Business and Investor Immigration

What is Business Immigration?

Canada offers a variety of Federal Business Immigration Programs designed for entrepreneurs, business owners, or investors who want to live in Canada and contribute to its economy.

Business Immigration can be a great way to quickly obtain permanent residence, especially in comparison to other immigration programs that can take years.

There are multiple streams offered under Federal Business Immigration, each with its own set of requirements:

• Start-Up Visa Program
• Self-Employed Persons Program
• Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) Entrepreneur Visa
• Business Visitor Visa

Let’s break them down. 

Start-Up Visa Program

The Start-Up Visa Program is for people with qualifying, innovative business ideas that can compete on a global scale, can create jobs for Canadians and, most importantly, contribute to the Canadian economy.

To be eligible for the Start-Up Visa Program, you must:

• Have a qualifying business, where you have more than 10% of the voting rights
• Obtain a letter of support and funding from a designated institution that has been approved to invest in start-ups
• Meet the Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) in either English or French for speaking, reading, writing, and listening
• Demonstrate proof of funds to settle in Canada without financial support

Self-Employed Persons Program

The Self-Employed Persons Program is designed for people who have experience in the arts or athletics and are looking to immigrate to Canada as someone self-employed. You must be willing to relocate to Canada and make a significant contribution to cultural or athletic life in Canada.

To qualify for the Self-Employed Persons Program, you must:

• Have a minimum of 2 years of relevant experience in your industry (arts or athletics) obtained within the last 5 years
• Be willing and able to be self-employed in Canada
• Satisfy the program’s selection criteria
• Meet the medical and security requirements

Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) Entrepreneur Visa Streams

The Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) gives each Canadian province and territory the ability to invite applicants who meet the selection criteria to apply for permanent residence.

Most provinces and territories offer entrepreneur or investor visa streams for people who are looking to immigrate to Canada by starting or investing in a business. The criteria vary across each province and territory. Don’t worry, we will get into it a bit later.

Business Visitor Visa

If your sole purpose of travelling to Canada is for international business activities, you need a Business Visitor Visa.

A business visitor is someone who is temporarily visiting Canada for business purposes without directly entering the Canadian labour market. This means that you cannot be applying for jobs or receiving any job offers from Canadian employers. As a business visitor, you can stay in Canada for up to 6 months.

To get the visa, you need to prove that your main source of income and place of business are outside of Canada. If you are completing work for a Canadian company, you are not considered a business visitor and will need a work permit. 

What are the different criteria for Business and Investor Immigration in each province? 

Ontario PNP

Ontario Entrepreneur Stream Requirements:

• The business net worth should be a minimum of $800,000 if your business will be in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) or of $400,000 if your business will be located outside of the GTA
• If your business is in the digital communications or information and communications technology sector, you must have a minimum net worth of $400,000 regardless of its location
• Minimum investment of $600,000 if your business is in the GTA or $200,000 if your business is located anywhere else in Ontario
• If your business is in the digital communications sector or information and communications technology sector, the minimum investment is $200,000 regardless of its location
• You must own at least 33.3% of the business, be actively involved in managing it and have 2+ years of experience owning it
• If your business will be in the GTA, you need to create at least 2 full-time jobs for Canadian citizens or permanent residents
• If your intended business will be located outside the GTA or is in the information and communications technology or digital communications sector, you must create at least 1 full-time job for a Canadian citizen or permanent resident

Ontario Corporate Stream Requirements:

• The corporation must be established at least 36 months outside of Canada before the application
• The corporation must have an eligible structure (public corporation, sole proprietorship, or partnership)
• Commitment to invest $5,000,000 as part of a plan to expand into Ontario or to purchase an existing business in Ontario
• The proposed business must be linked to the parent company as a subsidiary, branch, or affiliate of the parent company
• The proposed business must make a profit through the sale of goods or services
• Must create 5 full-time jobs for Canadian citizens or permanent residents per key staff position, such as a senior, executive, or management role
• The original key staff must have a minimum of 3 years of experience with the corporation obtained within the last 5 years
• Key staff must not have any family relation to any individual with more than 10% equity in the corporation

Quebec PNP

Quebec Entrepreneur Program Requirements:

• The minimum net worth of $900,000
• Minimum start-up deposit of $200,000 or $300,000 in Montreal
• If you start a business, you must own at least 25% of the equity
• If you acquire a business, you must own at least 51% of the equity

Quebec Investor Program Requirements:

• The minimum net worth of $2,000,000
• Minimum investment of $1,200,000 during a five-year term
• 2+ years of management experience within the last 5 years

 

British Columbia PNP

British Columbia Entrepreneur Immigration Requirements:

• The minimum net worth of $600,000
• Minimum investment of $200,000
• 3+ years of business ownership/management experience or 4+ years of senior management experience
• Must create a minimum of one full-time job for a Canadian citizen or permanent resident

British Columbia Regional Pilot Requirements:

• The minimum net worth of $300,000
• Minimum investment of $100,000
• 3+ years of business ownership/management experience or 4+ years of senior management experience
• Business must be in a regional community in British Columbia with a population of fewer than 75,000 people
• You must own at least 51% of the business in British Columbia
• Must create at least 1 full-time job for a Canadian citizen or permanent resident within the regional community

Manitoba PNP

Manitoba Entrepreneur Pathway Requirements:

