Quebec Immigrant Investor Program

The Quebec Immigrant Investor Program is passive in nature, meaning that individuals selected under its auspices are not required to establish or actively manage a business in the province.

Rather, the program requires an investment of $800,000 into a prescribed (government guaranteed) investment. Applicants must have the intention of settling in the French-speaking province of Quebec.

Successful applicants are issued a selection certificate from Quebec for Canada immigration, which allows them to obtain Canadian permanent residence following health and criminality examinations by federal immigration authorities.

The primary requirements are:

• Legally-acquired personal net worth of $1.6 million.
• Two years of suitable management or business experience within the five years preceding the application.
• Investment of $800,000 into a passive government guaranteed investment for a period of five years bearing no interest;
• Settle in the province of Quebec.

Immigrant Investor Venture Capital Pilot Program (IIVCP)

Eligibility requirements for the IICP:

• The personal net worth of $10 million.
• Applicants must invest at least $2 million into a government-approved VC fund for a minimum period of 15 years, with no guarantee of return.
• Applicants must demonstrate their net worth threshold was obtained from lawful, for profit-making management, businesses or investment activities.
• Mandatory language testing
• Proof of completed Canadian post-secondary education of at least one year, or proof of a foreign educational equivalent (applicants with a personal net worth of $50 million are exempt).

Start-Up Visa Program

Canada’s Start-up Visa Program targets immigrant entrepreneurs with the skills and potential to build businesses in Canada that:

• are innovative
• can create jobs for Canadians
• can compete on a global scale

Eligibility requirements:

• Commitment certificate or letter of support from a designated entity
• Sufficient unencumbered, available and transferable settlement funds
• At least one year of post-secondary education
• Mandatory language testing.

The Start-Up Visa Program was established in 2013 and grants permanent residence and work permits to qualified immigrant entrepreneurs. The program aims to recruit entrepreneurs and link them with private sector businesses in Canada.  The goal is to help establish businesses that have the potential to scale internationally.