U.S. President Donald Trump recently declared plans for a $5 million Gold Card visa, sparking curiosity about whether Canada has a comparable program. Canada does not provide a direct pathway to permanent residency (PR) through financial investment alone. Instead, its economic immigration programs are primarily designed for skilled professionals instead of business investors. Today we will discuss how investors can secure Canadian permanent residency.
Federal Programs
Federal entrepreneur immigration programs allow candidates to settle as well as operate businesses in any province except Quebec.
Program Name: Start-Up Visa
- Must own a qualifying business
- Requires support from a designated organization
- Must show settlement funds
Quebec Programs
To permanently settle in Quebec, candidates must go through the province’s immigration process.
Program Name: Quebec Immigrant Investor Program
- Proficiency in French required
- Net worth of at least $2 million
- Investment of $1.2 million
Provincial Programs
The first thing to know under how investors can secure Canadian permanent residency is Provincial Nominee Programs.
Entrepreneurs seeking to establish businesses in certain provinces can apply via several PNP streams. Generally, these programs require a minimum language proficiency in English or French.
Below are some key provincial pathways:
| Province | Stream | Key Requirements |
| Alberta | Rural Entrepreneur | – $300k net worth
– Business experience – Run a business in a rural community in Alberta |
| Graduate Entrepreneur | – Graduated from Alberta Post Secondary institution
– Hold a PGWP |
|
| Foreign Graduate | – At least six months of management/ business ownership experience
– Post-secondary degree from outside Canada – Letter of recommendation from a designated agency |
|
| Farm Stream | – Farm management experience
– To run a farming business in Alberta |
|
| British Columbia | Base Stream | – Net worth of 600k
– Business or management experience |
| Regional Stream | – Business experience
– Net worth of 300k – To run a business in a rural BC community – Support of the rural community |
|
| Nova Scotia | Entrepreneur | – Net worth of $600k (400k for outside Halifax)
– Business experience |
| Graduate Entrepreneur | – Graduated from a Nova Scotia university or college
– Business experience – Hold a PGWP |
|
| Manitoba | Entrepreneur Pathway | – Net worth of $500k
– Business experience |
| Farm Investor | – Experience in farm management
– To run a farm in rural Manitoba |
|
| Saskatchewan | Entrepreneur Category | – Net worth of $500k
– Business experience |
| New Brunswick | Business Immigration | – Net worth of $500k (300k for farming candidates)
– Business or management experience |
Federal Start-Up Visa Program
Canada’s Start-Up Visa Program offers PR to business owners willing to launch a venture outside Quebec. This enables both the candidate as well as their dependents to immigrate.
Eligibility Requirements:
- Must own at least 10% of voting shares
- Business must be incorporated in Canada and operated from within
- Business activities must be primarily based in Canada
Support from a Designated Organization:
Candidates must also have the support of a designated organization.
Designated organizations are business groups that have been approved to invest in or support possible start-ups. Candidates have to contact as well as convince such an organization to support them, by sharing a letter of support.
These organizations can be venture capital funds, angel investor groups, or business incubator organizations.
Candidates need to be:
- Accepted into a Canadian business incubator program
- Secure a minimum investment of 75,000 from an angel investor group
- Secure a minimum investment of 200,000 from a designated Canadian venture capital fund
Language & Financial Requirements:
- CLB 5 in English or French
- Proof of settlement funds based on family size
Approved candidates obtain a PR visa, including a Confirmation of Permanent Residence (COPR). While awaiting PR approval, candidates can obtain a temporary work permit.
Quebec Immigrant Investor Program (QIIP)
Another one of the best ways investors can secure Canadian permanent residency is the Quebec Immigrant Investor Program.
For those aiming to settle in Quebec, QIIP is the only passive investor route in Canada. Unlike other programs, candidates do not need to actively manage a business.
Eligibility Criteria:
- Net worth of at least $2 million
- Two years of management experience
- Minimum education equivalent to a Quebec high school diploma
- French proficiency at level 7 (Échelle québécoise)
- Investment managed by an approved financial intermediary:
- $1,000,000 five-year term investment
- $200,000 financial contribution
- Must complete a 12-month stay in Quebec within two years of work permit issuance
- Obtain a Quebec Selection Certificate (CSQ) before applying for PR
Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs)
Each province offers its own entrepreneur immigration streams, requiring a nomination before applying for PR.
