Canada Business Immigration Visas

The Business Immigration Program is a category of immigration under which individuals with business/managerial experience and relatively high net-worth may apply for Canadian permanent resident status. There are three sub-categories under the Business Immigration Program: Investors, Entrepreneurs and Self-Employed Immigrants.

In addition to government application forms, education-related and statutory documents (passports, birth certificates, etc.), Business Immigration Program must submit documents evidencing business and/or managerial experience, as well as documents evidencing net worth.

When you become a permanent resident, you may live, work and engage in business activities in any Canadian province or territory.

As an Immigrant Investor planning to reside anywhere in Canada, except Quebec, you must:

• Have a net worth of at least CAD$800,000 gained through your own endeavors; and
• Invest CAD$400,000 for five years with Citizenship and Immigration Canada which acts as agent on behalf of provincial and territorial investment funds; and
• Have successfully operated, controlled or directed a business or managed a minimum of 5 employees for a period of 2 years.

Immigrant Investor applicants must demonstrate the origin and accumulation of their wealth through reliable, third party documentary evidence: tax returns, pay stubs, deeds of purchase/sale, statements from stockbrokers, business/real estate valuations, etc. An applicant must be able to demonstrate that assets were gained through means, which are considered legal, including gifts or inheritances.

While an Immigrant Investor is entitled to engage in work and business activities upon arrival in Canada, there is absolutely no obligation to do so.

You must commit your CAD$400,000 investment amount before final approval from Federal or Quebec Immigration officials, as the case maybe.

If your intended destination in Canada is outside Quebec, your investment will be promptly refunded. If you intend to reside in Quebec and you have deposited your investment in a government approved immigrant investment program you must make sure that your investment is not locked-in until you land in Canada. Your investment cannot be refunded for five years once it has been locked in.