Frequently Asked Questions - 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 programs within the Business Immigration Program: Immigrant Investors, Entrepreneurs and Self-Employed Persons.

• 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.

• How can I prove that my net worth has been lawfully obtained?
• You must demonstrate the origin and accumulation of your wealth through reliable, third-party documentary evidence: tax returns, pay stubs, deeds of purchase/sale, statements from stockbrokers, business/real estate valuations, etc. You must be able to demonstrate that your assets were gained through means, which are considered legal, including gifts or inheritances.

• When do I, as an Immigrant Investor, commit my investment amount?
• You must commit your CAD$400,000 investment amount before final approval from Citizenship and Immigration Canada or Quebec Immigration officials, if you intend to reside in the province of Quebec.

• What are the main differences between the Federal and Quebec Immigrant Investor programs?
• Applicants with business managerial experience can qualify under either the Federal or Quebec Immigrant Investor Program. However, the Quebec Immigrant Investor Program also takes into consideration managerial experience in a government, governmental organization or international organization and therefore may appeal to individuals with a broader spectrum of backgrounds.

• Are there conditions attached to a Canada Immigration Visa issued under the Entrepreneur Program?
• Yes, the Entrepreneur must, within three years of arriving in Canada:
  
  • control a percentage of equity of a qualifying Canadian business equal to or greater than one-third;
  • be active in the management of the qualifying Canadian business, and
  • establish at least one full time job for a Canadian citizen or Permanent Resident other than the Entrepreneur and family members.
    If the Entrepreneur does not fullfil these conditions, there is a possibility of losing Canadian Permanent Resident status.

• How can I qualify under the Self-Employed Persons Program?
• To qualify as a Self-Employed person, you must be able to demonstrate experience, intention and ability to establish or purchase a business in Canada that will keep you employed and make a significant contribution to cultural activities, athletics or farming in Canada. Your intended business must generate sufficient revenues to support you and your dependents.
  
  If your destination is in the Province of Quebec, you must have:
  
• a net worth of at least CAD$100,000, lawfully obtained; and
• at least two years of experience as a self-employed worker in the occupation you plan to pursue in the Province of Quebec.

Under the Quebec Selection Criteria, your field of activity is not limtited to culture, athletics or farming.