General Process:
- Receive provincial nomination
- Apply for PR through the federal government
Some streams require submission of a business plan. Here are key provincial pathways:
Alberta
Rural Entrepreneur Stream
- 3 years of ownership/management experience or 4 years as a senior manager
- High school diploma and ECA assessment
- CLB 4 (English) or NCLC 4 (French)
- $300,000 net worth, $100,000 business investment
- Must create one full-time job
- Support letter from a rural community
Graduate Entrepreneur Stream
- Have completed a minimum two-year full-time program from an Alberta Advanced Education publicly funded post secondary institution
- Have a valid Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP)
- Have a minimum CLB level 7 (English) or NCLC 7 (French) for each language skill
- Must establish new business or buy existing business in Alberta with at least 34% ownership
Foreign Graduate Stream
- Have a minimum of 6 months of full-time experience that can be a combination of managing and owning a business
- Completed a degree from a post-secondary institution outside Canada within the last ten years, with an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA)
- Have a CLB level 5 (English) or NCLC 5 (French) in all language skills
- Own at least 34% of the business in an urban area or 51% in a regional area
- Make a minimum investment of $100,000 in an urban area or $50,000 in a regional area
- Have a letter of recommendation from an AAIP approved designated agency
- Demonstrate they have the settlement funds to set up the business and support themselves while on work permit and launching set up
Farm Stream
- Farm management skills
- Must be able to invest around $500,000 in farming business
- Just have a net worth of $500,000 or access to equivalent funds
- Business should align with Alberta farming industry requirements
British Columbia
Base Stream
- $600,000 net worth,
- Make an eligible personal investment of $200,000 in business
- Business/management experience or 2-year diploma
- English or French language skill equal to CLB 4 or higher
- Create at least one full-time job for a Canadian citizen or permanent resident
Regional Stream
- Must show business and/or management experience
- Have a personal net worth of at least $300,000
- Make an eligible personal investment of around $100,000 in the business
- Create at least one new full-time job for a Canadian citizen or permanent resident
- Demonstrate a minimum language proficiency of CLB 4
- Get a community referral from the community they plan on settling in
Nova Scotia
Talking about the ways investors can secure Canadian permanent residency, let us discuss the streams available in Nova Scotia.
Entrepreneur Stream
- Be at least 21 years old
- Have a net worth of at least $600,000 (or $400,000 outside Halifax Regional Municipality)
- Invest $150,000 (or $100,000 outside HRM) of their own funds
- Have at least 3 years of business ownership or more than 5 years in senior management
- Meet language proficiency requirements of CLB level 5
Nova Scotia International Graduate Entrepreneur
- NS university graduate
- Have a valid PGWP
- One year of business ownership (33% share minimum)
- CLB 7 or higher
Manitoba
Entrepreneur Pathway
- Minimum 3 years of full-time business experience in the last 5 years as a business owner (33 1/3% ownership of company) or senior manager
- Minimum CLB/NCLC level 5 in language proficiency
- Minimum education of Canadian high school equivalency
- Minimum $500,000 net worth
- Minimum investment of $250,000 in the Winnipeg Metropolitan Region or $150,000 outside it
- The proposed business should create or maintain one job for a Canadian citizen or permanent resident
- If making a business investment, this must be in an eligible business as defined by the MPNP
Farm Investor Pathway
The Farm Investor Pathway (FIP) is for experienced farmers with the financial means to invest in and intend to establish and operate a farm in rural Manitoba.
Eligibility criteria:
- Minimum 3 years of farm ownership as well as operation experience
- Prove language capabilities in either French/ English in an interview
- Minimum net worth of $500,000
- Minimum investment of $300,000 in a rural Manitoba farm
- Farm must be engaged in primary agriculture and conduct value-added farm business activities in Manitoba
- Must visit Manitoba for a farm business research visit
Investing in a farm business operated primarily to derive passive investment income or for speculative purposes is not eligible.
Saskatchewan
Entrepreneur Category
Saskatchewan’s Entrepreneur Category is for foreign nationals who wish to obtain/ partner in a business in the province and be involved in its management.
Eligibility criteria:
- Have a minimum of $500,000 net worth
- Three years of relevant business management or entrepreneurial experience in the last ten years
- Plan to invest $300,000 in the Regina CMA and the Saskatoon CMA, or $200,000 in all other Saskatchewan communities
- Business should align with the points in the entrepreneur Category Points Grid
- Should have ownership of a minimum of one-third of the equity of the business (unless the total investment is $1 million or higher)
- Lead to the creation of two jobs in Saskatchewan for Canadians or PRs
New Brunswick
Business Immigration Stream
Those thinking about settling in New Brunswick as an entrepreneur can start a business or purchase an existing business as long as they actively participate in the day-to-day management of the company.
Eligibility criteria:
- Must be between 19-59 years old
- Have a minimum CLB level 4 in language proficiency
- Hold a high school diploma or equivalent
- Have a personal net worth of at least $500,000 (or $300,000 for farming candidates)
- Demonstrate business ownership or senior management experience
- $150,000 in eligible investments
- The creation of at least one full-time job
- Have a minimum of 65 points
After operating the business for six months and meeting the requirements of the business performance agreement, candidates may be nominated for permanent resident status by the province.
Processing Times
As of this writing, processing times for the Start-Up Visa Program take about 40 months.
Quebec’s process, including obtaining a CSQ, takes 1-2 years, followed by a 71-month federal application period. PNP processing varies but generally ranges from several months to two years, with federal PR applications taking around 11 months.
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