Business and Investor Immigration

Provincial Nominees

While immigration to Canada is mostly the jurisdiction of the Federal Government in Canada, each of Canada’s provinces has its own small immigration program whereby the provincial government can nominate individuals for immigration to their province based on their own specific criteria.

Investors and Business PNPs include:

British Columbia
Quebec
Manitoba
New Brunswick
Ontario
Prince Edward Island
Saskatchewan
Yukon
North West Territories

In general, most PNPs set minimum investment amounts for applicants. Eligible candidates must also meet specified minimum net worth or revenue generation thresholds. Some PNPs require applicants to demonstrate business success in Canada as a condition for permanent residency nomination.

Each province may run different programs at during the year based on their needs and goals. Program requirements vary widely and are subject to change at any time. To find out more about various provincial programs and to assess your qualifications, please contact us.

This program is intended to attract entrepreneurs to participating regional communities to establish new businesses that align with the communities’ economic development priorities.

Personal Net Worth: You must have a minimum of $300,000 in personal net worth, which includes your spouse or common-law partner, and your dependent children, if applicable. Your personal net worth must be legally obtained and verifiable

Business Owner-Manager and/or Senior Manager Experience You must have a minimum of:
• more than three years of experience as an active business owner-manager:
If you have performed an active role in the management and operations of a company for which you have held 10 per cent or more ownership during the past five years. An active role means that you are personally involved in the day-to-day operations of the company and have direct involvement in decision-making; or

• more than four years of experience as a senior manager:
If you have worked during the past five years for a company/organization as an active senior manager (with no business ownership, or business ownership of less than 10 per cent) supervising at least three full-time employees, and your National Occupation Classification (NOC) is Skill Type 0 or Skill Level A; or

• a combination of at least one year of experience as an active business owner-manager and at least two years of experience as a senior manager

Language Proficiency: You must possess basic English or French language proficiency equivalent to Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) level 4 or higher in each of the four competencies: listening, speaking, reading and writing.

Eligible Personal Investment: You must make an eligible personal investment of at least $100,000 in the proposed business within 610 days (approximately 20 months) of arriving in B.C. on a BC PNP-supported work permit. The minimum eligible personal investment of $100,000 must be derived from your personal net worth. The proposed investment must be directed to one business location.

Nova Scotia Entrepreneur Stream

Applicants must meet the following criteria:

intend to settle in NS, and to manage, invest in, or own a business in NS
make a minimum investment of $150,000 in a NS business
have minimum $600,000 in legally earned Net Worth (principal applicant’s and spouse’s assets combined)
be minimum age 21
have completed at least 12 years of school (completed secondary school), verified by an Educational Credential Assessment
have minimum 3 years (in the past 10 years) of business ownership experience (min. 33.3% ownership), or minimum 5 years (in the past 10 years) of transferable senior management experience
have basic proficiency in English or French (CLB 5 or greater)

1. Business experience
You must have at least 24 months of full-time business experience in the last 60 months.
Your experience must be as a business owner or as a senior manager (business management). As a business owner you must have had an active role in the business and owned at least one-third of the business. As a senior manager you must have had senior decision-making responsibilities in the business.

2. Net worth
If your proposed business will be located:
within the Greater Toronto Area (City of Toronto and Durham, Halton, York and Peel regions) you must have a minimum net worth of 800,000 CDN.

outside of the Greater Toronto Area you must have a minimum net worth of $400,000 CDN.

If your proposed business is in the information and communications technology/digital communications sector then regardless of location, you must have a minimum net worth of $400,000 CDN.

3. Personal investment funds and minimum equity
If your proposed business will be located:
within the Greater Toronto Area, you must make a minimum personal investment of $600,000 CDN and control at least one-third of the equity in the business

outside of the Greater Toronto Area, you must make a minimum personal investment of $200,000 CDN and control at least one-third of the equity in the business

If your proposed business is in the information and communications technology/digital communications sector then regardless of location, you must make a minimum personal investment of $200,000 CDN and control at least of one-third of the equity in the business.

Significant Benefit Entrepreneur Work Permit

Significant Benefit Entrepreneur work permits are available to candidates who are starting a new business or purchasing an existing business in Canada. Applicants should own at least 50% of the shares of the business. Candidates must demonstrate that their admission to Canada to operate their business would generate significant economic, social or cultural benefits or opportunities for Canadian citizens or permanent residents, such as job creation, expansion of export trade, technological advancements, innovation or skills development of Canadians.

Examples of Significant benefit:
general economic stimulus (such as job creation, development in a regional or remote setting or expansion of export markets for Canadian products and services);
advancement of the Canadian industry (such as technological development, product or service innovation or differentiation or opportunities for improving the skills of Canadians)

Candidates can then obtain points towards their Permanent residency express entry applications.

Owner-Operator Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA)

Owner-Operator LMIAs are available to persons who are starting a new business or purchasing an existing business in Canada. Applicants should hold senior management positions and cannot be dismissed and must have a controlling interest in the business (i.e., own greater than 50% of the shares). Candidates can then obtain points towards their Permanent residency express entry applications