Eager to enhance its demographic growth, further its economic development and pursue an open relationship with the rest of the world, Canada welcome business people who wish to immigrate to Canada.  The Canadian Business Immigration Program encourages and facilitates the admission of business people. 

To be selected as immigrant, the applicant may qualify as:
- Entrepreneur
- Self-employed
- Investor

ENTREPRENEURS

The "entrepreneur program" might be attractive to individuals who have the necessary expertise and are willing to create a business in Canada.

To qualify for this category, an applicant must:

• Have a minimum net worth of CAD 300,000 accumulated through legitimate business or investment means.
   
• Have an experience of at least three years as administrator in an agricultural, industrial or commercial company where he exercised tasks of organization, management, coordination and control of the human resources, material and financial resources.
   
• Demonstrate his intention of setting up a business in Canada by proposing a business project in which he will participate actively and in which he will make a substantial financial investment. 
   
• The entrepreneur is encouraged to make an exploratory trip to Canada to better determine the business requirements to which he may be subjected;
   
• Create or maintain at least three jobs other than for the entrepreneur and his dependents.

The entrepreneur is admitted to Canada on a conditional basis.  These conditions are only removed subject to the immigrant, within two years of arrival in Canada, setting up and being actively involved in the management of a significant business venture.

SELF-EMPLOYED

The program self-employed can be attractive for the applicant wishing to create his own employment by the exercise of a profession as defined in the national classification of profession. The professional athletes, the artists, the comedians, the painters, the writers are examples of self-employed.

To qualify for this category, an applicant must :

• Have a net worth of CAD $ 100,000
• Have two years experience in the economic sectors of activity related to the company planned in Canada

INVESTORS

A. Qualification 

Many potential immigrants are not interested in the "entrepreneur program" because they do not want to have a conditional visa or they simply do not wish to create a business in Canada within the two years of their landing.  For these applicants, the "business investors program" is the most appropriate.

To qualify for this category, an applicant must:

• Have a minimum net worth of CAD 800,000 accumulated through legitimate business or investment means

• Have at least three years' experiences in management in a successful commercial or industrial enterprise. In Quebec, the experience in management with a government or one of its department or agency, or with an international agency qualifies for the investor category.
• Invest CAD 400,000 for 5 years. This money is guaranteed by the government

FINANCING

Many clients, though able to meet the net worth requirements for the investor immigration program, have difficulty raising liquid cash in a short period of time.  Alternatively, some clients might have very profitable businesses and would not want to withdraw capital assets.  To ensure better services to such clients, some financing options are available, and the applicant may borrow money from the CAD 400,000 funds they transfer. Alternatively, credit facilities are also available and the applicant may invest as little as CAD 125,000 of the required amount.

DEFINITION OF FAMILY

Family means:

Principal applicant, spouse and all single children less than 22 years of age, or single children over 22 years of age still full time students and dependants of their parents.

LANDING IN CANADA

As soon as they arrive in Canada, landed immigrant are entitled to all services normally offered to Canadian citizens, with equal rights, including the right to settle in the province of their choice and move without restriction from one province to another.

CITIZENSHIP

After three years within four years of residence in Canada, the landed immigrant and his family can obtain Canadian citizenship.

QUALIFYING FORM

We want to thank you for eventually choosing our law firm to represent you in the process to acquire permanent residence to Canada. Be assured that our mandate will be carried out successfully.

Should you have any questions or comments with respect to the foregoing, please do not hesitate to contact us.