Immigrating as a Business Person (IMM 4000)

Who is a Business Immigrant? Business immigrants are people who can invest in, or start businesses in Canada and are expected to support the development of a strong and prosperous Canadian economy. The Business Immigration Program seeks to attract people experienced in business to Canada.

Business immigrants are selected based on their ability to become economically established in Canada.

There are three classes of business immigrants:

1. Investors

The Immigrant Investor Program seeks experienced business people to invest C$800,000 into Canada's economy and become permanent residents. Investors must:

• show that they have business experience
• have a minimum net worth of C$1,600,000 that was obtained legally and
• make a C$800,000 investment.

Your investment is managed by Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) and is guaranteed by the Canadian provinces that use it to create jobs and help their economies grow.

If your application is approved, you must make your investment before a permanent resident visa will be issued. You must usually do this within 30 days. The visa office will send you a letter with instructions.

CIC will return your C$800,000 investment, without interest, about five years and two months after payment.

2. Entrepreneurs

Entrepreneurs must have business experience. They must have managed a qualifying business and controlled a percentage of equity of a qualifying business for at least two years in the period beginning five years before the date of application.

The entrepreneur class applicant must have a net worth of at least $300,000. Additionally, they must have the intention and the ability to:

• Control a percentage of equity of a qualifying Canadian business equal to or greater than 33 1/3%;
• Provide active and ongoing management of the qualifying Canadian business; and
• Create at least one incremental full-time job equivalent for one or more Canadian citizens or permanent residents other than the entrepreneur applicant and their family members.

Note: Entrepreneurs are required to sign a declaration stating they intend and will be able to meet the conditions of permanent residence.

Details

• A minimum net worth requirement of $300,000;
• A requirement that within three years of becoming a permanent resident, the entrepreneur must have controlled and have actively managed a qualifying Canadian business for a period of at least one year, and that the business must have created employment opportunities for others; and
• All family members are admitted under the same conditions as the principal applicant; the conditions are removed once the entrepreneur satisfies the conditions.

Under the Canada-Quebec Accord, the province of Quebec operates its own immigrant entrepreneur program, and Quebec-selected entrepreneurs are subject to Quebec's own conditions rather than federal conditions. All entrepreneurs in the Quebec program must intend to live in Quebec and must be selected by Quebec. In common with the federal programs, entrepreneurs in the Quebec program must have a net worth of $300,000.

3. Self-employed Persons

To be eligible as a self-employed person, you must:

• have relevant experience
• meet the selection criteria for self-employed persons and
• meet medical, security and other requirements.

Relevant experience is defined as:

• participation at a world-class level in cultural activities or athletics
• farm management experience or
• self-employment in cultural activities or athletics.

Selection criteria

You will be assessed on selection criteria that include your experience, education, age, language abilities and adaptability.

Medical, security and other requirements

You and your family members must have a medical exam and obtain police certificates.

You must also show that you have enough money to support yourself and your dependants after you arrive in Canada.