Business Investor Programs

Your skills, experience, and personal net worth may make you eligible for one of Canada’s immigrant investor programs granting fast-tracked investor visas for an applicant’s contributions to developing the Canadian economy.

Federal Investor Program
*This program has been terminated. There are currently no plans to resume this program. The Federal Investment Immigrant Program permits eligible immigrant investors to acquire Permanent Resident Status in Canada by making a guaranteed, five-year investment of $800,000 CAD of their own funds via an authorized agent.

Federal Venture Capital Program
If you are savvy business owner or manager with a personal net worth that exceeds $10 million, you may be qualified to apply under the Federal Venture Capital Pilot Program. Eligible applicants will be required to make a non-guaranteed investment of $2 million for up to 15 years in order to secure an investor visa (Permanent Residency).

Quebec Investor Program
Immigrant investors who are looking to plant roots in the province of Quebec may do so by applying for a Quebec Investor Visa. The province is seeking applicants with a minimum personal net worth of $2 million and managerial experience within legal farming, commercial, industrial, or professional industries. Eligible investors will be required to make a five-year, guaranteed investment of $1.2 million.

Provincial Nominee Programs for Investors
Certain provinces offer the opportunity to immigrate to Canada with an investor visa by applying under their own investor stream of the Provincial Nominee Program. Each province will establish their own set of rules and eligibility requirements based on its own economy, opportunities and market gaps. If you are interested in living and investing in one particular province, you could be nominated through their provincial immigration program to begin your journey to a Canadian investment immigration visa.

Entrepreneur Programs
Welcoming eligible small businesses and startups alike, Canada will help your business reach new heights as you work together to bolster the economy and create jobs for its citizens and permanent residents like yourself.

Federal Entrepreneur Program
*This program was terminated and it is unlikely the program will be reopened in the future.

Eligible applicants and their immediate families will be granted Canadian permanent residence for managing and establishing or acquiring at least 33.33% of equity within an eligible Canadian business that creates a minimum of one new job within the economy.

Federal Startup Visa
Business entrepreneurs can grow their companies in Canada with the funding and expertise from approved Canadian private sector organizations and receive a Startup Visa in return for growing the economy and creating employment opportunities for citizens and residents alike. Unlike Immigrant Investor programs, or the Federal Entrepreneur program, applicants are not required to invest any of their own capital to meet the program’s eligibility requirements. Instead, they must receive a minimum venture capital or angel investment from one or multiple designated organizations.

Quebec Entrepreneur Program
If you are an experienced business person or manager with an intermediate knowledge of the French language, you may be eligible to obtain a Business Entrepreneur Visa by creating or acquiring a business in the province of Quebec. The Quebec Entrepreneur Program has two streams available for foreign entrepreneurs.

Provincial Nominee Programs for Entrepreneurs
Certain provinces operate can nominate applicants through their own entrepreneur stream of the Provincial Nominee Program. If you are interested in settling and managing a business within a particular province, you may be nominated for Permanent Residence, provided you meet the eligibility requirements set forth by the province.

Self Employed Programs

If you are interested in settling in one of Canada’s provinces or territories as a professional athlete, farmer, or artisan, you
may be eligible to obtain a business immigrant visa for yourself and immediate family.
This is a lucrative opportunity for business-savvy individuals who do not wish to invest a sum of their personal funds into another business or government to establish themselves among their peers in Canada.

Federal Self-Employed Program
Using a point-based grading system to assess the eligibility of business immigration applicants, the Federal Self-Employed Persons Program also requires applicants to possess two years of relevant work experience within their field as proof that they can be gainfully self-employed in any Canadian province except Quebec.

Quebec Self Employed Program
Somewhat similar to its federal counterpart, the Quebec Self-Employed Program requires applicants to demonstrate their ability to be successfully self-employed within their industry. This program also imposes a minimum net worth requirement of $100,000, and as with all of this province’s immigration programs, the intent to reside in Quebec.

Provincial Nominee Programs for Self Employed Workers
If an applicant wishes to settle in a particular province, they may choose to apply under its own Self-Employed stream of the Provincial Nominee Program. Each province and territory has its own set of eligibility requirements and selection criteria, though there are often many eligibility overlaps that can be seen in other business immigration streams, such as years of experience and proof of personal funds.