Business & Investor Immigration
- Start-Up Visa
- Self-Employment
- Immigrant Investor
The startup visa program focuses on the immigration of highly qualified entrepreneurs who have the skills necessary to start and maintain a successful business. These immigrations must prove their ability to create Canadian jobs and be competitive in the national and global market.
What are the requirements?
- Designated Organization Affirmation
If you are interested in starting a new business in Canada, the first step is to obtain an affirmation from one of the designated organizations recognized by the Canadian government. Once affirmed by one of these organizations, you may qualify to immigrate to Canada on a start-up visa with a confirmation letter.
- Ownership Requirements
Up to five individuals can apply for a start-up visa program as owners of a single business. Each candidate must hold no less than 10 percent ownership of the company. In addition, these five individuals must own a majority of the business.
- Language Requirements
Immigration applicants must pass a dialect test from an approved English or French association. This test includes listening, reading, writing, and speaking sections. Each applicant must meet the base level of the Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 5 in order to be considered.
- Financial Requirements
The Canadian government does not provide monetary assistance for new companies. Given this, the Canadian government requires documentation displaying your ability to financially support yourself and your new venture.
Self-Employed Program
In an effort to increase job offerings, the Canadian government has created a program that offers permanent residency to skilled entrepreneurs interested in starting their own Canadian-based ventures. The Canadian government will evaluate self-employment applications based on your age, job experience, and language capabilities. Each of these criteria will be used to provide a score. The base score for consideration is 35 out of 100. The immigration office may require proof of previous work experience that relates to the venture you are looking to start. Furthermore, athletes seeking to become top-rated professionals in their respective sports are encouraged to apply to this program.
Immigrant Investor Venture Capital Pilot Program (IIVC)
The IIVC program was designed to attract global investors who have strategic experience and job skills that will boost the Canadian economy via Capital Investment. The program is currently closed but will likely open again in the future. If you are interested in learning more about this program, please contact a member of our team. It is important to note the requirements associated with the IIVC program. These include the following:
- Personal Net-Worth Requirements
In order to be considered for the IIVC program applicants must have $10 million CDN in total person assets.
- Venture Capital Requirements
In addition to the net worth requirements, the IIVC program requires you to engage in investment activities equal to $2 million dollars CDN over the course of 15 years. These investments must be considered “venture-capital” investments which do not have insurance policies similar to retirement accounts.
- Language Requirements
In order to be accepted for this program it is mandatory that you pass a language test. This test can be taken in English or French. The test that you take must abide by the requirements set for in the Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 5. The CLB requires testing in speaking, cognition, reading and writing.
- Education
In it mandatory for applicants to complete a degree of education that is equivalent to the Canadian post-secondary degree, diploma or certificate of at least one year. Your education tenure can be validated by an original Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) report from a CIC-designated organization.
Atlantic Immigration Pilot Program
The Atlantic Immigration Pilot Program was announced by the Canadian Government to aid skilled immigrant workers and international graduates looking to live permanently in Canada. This program only applies to Canadian provinces located on the Atlantic coast. These provinces include the following:
- New Brunswick
- Price Edward Island
- Newfoundland and Labrador
- Nova Scotia
There are three separate programs you can apply to live and work permanently in Atlantic Canada. We have listed these programs below:
- Atlantic International Graduate Program
- Atlantic Intermediate-Skilled Program
- Atlantic High-Skilled Program
Each of these programs has specific requirements which include the following:
- Proficiency in English or French
- Capacity for financial self- sufficiency for yourself and family
- Sufficient planning to live in the Atlantic provinces
- Demonstration for skills, experience and education
- Demonstration of potential jobs you are able to work in these provinces
Quebec Immigration
The Canadian territory of Quebec has several different rules and regulations pertaining to immigration compared to the rest of Canada. Quebec is a primarily French-speaking province. With over 8 million occupants, Quebec is home to more than 1/4th of Canada’s entire population. In fact, more than 4 million people live in the Montreal territory of Quebec making it the second highest populace city in Canada. There are four classifications of immigration policy:
Permanent Workers
Quebec welcomes applications for permanent workers through the specialist worker program. Under this program, candidates receive points through the use of different criteria to determine if they are eligible for immigration. Some of these criteria consider your work experience, education level, ability to speak French or English associated with Quebec, job offers/opportunities, family ties, financial self-sufficiency, and the number of children who you will be immigrating with.
