Canada offers the most established and widely-used investment-based immigration programs conferring permanent resident status.

The Canadian confederation system of government and the country’s social norms offer a “European alternative” to the more unabashed capitalism of the USA. Canada offers European-style social benefits with fairly high levels of taxation and unparalleled quality of life. Under the Canadian model, business immigrants can enjoy the benefits of a national health care program, affordable first-class education, and a national pension system that provides measurable annual income upon retirement.

Business immigration offering permanent admission to Canada comprises the Quebec Immigrant Investor Program (QIIP), the Quebec Entrepreneur program, the Quebec Self-Employed, several Provincial Nominee Entrepreneur programs, the Federal Immigrant Investor Venture Capital (IIVC) Pilot Program, and the Federal Start-Up Visa program. While the various entrepreneur and self-employed programs are aimed at individuals with a mid-range personal net worth who intend to establish and operate a business in Canada, the investor programs are suited for high-net-worth individuals who wish to make a passive investment with no obligation to establish a business.

The following two provinces have investor visa programs:

Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) Business Category – Corporate Stream; and Manitoba Business Investor Stream

Ontario Corporate Stream

• Valid passport/travel documents
• You must be in good health
• You don’t have any criminal record.
• Return to your home country before the visa expires.
• Have sufficient funds to support your stay in Canada.
• You agree to follow all the rules and regulations of the country.
• Willingness to return to your home country after your stay is over in Canada.
• You have no intention to seek or undertake employment in Canada.

You may also need:

• Temporary Resident Visa
• Medical Examination
• Letter of Invitation

If you have a business activity that will help grow Ontario’s economy, the Ontario Corporate stream could be perfect for you. The great thing about this stream is that your key staff will also be allowed to apply for a work permit if your proposal is approved by the OINP.

There is a long list of requirements you, your corporation, and your investment must meet to be considered for the program.

Corporation Requirements

Your corporation must have been established at least 36 months from the time you submitted your application; and he following corporate structures are eligible for the program:

• Public corporations
• Partnerships
• Sole proprietorship

Investment Requirements

A minimum of $5 million must be invested by your corporation to expand into Ontario or purchase an existing business in the province;

• The investment must be made up of legally obtained funds; and
• The investment activity must be able to make a significant benefit to Ontario’s economy.

Job Creation Requirements

For every key staff applicant, the corporation must create five permanents, full-time jobs for Canadian citizens or permanent residents; and they must be paid jobs with wage rates that are in line with industry standards for the particular jobs

General Requirements

There are some general requirements your corporation must meet in addition to the criteria above. Your corporation must meet the following criteria:

• You must submit a business plan.
• The new business must follow all the relevant Ontario labour laws.
• The new business must be considered as a permanent business.
• The primary income of the business must come from earned (active) income.
• Any third-party investors must be institutional investors or a Schedule I or Schedule II bank.
• No immigration schemes or immigration-linked schemes will be accepted as a proposed business.
• There must be a clear link between the parent corporation and the new business you intend to start in Ontario.
• The new business must have the intention to make a profit through the sale of goods or the rendering of services.
• The new business must be in line with all the relevant Canadian legal practices and authorization and licensing. If you intend to buy an existing business, that business must be incorporated in Ontario.

Manitoba Business Investor Scheme

The Manitoba Business Investor Stream has two pathways to receiving an investor visa, the Entrepreneur Pathway and Farm Investor Pathway. As the name implies the second pathway relates to individuals who want to start and manage a farm in rural Manitoba and the first pathway is for those of you who would like to start, purchase or co-own a business in the province.

The Business Investor Stream was designed with the intent that individuals will start businesses in Manitoba and create jobs for permanent residents and citizens to further the economy of the province.

Entrepreneur Pathway

The Entrepreneur pathway empowers the province to nominate and recruit business people who possess the skills and experience to start, manage or buy an existing business in the province. Individuals must have the intent and ability to settle themselves and their dependents in the province.

The minimum requirements of the Entrepreneur Pathway are as follows:

• You must have a personal net worth of at least $500,000.
• You must score at least a CLB/NCLC 5.
• The only education you need is the equivalent of a Canadian high school certificate.
• There is no age limit; however, you will get ranking points if you are between the ages of 25 and 49.
• If the business is located in the Manitoba Capital region, your investment must be $250,000 otherwise you only need to invest $150,000.
• Your business investment must be made in an eligible business as defined by the Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program (MPNP).
• The new business must create or at least maintain a minimum of one job for a Canadian citizen or permanent resident of Manitoba.
• You must have at least three years of experience as a full-time business owner or senior manager of a successful business in the past five years. Business owners are favoured over managers and they must own at least a third of the business.
• You must submit a business plan as part of your application. This is normally drawn up after conducting extensive research during a business research visit no more than a year before you submit your expression of interest to the MPNP.
• Extra points will be allocated to you if you are able to easily apart to the living in the province. Factors like moving with your family, your employment history in Manitoba and your ability to speak either French or English will be looked at.
• Once your application has been approved, you must sign a Business Performance Agreement (BPA) before the MPNP issues you a letter of support for applying for a work permit.

Farm Investor Pathway

The Farm Investor Pathway (FIP) is for those of you who have proven farm business experience, enough capital to invest and the intent to start and run a farm operation in rural Manitoba.
The MPNP expects that those who are successful with the FIP will produce primary products that are consistent with the current farm industry of the province. The type of operation and investment must be made in consideration of provincial statistics relating to the farm industry of Manitoba.

The minimum requirements of the Farm Investor Pathway are as follows:

• You must have a personal net worth of at least $500,000.
• The farm must have ongoing and recurring business activities in rural Manitoba.
• You must have at least three years of experience as a farm owner and operator.
• The FIP recognizes your language ability in either French or English.
• The investment must be in qualifying tangible assets as defined by the MPNP.
• You must submit a farm business plan after conducting a Farm Business Research Visit to Canada.
• The farm must be economically viable and in active primary agriculture production.
• You must make a minimum investment of at least $300,000 and you are expected to start a farming business in rural Manitoba.
• It is required of you to live on the farm and have active, hands-on participation in the management of the farm on an ongoing basis.
• You must be able to demonstrate that your farming skills and experience can be adapted and transferred directly to Manitoba’s current primary farm production industry.