Business Immigration

Business immigration is divided into three programmes:

1. Entrepreneur Programme

To qualify for this programme you must:

• have at your disposal a net income of at least 300 000 $ CAN, obtained by legal means, alone or with your spouse/common-law partner, if s/he will accompany you
  
• have at least two years' experience in the running of a business, the business having been acquired within the five years preceding the submission of your application. The business must be legal and profitable and fall into the agricultural, industrial or commercial sectors. You must control, either alone or with your accompanying spouse/common-law partner, at least 25% of the capital equity.

There are two routes within the Entrepreneur Programme:

Route 1: Aptitude

This means submitting a business project which aims to set up or acquire a business in Quebec. You must run the company yourself, or contribute as management and operations partner on a day-to-day basis. You must control, alone or with your accompanying spouse/common-law partner, at least 25% of the capital equity, which must come to at least 100 000 $CAN.

Route 2: Acquisition d'une entreprise au Québec

You must have acquired in Quebec, alone or with your accompanying spouse/common-law partner, at least 25% (equal to at least 100 000 $ CAN) of the capital equity in a business. You must run the business youself, or else contribute as management and operations partner on a day-to-day basis.


Other important factors in the selection process:

• your age
  
• type and duration of education/training
  
• knowledge of French and English
  
• personal qualities
  
• familiarity with Quebec
  

For a period of at least three years following the obtention of your residence permit you must comply with the following conditions:

• establish or acquire all or part of an agricultural, commercial or industrial business in Quebec
  
• hold at least 25% of the capital equity, which must be at least 100 000 $CAN
  
• partcipate in the day-to-day management of the business
  
• employ a Quebec resident, other than yourself or the members of your family, on a permanent basis and for at least 30 hours per week. If the business is agricultural, you are exempt from this obligation.
  

2. Self-employed Worker Programme

To qualify for this programme you must

• come to Quebec to create your own work by exercising, on your own account, a trade or profession
  
• have assets of at least 100 000 $CAN, acquired legally and either alone or with your accompanying spouse/common-law partner
  
• have at least two years experience in the profession or trade which you intend to exercise in Quebec
  

Your age (and that of your accompanying spouse), the nature and duration of your training/education, your linguistic competances, your personal qualities and your familiarity with Quebec are also taken into account.

3. Investor Programme

To qualify for this programme you must:

• have net assets of at least 800 000 $ CAN, acquired by legal economic activities
  
• have at least three years management experience with a legally operating and profitable agricultural, industrial or commercial buisiness belonging to an international organisation or government. Such experience must have been acquired in the ten years preceding your application for a CSQ, and is defined as actual management, on a full-time basis, of the planning, administration and control of financial, human and material resources, over and above the exercise of such duties in the context of an apprenticeship, training period or degree specialisation.
  
• sign an investment agreement of 400 000 $ CAN with a financial intermediary (broker or trust company) authorised to participate in the Investor Programme.
  

Other considerations include your age, the nature and duration of your professional training, language skills and personal qualities.

The selection process

Your application will be processed more quickly and with less hassle if it is complete and well-presented. You may have to provide extensive documentation to support your application.

Workpermit.com can help to simplify this process by offering expert advice or by preparing your application for you with the help of our immigration specialists.

If you would like to make use of this of this service, don't hesitate to contact us at our London office on +44 (0) 20 7842 0800.

Preliminary assessment of the application

The Centre de services aux gens d'affaires - CSGA (Centre for services to businessmen) – or the bureau d'immigration du Québec – BIQ (Quebec Immigration Office) - considers applications to the Entrepreneur and Self-employed Programmes. Candidates for these programmes must pass through this stage before being invited to a selection interview.

Selection interview and assessment of your dossier

Candidates for the Entrepreneur and Self-employed Programmes are interviewed if the preliminary assessment of their application is successful.

Candidates for the Investor programme are called to interview after consideration of their dossier.

At the interview an immigration adviser checks the information provided in the CSQ application, focusing on information specific to your application category.

Final admission

The Canadian federal government is responsible for the final admission of successful applicants onto Canadian terrtitory.

After receiving your CSQ, you must lodge an application for permenent residence at the Candian visa office in your home country. The Canadian government will carry out security and medical checks before issuing a permanent residence visa.

The immigration specialists at Workpermit.com can also prepare this stage of the application for you. Contact us at our London office on +44 (0) 20 7842 0800.