Business Professionals
- Entrepreneur Program
- Investor Program
This program is for professionals planning to move to Quebec and seeking investment opportunity in the province.
- Self-Employed Worker Program
If you already own a business but are looking to immigrate into Quebec, we recommend applying for immigration status as a self-employed worker.
Quebec Experience Class (PEQ)
If you have previously studied or worked in Quebec, you may qualify for immigration status under the PEQ class. Attaining the Quebec Certificate of Selection (otherwise known as the Quebec Selection Certificate or “CSQ”) is the initial step towards PEQ migration, once this step is complete, you can apply for IRCC government approval. There are two options for immigration under the PEQ class:
- Temporary Foreign Workers
If you have worked in Quebec as a skilled, administrative, or professional work you should apply as a temporary foreign worker. This program requires a demonstration of French language skills.
- Foreign Students
If you are an international student currently studying at an educational institution that is endorsed by the Quebec Ministry of Education you should apply for immigration status as a foreign student. You must be working to obtain your 24-month degree. Furthermore, you must have the ability to prove your fluency in French.
Family Reunification
If you are a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident living in Quebec you are allowed to sponsor a relative that is younger than 18 and unmarried. To learn more details about this program, please contact a member of our team.
Humanitarian Immigration
Similar to humanitarian immigration in mainland Canada, the government of Quebec lets a specific number of refugees migrate into Canada every year. To qualify for immigration into Quebec, each candidate must demonstrate significant need and high likelihood that returning to their home country would result in bodily harm or persecution. If the candidate is able to prove these circumstances, the Quebec immigration department will evaluate the candidate’s work experience, language skills, job opportunities and family ties.
Migrating From the United States
Every year there are a growing number of immigrants moving from the United States into Canada. This is due to Canada’s growing economy, quality of life, and inexpensive cost of living. People from the United States can move to Canada on a temporary basis or on a permanent basis. We have detailed these options below for your convenience:
Temporary Immigration
Studying in Canada
Thousands of students are increasingly turning to Canada as a great place to study. Low costs of education and living, coupled with a high employment rate, internship opportunities, quality of life, and language skills continue to attract more university-level students every year. There are several programs developed by Canada’s immigration department to assist students in immigrating to Canada:
- SWAP Working Holidays
Under the Student Work Abroad Programs (SWAP), U.S. natives between the ages of eighteen and thirty may obtain a work permit for a single year if they were enlisted in a full-time post-auxiliary educational institution within the last year.
General Temporary Worker
In order to begin working in Canada, U.S. citizens must obtain a work permit from the Canadian Government. In order to obtain this permit, you are required to have a valid job offer from a Canadian corporation. In order to offer a full-time position, this Canadian corporation will likely be required to complete a Labor Market Assessment (LMIA) report demonstrating a lack of quality labor in their specific location and previous, failed efforts in hiring Canadian citizens.
NAFTA
The North American Free Trade Agreement: allows U.S. citizens to work in Canada without the need for a LMIA report as long as they meet one of the three, following classifications:
- NAFTA Professional
This classification allows professionals to work in Canada as long as they are focuses on 1 of 60 industries including education, science and law.
- NAFTA Intra-Company Transfer
This classification allows U.S. citizens to immigrate to Canada if they are transferring.
- NAFTA Traders and Investors
If you are a United States Citizen whose owns a significant portion of a Canadian based company, you are allowed to work in Canada under this classification.
Permanent Immigration
U.S. Citizens or Temporary Residents can opt for a permanent residency in Canada under one of the three following categories:
- Express Entry
Developed in 2015, express entry is an immigration avenue developed by the Canadian government to aid in the speedy immigration of high skilled workers into Canada. This program evaluates applicants based on a number of criteria including language proficiency, financial stability, work experience, age, and job prospects.
- Provincial Nomination
Canadian provinces are allowed to independently process immigrants. Oftentimes, these provinces have their own set of criteria and immigration processes. This type of immigration is called the Provincial Nomination Program (PNP) and is intended for people who are interested in immigrating into a specific province.
- Family Sponsorship
If you have a relative that is 18 years or older, they are allowed to sponsor you for immigration into Canada.
- Business Immigration
Entrepreneurs, financial professionals, and related business professionals interested in working in Canada can immigrate to Canada if they are able to prove financial self-sufficiency and a positive impact on Canada’s economy. If you are a professional interested in immigrating to Canada under this classification, please contact a member of our team to learn about the specific requirements and applications.