• The minimum net worth of $500,000
• Minimum investment of $250,000 if your business is in the Manitoba Capital Region or of $150,000 if your business is located anywhere else
• 3+ years of full-time work experience as an active business owner or senior manager of a successful business (Business owners are scored higher than senior managers)
• Must create at least 1 full-time job for a Canadian citizen or permanent resident

Manitoba Farm Investor Requirements:

• The minimum net worth of $500,000
• Minimum investment of $300,000
• 3+ years of experience in farm ownership or operation
• The farm business must be primary agriculture production and located in rural Manitoba
• You must live on the farm and actively participate in the management and operation of the farm

New Brunswick PNP

New Brunswick Entrepreneur Requirements:

• The minimum net worth of $600,000
• Minimum investment of $250,000 to start your business
• You must be between the ages of 22 and 55 years old
• 3+ years of experience owning and operating at least 33.3% of a business within the last 5 years or 5+ years of senior management experience
• Minimum of 2 years of post-secondary education
• You must score at least level 5 on the Canadian Language Benchmark for either French or English in all four test categories
• You must have the intention to live in the province permanently while owning and operating your business

Northwest Territories PNP

Northwest Territory Business Stream Requirements:

• The minimum net worth of $500,000 if you want to settle in Yellowknife or net worth of $250,000 if you want to settle anywhere else in the territories
• Minimum investment of $300,000 if your business is in Yellowknife or $150,000 if your business is located outside Yellowknife
• You must own at least 33.3% of the business unless you have invested more than $1,000,000
• You must score at least level 4 on the Canadian Language Benchmark for either French or English in all four test categories
• Have the experience and knowledge necessary to implement your business plan
• Have a knowledge and understanding of the Northwest Territories and its economy
• Intend to settle full time in the Northwest Territories

Nova Scotia PNP

Nova Scotia Entrepreneur Requirements:

• The minimum net worth of $600,000 and a minimum investment of $150,000
• You must be at least 21 years old
• 3+ years of experience owning and operating at least 33.3% of a business or 5+ years of senior management experience
• You must score at least level 5 on the Canadian Language Benchmark for either French or English in all four test categories
• You must intend to live in Nova Scotia permanently as you own and operate your business
• You must complete your online Expression of Interest in Nova Scotia
• You must receive an Invitation to Apply for the program from Nova Scotia Immigration

Prince Edward Island PNP

Prince Edward Island Work Permit Stream Requirements:

• The minimum net worth of $600,000
• You must be between the ages of 21 and 59 years old
• You must have completed a high school education or secondary school equivalent
• You must score at least level 4 on the Canadian Language Benchmark for either French or English in all four test categories
• You must intend to live and work in Prince Edward Island as you actively own and operate your business

Saskatchewan PNP

Saskatchewan Entrepreneur Category Requirements:

• The minimum net worth of $500,000
• Minimum investment of $300,000 in Regina and Saskatoon or $200,000 in any other Saskatchewan communities
• 3+ years of relevant business management or entrepreneurial experience obtained within the past 10 years of applying
• If your business is located in Regina or Saskatoon, you must create at least 2 full-time jobs for Canadian citizens or permanent residents living in Saskatchewan
• You must own at least 33.3% of the business unless you have invested more than $1,000,000 

Saskatchewan Farm Owner and Operate Category Requirements:

• The minimum net worth of $500,000
  • Young Farmers Stream for individuals under 40 years old requires a minimum net worth of $300,000
• Minimum investment of $150,000
• A refundable cash deposit of $75,000
• 3+ years of experience in farm ownership or operation
• You must complete an exploratory visit to Saskatchewan for at least 10 working days

Business Immigration FAQ

If you’re still feeling lost, we got you! Here are some of the most commonly asked questions in regard to Business Immigration to Canada:

What types of business or investment activities make me eligible for the Investor Venture Capital Program?

To be eligible for the Investor Venture Capital Program, you must have a personal net worth of at least $10 million. Your net worth needs to be obtained through legal businesses or investments, as inheritance and property do not count towards your net worth and will not be considered.

A report of your past and present businesses and investments, along with validation of your net worth and the source of your funds are required for the program.

Do I need to invest my own money for a Canadian investor visa?

The only Business Immigration Programs that do not require you to invest your own money are the Start-Up Visa Program and the Self-Employed Program. All other streams of Business Immigration will require an investment on your part.

Will my visa be affected if my business fails? 

No, it will not. In the case that your business fails, your permanent residence status will not be affected.

What is the minimum investment I would need to secure for a Start-up Visa? 

To be eligible for a Start-Up Visa, your business must secure a minimum investment of $200,000 from an approved venture capital organization, or a minimum investment of $75,000 from an approved angel investor group. There is no minimum investment required if your business venture is accepted into an approved business incubator program.

For a full list of approved organizations for the Start-Up Visa Program, visit here.

Can I move to Canada if I am self-employed? 

If you have at least two years of relevant experience in the arts or athletics in the past five years, you may be eligible to apply for the Federal Self-Employed Program.

You are required to meet the medical and security requirements, along with the program’s selection criteria which assess experience, education, age, language abilities, and adaptability.

If you have a question that is not answered below, please contact our office where our team of skilled immigration lawyers will be happy to assist you.