Canada Business Immigration as an Investor, Entrepreneur, or Self-Employed Person

The Business Immigration Program attracts foreign business owners and managers with an intention to invest in, or start a Canadian business. Successful applicants and immediate family members earn Canadian permanent resident status, and become eligible to apply for Canadian citizenship after three years of residence.

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 Canada Business Immigration Program also seeks to develop new commercial opportunities and to improve access to growing foreign markets by welcoming people who are familiar with those markets and their special requirements and customs.

Individuals with business/managerial experience and relatively high net-worth may apply for a Canada Immigration (Permanent Resident) Visa under the Canada Business Immigration Program in one of the following three sub-categories:

Immigrant Investor Program: To qualify as an investor, an individual must have a net worth of at least CAD$800,000, have managerial experience and be willing to make a secured passive investment of CAD$400,000.  Learn more...

Entrepreneur Program: To qualify as an entrepreneur, an individual with a net worth of at least CAD$300,000 and be willing and able to establish, invest in or acquire a business in Canada which will create or maintain employment in Canada. Learn more...

Self-Employed Persons Program: To qualify as a self-employed person, an individual must be willing and able to support him/herself and any dependents with self-employed income as a farmer, athlete, or artisan. Learn more...