Manitoba Business Investor Stream (BIS)

Manitoba Entrepreneur Pathway Interim Application Process

Step 1: Manitoba Entrepreneur Pathway Self-Assessment

In this initial step, potential applicants must determine if they meet the minimum criteria for the Entrepreneur Pathway and complete a Self-Assessment Form. As part of the self-assessment, prospective applicants respond to questions about their profile, such as past education, business experience, and personal net worth. When completing the self-assessment form, prospective applicants obtain a score out of 150 based on their profile.

The Manitoba Self-Assessment assigns points based on the following factors:

Age (Maximum 10 points)

Education (Maximum 10 points)

Prospective applicants to the Manitoba Entrepreneur Pathway must have an education level that is at least a Canadian high school certificate equivalent. Points for past education are as follows:

Business Experience (Maximum 30 points)

Business experience is an important eligibility factor under the MPNP Entrepreneur Pathway. Business experience must be senior management experience and business ownership experience to qualify for points under this factor. Applicants with middle or entry-level management experience or self-employed business ownership experience will not be awarded points.

MPNP definitions of Senior Management Experience and Business Ownership

Senior Management Experience: An individual who has occupied a position in the highest levels of the management structure of a major business. In that position, the individual was responsible for the strategic policy development affecting a major component or a wide range of operations of that major business and has done so for at least three of the recent past five years prior to applying to the MPNP.The applicant claiming Senior Management experience must demonstrate that he/she held a position with significant decision-making responsibilities involving a minimum of two of the following aspects of the business:

• Distribution
• Production/Operations/Project management
• Purchasing
• Sales
• Marketing
• Finance
• Accounting
• Human Resources/Personnel
• Research and Development
• Information Technology management
• Quality Control

In addition to the above, an applicant should also demonstrate that his/her level of income is comparable to the prevailing income level of senior managers of the major businesses in his/her country. The applicant has to clearly demonstrate this level of income through documents obtained from a third party source.

Business owner: As an entrepreneur, the applicant must be actively engaged on an ongoing basis in providing goods or services to consumers. The applicant must also take responsibility for the risk of a return for the capital investment in the established business.

An individual applying to the Entrepreneur pathway must:

• Have a minimum three (3) years of business ownership and/or senior management experience in the past 5 years to be eligible to apply to the MPNP;
• Have at least 33.33% ownership of the business (as a business owner);
• Add non-concurrent business ownership experience and senior management experience to count the total years of experience; and
• Claim only full years of experience and not round up his or her years of experience.

Official Language Proficiency (Maximum 25 points)

Prospective Entrepreneur Pathway applicants will be required to provide results from a recognized language testing organization to demonstrate their language level is equal to a minimum Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 5 to be eligible to apply.

The MPNP will only accept language test results that are less than 2 years old from the following standardized language examinations:

• International English Language Testing System (IELTS) — General to prove English language proficiency;
• Canadian English Language Proficiency Index Program (CELPIP) — General to prove English language proficiency; and
• Test d’Evaluation de Francaise (TEF) to prove French language proficiency.

Investment Factors (Maximum 50 points)

In order to be considered for the MPNP Entrepreneur Pathway, all potential applicants must demonstrate a minimum net worth of at least CAD $500,000.

Assets and liabilities owned by the potential applicant, a spouse or common-law partner and/or dependent children may be included in the self-assessment form when calculating total net worth. A maximum of 10 points will be awarded based on total net worth:

An entrepreneur must present a minimum CAD $250,000 investment in the Manitoba Capital Region or $150,000 in rural Manitoba to be considered eligible to apply. A maximum 15 points may be awarded for business investment.

Economic Priorities

The MPNP will award an entrepreneur up to five (5) points for the economic priorities of the proposed business. Economic priorities are evaluated based on whether or not the business adds value to a product or service by utilizing Manitoba resources, such as materials, plant and machinery, labour and expertise.

The business will also be assessed on its performance in accordance with the business cycle for each particular industry sector and its ability to generate profit. The five (5) points for economic priorities will be awarded if the business meets the following conditions:

• the business is an export-oriented value-added active business with recurring activities in Manitoba, or
• the business location or succession is outside the Manitoba Capital Region.

Business Research Visit to Manitoba

Individuals interested in establishing a business in Manitoba will be awarded up to 20 points for their business research visit. The business visit is an integral part of the business plan and it allows the entrepreneur to conduct in-depth research of their future business investment or proposal.

