

$800,000

$400,000 and ownership of at least 1/3 of an eligible business

Yes

Yes

Optional Fast Track Option: $125,000 refundable deposit – SUSPENDED

Yes, in order to obtain a work permit
create at least 3 new jobs for Canadians or permanent residents

Strongly recommended

Yes

British Columbia: outside Vancouver & Abbotsford

$400,000

$200,000 and ownership of at least 1/3 of an eligible business

Yes

Yes

Optional Fast Track Option: $125,000 refundable deposit
- SUSPENDED

Yes, in order to obtain a work permit
create at least 1 new job for a Canadian or permanent resident

Strongly recommended

Yes

New Brunswick

$300,000

$125,000

Yes: previous business ownership or senior management experience

Yes

$75,000 refundable deposit

Participate in day-to-day management of business

Yes, for a minimum of 5 days

Yes – basic proficiency in one of Canada’s official languages

Quebec

$300,000

$100,000 – representing at least 25% of capital equity

Yes: minimum of 2 years of business management experience in the last 5 years

Yes

No

Participate in day-to-day management of business

Strongly recommended

Yes

Prince Edward Island
100% Ownership

 

$400,000

$150,000

Yes

Yes

$100,000

Participate in day-to-day management of business

Yes

Yes

Prince Edward Island
Partial Ownership

 

$400,000

$150,000 and ownership of at least 1/3 of a business OR make an investment of $1,000,000

Yes

Yes

$100,000

Participate in day-to-day management of business

Yes

Yes

Ontario

-

$3,000,000 and ownership of at least 1/3 of a business OR make an investment of $1,000,000

Yes

Yes

No

Participate in day-to-day management of business & create at least 5 new jobs for Canadians or permanent residents

No

Yes

Northwest Territories

$500,000 (if buying a business in the city of Yellowknife)

$300,000 in a business in the city of Yellowknife

Yes

Yes

$75,000 refundable deposit

Yes, in order to obtain a work permit

Yes

Yes

Yukon

$250,000 (including $150,000 in liquid assets)

$150,000 and ownership of at least 1/3 of a business

Yes: minimum of 5 years of business management experience

Yes

$75,000 refundable deposit

Yes, in order to obtain a work permit

Yes

Yes – basic proficiency in one of Canada’s official languages

**additional deposit of $10,000 if language results are below Canadian Language Benchmark 5

 

  1. British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program – Business Immigrants.
  2. Quebec Business Immigration – Investor
  3. Quebec Business Immigration – Entrepreneur
  4. Quebec Business Immigration – Self –Employed
  5. Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program for Business
  6. Manitoba Young Farmer Nominee Program
  7. Saskatchewan Provincial Nominee Program – Entrepreneurs
  8. Saskatchewan Provincial Nominee Program – Large Scale Investors
  9. Saskatchewan Provincial Nominee Program – Science and Technology
  10. Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program (SINP) – Farmers
  11. Ontario Provincial Nominee Program (PNP)
  12. Prince Edward Island Provincial Nominee Program (PNP)
  13. Northwest Territories Nominee Program (NTNP)
  14. Yukon Nominee Program (YNP)