Business Immigration

It is advisable to work with a qualified and experienced Canadian Immigration Consultants to ensure a smooth and fast Business Class application process.

In order to foster its commercial prosperity, Canada has an ambitious Business Immigration Program in place that attracts foreign business owners and managers with an intention to invest in, or start a business in Canada.

Applicants who succeed in getting their application approved can earn Canadian permanent resident status, and eventually become eligible to apply for Canadian citizenship (after a minimum of 3 years of residence).

Anybody applying for a Canadian Business Immigration Visa, will be appraised and assessed on the basis of some fixed criteria as laid down by the Citizenship and Immigration Policy.

Please remember that all those applying for immigration to the province of Quebec may be subject to different eligibility requirements.

Types of Business Immigration Programs

Canadian business immigration is a broad term. This entire class of immigration can be categorized into 3 major categories. These are:

Investor program

This program is aimed towards those who wish to come to Canada as an investor. Applicants in this category are required to possess a minimum net worth of CAD $1 000,000.

In order to fully meet all the eligibility criteria, the Canadian immigration law requires qualified candidates must have at least two years of experience in business management and are also required to make a secured minimum investment of CAD$500,000, a part of which may be financed.

Entrepreneur program

This program caters to those who wish to come to Canada as entrepreneurs or to set up and start a new business.

Applicants in this category are required to have a minimum net worth of CAD$300,000 and must have managed and controlled a qualifying business at some point of their lives.

Successful applicants are must establish a Canadian business within three years of becoming a permanent resident.

Self-Employed program

People applying in this category must have experience in cultural activities (e.g. artists/artisans), athletics, or farming. Even though no specific minimum net worth requirements exist for this category, applicants are expected to have sufficient funds for support of immediate family members.

The stated goal of Canada’s Business Immigration Program is to promote economic development and employment by attracting investors, entrepreneurs and self-employed individuals from outside Canada with venture capital, business acumen and entrepreneurial skills. The main purpose is to strengthen Canada’s economic status by the successful integration of diverse talents into its matrix.

Even though one can choose to apply for a Canadian Business Immigration Visa all by himself, it is advisable to work with a qualified and experienced Canadian Immigration Consultant to ensure a smooth and fast application process.

This is all the more true if one is not well acquainted with Canadian immigration laws. After all, an error-free, well-written application improves your chances of getting your application processed quickly.

You will then be assessed against five selection criteria and a point system. You must obtain a minimum of 35 points if you want to immigrate to Canada as a business immigrant.

Selection criteria	Maximum points	Your score
Education	25
Experience	35
Age	10
Ability in English and/or French	24
Adaptability	6
TOTAL	100

Points for education – Self-employed

(Maximum 25 points)

Education	Maximum 25 points
You have a Master’s Degree or Ph.D. and at least 17 years of full-time or full-time equivalent study.	25 points
You have two or more university degrees at the bachelor’s level and at least 15 years of full-time or full-time equivalent study.	22 points
You have a three-year diploma, trade certificate or apprenticeship and at least 15 years of full-time or full-time equivalent study.	22 points
You have a university degree of two years or more at the bachelor’s level and at least 14 years of full-time or full-time equivalent study.	20 points
You have a two-year diploma, trade certificate or apprenticeship and at least 14 years of full-time or full-time equivalent study.	20 points
You have a one-year university degree at the bachelor’s level and at least 13 years of full-time or full-time equivalent study.	15 points
You have a one-year diploma, trade certificate or apprenticeship and at least 13 years of full-time or full-time equivalent study.	15 points
You have a one-year diploma, trade certificate or apprenticeship and at least 12 years of full-time or full-time equivalent study.	12 points
You completed high school.	5 points

Points for experience – Self-employed

(Maximum 35 points)

Relevant experience must have been obtained in the period that begins five years before you sign your application and ends when a decision is made on your application.

Definitions of terms used in the business immigration classes

Two years of relevant experience	20
Three years of relevant experience	25
Four years of relevant experience	30
Five years of relevant experience	35

Points for age – Self-employed

(Maximum 10 points)

You will be awarded selection points based on your age at the time when the visa office receives your application.

Age	Points
16 or under	0
17	2
18	4
19	6
20	8
21–49	10
50	8
51	6
52	4
53	2
54+	0

Points for language ability – Self-employed

(Maximum 24 points)

Your proficiency in English or French is one of the five selection factors for investors. You will be awarded up to 24 points for your basic, moderate or high proficiency in English and French. You will be given points based on your ability to:

listen
speak
read and
write.

Points for adaptability – Self-employed

(Maximum 6 points)

A maximum of 6 points for adaptability can be earned by any combination of the following elements.

Adaptability	Maximum 6 points
Spouse’s or common-law partner’s level of education Secondary school (high school) diploma or less: 0 points A one-year diploma, trade certificate, apprenticeship, or university degree and at least 12 years of full-time or full-time equivalent studies: 3 points A two or three-year diploma, trade certificate, apprenticeship, or university degree and at least 14 years of full-time or full-time equivalent studies: 4 points A master’s degree or PhD and at least 17 years of full-time or full-time equivalent studies: 5 points	3–5
Previous work in Canada You, or your accompanying spouse or common-law partner have completed a minimum of one year of full-time work in Canada on a valid work permit.	5
Previous study in Canada You, or your accompanying spouse or common-law partner have completed a program of full-time study of at least two years’ duration at a post-secondary institution in Canada. You must have done this after you were 17 years old and with a valid study permit. There is no need to have obtained a degree or diploma for these two years of study to earn these points.	5
Relatives in Canada You, or your accompanying spouse or common-law partner, have a relative (parent, grandparent, child, grandchild, child of a parent, sibling, child of a grandparent, aunt or uncle, or grandchild of a parent, niece or nephew) who is residing in Canada and is a Canadian citizen or permanent resident.

Business Class