MOVING TO CANADA TO DO YOUR OWN BUSINESSBusiness Immigration

Business Immigration Pathways

General Requirements

For all business immigration pathways, you must be willing and able to either establish a new business in Canada or acquire a significant stake in an existing Canadian business. As part of the application process, you are required to prepare a business plan which establishes the feasibility of your investment. Your investment should also generate significant benefits and opportunities for Canada. This means that your investment should trigger economic stimulus, bring in compelling advancement of Canadian industries, or yield social and cultural benefits for Canadians.

Most business immigration programs require a few years of business ownership or senior management experience. There are also investment size, minimum net worth, age, language proficiency, and education requirements. Contact Vimrox to discuss your eligibility.

Entrepreneur Immigration*

Most Canadian provinces have Entrepreneur Immigration programs for senior managers or business owners who wish to invest in businesses located in those provinces. Each province has a different set of requirements. In all provinces (except New Brunswick), you initially get a dual-intent work permit. The province nominates you for permanent-residence after you demonstrate compliance with your investment plan (usually two years after moving to Canada).

Click here to learn about the requirements of each province.

Owner-Operator Work Permit

Foreign nationals who intend to come to Canada to operate a business can apply for a work permit. This type of work permit is frequently referred to as an Owner-Operator work permit.

You can acquire controlling interest in an existing Canadian business (a majority stake or sole voting rights) or set up a new company. You can then appoint yourself as a full-time manager or at another high-skilled position in your own company. You must be qualified for the intended position, and offer yourself a wage that is at or above the provincial median. You will also need to outline activities that you will undertake to promote the recruitment and training of Canadians, in a transition plan.

Contact Vimrox to discuss other pros and cons of an Owner-operator work permit.

Canadian Subsidiary of your Foreign Company

You can adopt this pathway if you have been a managing partner in a company outside Canada (a foreign company) for at least one year. The foreign company can acquire a controlling interest in an existing Canadian company or set up a new branch/subsidiary in Canada. The foreign company can then transfer you to Canada in an executive, senior manager, or specialized knowledge role. Vimrox can help you apply for this intra-company transfer work permit. Your first work permit will be valid for 1 to 3 years, but it can then be extended every two years until you reach your extension cap. The extension cap is 7 years for executives and managers, and 5 years for specialized knowledge employees. After that, you must spend at least one year working full-time for the company abroad before re-applying. However, you can also apply for permanent residence of Canada under the Canadian Experience Class before reaching your cap.

The Canadian business must have a qualifying corporate relationship (parent, subsidiary, affiliate, or branch) with the foreign business. Moreover, both companies (Canadian and foreign) must continue to actively do business during your tenure in Canada.

Senior managers working for a foreign company can also adopt this pathway with the support of their employer.

Contact Vimrox to discuss details about this intra-company transferee pathway.

Federal Self-employed Program

This is a highly restricted immigration program and is geared towards foreign nations with experience in cultural activities or athletics. Click here for a list of eligible occupations. While applying, you must have at least two years of experience, out of the past five years, in one of the following:

1. two one-year periods being self-employed in cultural activities or athletics; or
2. two one-year periods participating at a world-class level in cultural activities or athletics; or
3. combination of a one-year period described in (1) above, and a one-year period described in (2) above.

Besides, you must continue to meet the relevant experience requirement while your application is in process, and until the day a decision is rendered.

The processing times for such applications can range from two to five years. There is no minimum investment requirement, however, the government likes to see you have enough funds to start your own business. Applicants must be able to demonstrate they will enrich, and provide a significant contribution to Canadian culture and/or sports.

“World-class” means persons who are known internationally. It also identifies persons who may not be known internationally but performed at the highest levels in their discipline.

* Provincial level programs only.

Am I Eligible?

Applications for business immigration require a thorough consideration of your professional background, your intented venture, you planned business location in Canada, and the feasibility of your investment.

Contact Vimrox to discuss details about your planned investment.