The business visit must take place no more than one year before the Business plan is received by the MPNP. Business visit points are based on the following:

• If the entrepreneur visited Manitoba for at least five consecutive days and conducted relevant business, he or she will be awarded 10 points; however;
• If the entrepreneur completed an extended Business Research Visit to Manitoba (spent at least for 10 consecutive days in Manitoba and conducted extensive relevant business and lifestyle-related research during this visit), he or she will be awarded the maximum 20 points.

Adaptability Factors (Maximum 25 points)

Points are awarded to entrepreneur applicants who demonstrate stronger ties to Manitoba, which may increase the probability of integration in the province.

A maximum of 25 points is awarded to applicants with close relatives in Manitoba, a spouse/common-law partner with language ability, and children studying in Manitoba. The table below outlines how points are awarded for adaptability:

Step 2: Research the Business Concept and Explore Manitoba

The MPNP encourages entrepreneur applicants to visit Manitoba and attend business seminars held by the Business Consulting Unit (BCU) of the Immigration and Economic Opportunities Division. The potential applicant is required to complete and submit a business concept before receiving an invitation to apply for the Entrepreneur Pathway. In the business concept form, the entrepreneur required to:

• Describe the business opportunity identified in Manitoba
• Describe the research that helped him or her identify the business as a viable opportunity
• Describe how his or her background, training, and experience will help in developing this business opportunity.
• Describe the intended investment and his or her financial position (i.e. plans for financing, availability of liquid assets, etc.)
• Describe how the product and/or service will be marketed and identify the business's competitive advantage over other competitors
• Outline critical resource requirements, such as locations, specialized equipment, the involvement of suppliers, distributors, key personnel and technology
• Describe implementation timelines taking into consideration possibilities for early of relayed business establishment
• Describe critical risk factors and explain risk management strategies to overcome these risks
• Describe further research required to finalize the business plan; and
• Describe in detail how the business will help contribute to Manitoba's economic growth with the number of jobs the business is expected to create and maintain the first year of operation.

It is important to note that the submission of a business concept is not an application to the MPNP.

Step 3: Submit an Expression of Interest (EOI)

With complete market research, the prospective Entrepreneur Pathway applicant must submit the following forms to the MPNP.

• Business Concept Form;
• Self-Assessment Form; and
• Code of Conduct for Immigration Representatives, if applicable.

The MPNP will respond to EOIs by email and individuals who do not meet the minimum eligibility criteria of the Entrepreneur Pathway will not have their business concept reviewed.

Step 4: Submit a Complete Application

If the entrepreneur meets the minimum criteria and the Business Concept is approved, the MPNP will send an official Letter of Advice to Apply (LAA).

It is necessary to follow the application instructions and provide all the documents listed in the Document Checklist. The entrepreneur candidate will be required to verify net worth and source of funds with one of two designated third-party service providers (listed at the end of this page in the Immigrate Manitoba website).

The candidate has 120 days from LAA receipt to submit a complete electronic application package to the MPNP, including a non-refundable application processing fee of CAD $2,500. The MPNP will not accept paper applications. A complete application package includes all documents in the checklist, a copy of the Third Party Verification Report, and an extensive Business Plan.

Step 5: Application Assessment

The application assessment may include an invitation for an in-person interview. Before a refusal is issued, the MPNP will send the applicant, whose assessment raises concerns, a Procedural Fairness Letter (PFL). The PFL allows applicants to address the MPNP's concerns before an official refusal is issued.

As part of the approval process, the applicant will be asked to sign a Business Performance Agreement (BPA), which will serve as a contractual agreement between the applicant and the MPNP.

Once the BPA is signed, the MPNP issues the entrepreneur a Letter of Support. The Letter of Support must be included in the application for a Temporary Work Permit submitted to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).

Step 6: Operate a Business in Manitoba

An entrepreneur will be required to provide regular updates on the business's performance and the MPNP may be involved in monitoring the business establishment activities in order to verify whether or not the terms and conditions of the BPA are honored, such as the timeline specified in the BPA, reporting conditions, etc.

The entrepreneur applicant may schedule appointments with the BCU for assistance, feedback and guidance on establishing the business successfully and accessing business settlement support services as needed.

Step 7: Receive a MPNP nomination

An entrepreneur applicant who has successfully completed the terms and conditions of the BP will obtain a provincial nomination certificate from the Government of Manitoba. With this nomination certificate, the entrepreneur may apply to IRCC for Canadian permanent resident status.