Business Immigration to Canada

A business immigrant is considered to be an individual who has proven ownership or senior management experience and is willing to invest time, money and work into running a business in Canada.

Immigrating through business ownership is a pathway to Permanent Residency that provides significant economic benefits to Canadian communities. Canada’s immigration system promotes business development and economic growth through a variety of immigration pathways, including: free trade agreements, intra-company transfers, individual purchases, and business start-ups.

At Tudor House Immigration, we can facilitate every aspect of your move to Canada including:

• Registering a new corporation in Canada
• Transferring employees or a foreign key staff member into Canada
• Managing the purchase of an existing business
• Creating a detailed business proposal
• Securing work or study permits for you and your family
• Representing your interests while you are outside of Canada
• Securing a pathway to becoming Permanent Residents and Canadian Citizens for you and your family
• Referring to corporate accountants, bookkeepers and lawyers

An Overview of Business Immigration Programs in Canada

Your experience running a business, or acting as senior manager in any industry will qualify you for immigration to Canada. In other words, your experience qualifies you to operate any business in Canada, not just the business sectors you have experience in.

The Canada Business Immigration Program is divided into four sub-categories:

• Investors
• Entrepreneurs
• Start-up Visa Program
• Province Nominee Program (PNP) Business Programs

Treaty Investors

Treaty Investor programs are governed by Free Trade Agreements and are designed for individuals with significant business experience, a high personal net worth and the intention of starting or taking over an existing business. Typically, the minimum equity investment would be $200,000 CAD.

As an investor, you obtain your right to work in Canada by demonstrating you have put significant funds at risk, within the Canadian economy, and that you are willing to execute a strategic plan to grow and manage the business. As an Investor, you must own at least 51% of the Canadian company you either establish, or take over. The advantage of this program is that it is relatively quick to establish and apply for, however, it is only available to individuals from a country that holds a treaty investor agreement with the government of Canada. To learn more about this option, book a Discovery Call with us to speak to an RCIC.

Start-Up Visa Program

The Start-up Visa program is designed for foreign entrepreneurs that have innovative ideas, or are sponsored by a designated funding institution. To qualify as an applicant, you must meet the following criteria:

• Have a new business idea.
• Have intermediate level language skills in both English and French.
• Receive a letter of support from a nominated institution and a commitment proposal for a minimum of $200,000 CAD from a venture capital organization or $75,000 CAD from a qualifying Angel Investor or Business Incubator Program.
• Have sufficient settlement funds upon arrival for permanent residence in Canada.

The Start-Up Visa program is great for tech-related businesses that bring revolutionary and innovative processes or products into the Canadian economy. The main drawback to this route is that processing is much slower than other immigration pathways, which means that the application process can take several years to culminate in permanent residency.

If you think you meet the criteria of a Start-Up Visa candidate, please book a consultation with us and we would be happy to provide you with an assessment.

Entrepreneur Pathways

One of the most popular pathways for entrepreneurs commonly known as the Owner / Operator LMIA, or Labour Market Impact Assessment. In this model, entrepreneurs can buy an existing business, or start their own eligible business, and submit an application to hire themselves as executives or business managers. In this pathway, the business needs to be operational in Canada before you submit your application for a work permit. You must also meet the following conditions:

• Have employees in Canada
• Have a detailed business plan
• Have proof that your business in Canada is profitable or will be profitable
• Demonstrate that you have experience running a business

The advantage of the Owner / Operator LMIA is that there is no minimum investment needed, and the program will produce a work permit relatively quickly.

Provincial Nominee Programs

Across Canada, there are a multitude of different programs offered by the provinces, through which business owners and entrepreneurs can achieve Permanent Residency. The conditions of these Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs) are often subject to change, so we recommend booking a no-obligation discovery call with us to learn more about specific requirements.

Understanding Intra-Company Transfers (ICT)

An Intra-Company Transfer (ICT) allows multinational companies to transfer key employees from foreign offices to their Canadian operations. This program is designed to promote economic growth by enabling businesses to leverage their global talent within Canada’s robust market.

Key Benefits of ICT

1. Streamlined Immigration Process: The ICT program offers a fast-track option for obtaining work permits.

2. No Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) Required: Unlike other immigration streams, an LMIA is not necessary for ICT applicants, reducing administrative burdens.

3. Pathway to Permanent Residency: Employees transferred under this program may eventually qualify for permanent residency through various immigration pathways.