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Browse Through Canadian Business Visa Options
Word around for years continually suggests that Canada remains one of the top countries where small businesses thrive with numerous opportunities. There’s more than an iota of truth in these suggestions because clearly the westernized country boasts of an outstanding skilled labor force, well-maintained natural resources, and, of course, a sustainable government.
Investors looking to migrate their businesses to Canada have multiple Investor and Entrepreneur Visa options available for grabs. Interestingly, there’s more room to accommodate foreign startups with the general Start-up Visa Program designed to welcome their ideas and business ventures into Canada. If the business immigration application goes well, their families could immigrate with them as well.
Business Immigration Visa
Canada continues to welcome startups with adequate entrepreneurial skills, talents, experiences, and innovative ideas to carry out their businesses in the country. The Government of Canada strongly believes in the continual success and development of its economy through diversifying partnerships with foreign investors. Let’s get a bit practical by highlighting the various Entrepreneur & Investor Visa options for businesspersons looking to migrate to Canada.
1 Self-employed Immigration Program
Qualifying for a self-employed immigration program in Canada isn’t as complicated as most persons may assume. To be eligible for the program, the self-employed applicant must showcase relevant artistic skills or exhibit exceptional athletic abilities that qualify them as being self-employed in their home country. Candidates have better chances of getting their self-employed immigration applications approved when they show intermediate or expert skills in their relevant fields.
In the Canadian self-employed immigration program, applicants with at least two years of experience are considered fit for the craftsmanship the economy needs. The two-year experience on any relevant skill must fall within a five-year timeframe before the time of application and decision date. Self-employed immigrants with exceptional artistic and athletic skills stand to get more points for the program when they have between 3-5 years of experience in these fields.
At the very least, self-employed immigrants’ experience must be:
For Cultural Services
I: Two different one-year periods when they were self-employed in cultural activities
II: Two distinct one-year periods as global participants in cultural activities or,
III: A combination of both factors mentioned in (I) and (II)
For Athletics
I: Two one-year periods of being self-employed athletes
II: Two one-year periods of participating as athletes in multiple world-class athletic events
or,
III: A combination of both factors mentioned in (I) and (II)
Self-employed Applicants Selection Criteria
All applicants of the self-employed immigration program must:
Understand and qualify as a self-employed immigrant meeting the CIC standards
Attain at least 35 points after the self-employed immigration Five-point Selection Grading System
NB: Candidates can only score a maximum of 100 points with 35 points as the current minimum average for qualification into the program. This may change in the long run.
2 Start-up Immigration Visa Program
This immigration visa program specifically addresses the undeniable need for interested foreign investors to start up a business anywhere in Canada. Interested applicants and their businesses would, of course, have to meet the requirements of the start-up immigration visa program to qualify for the process. For starters, the intended business or idea must create jobs for Canadians, be of globally competitive standards, and innovative.
Since the application sometimes drags out over a couple of months, start-up visa applicants can apply for temporary work permits pending their application approval.
The Start-up Immigration Visa Program targets immigrant entrepreneurs with the skills and potential to build and run businesses in Canada that:
Support job creation for Canadians
Are innovative
Are global-scale competitive
Start-up Visa Eligibility Criteria
Having a Qualifying Business
Immigrant entrepreneurs must position their businesses or ideas for qualifications to meet the following requirements:
When the immigrant entrepreneur
gets committed to a designated organization
They hold at least 10% of the voting rights which go alongside the shares of the organization at a certain duration. Making it possible for a maximum of five persons to apply as owners of the organization and as beneficiaries.
Both the applicants and designated corporation hold a combined voting power of at least 50% with respect to the shares at the time of application.
When the immigrant entrepreneur
gets their permanent residence
Must be ready to attend to all managerial responsibilities of the business within Canada
The major part of the business’s operations are coordinated and carried out in Canada
Incorporation of the business in Canada
Getting a Letter of Support from a Designated Organization
Immigrant entrepreneurs’ acclaimed commitment to a designated organization isn’t enough to qualify them for the start-up visa program. Getting a letter of support from the designated organization is of the essence when applying for a start-up visa in Canada. Designated organizations are approved business groups spread across Canada to invest and lend support to start-up businesses.
To get the support letter, immigrant entrepreneurs will have to:
Reach out to the designated organization to inquire how to get its support for start-up visa processing
Sometimes make their business idea look convincing enough to get the support needed from the designated organization
Finally, get a letter of approval indicating the support of your business idea by the designated organization
The letter of support should be attached to the application before submission otherwise the immigrant entrepreneur’s application would remain unattended. Applicants need a letter of support for proof of authentication that the investor group or venture capital fund backs their business ideas. Alongside the letter of support, the designated organization is also obligated to forward a commitment certificate to CIC. Both documentations (the commitment certificate and letter of support) would be required to process the applicant’s start-up visa.
Meet the Language Requirements
All applicants are expected to meet the least level requirements of the Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) in either French or English languages. Candidates should be fluent in these areas:
Writing
Listening
Speaking
Reading
Come Along With Enough Money to Settle
Startup business owners coming into Canada should be aware of the fact that the Canadian government would never extend financial assistance to them. During application, the CIC would request proof of financial sustainability from every immigrant entrepreneur looking to acquire their start-up visa. Borrowing funds to meet this requirement is not acceptable. The minimum amounts required of startup businesses are usually updated annually.
Decision
Immigrant entrepreneurs can expect positive results from their start-up visa program applications if they:
Meet the eligibility criteria
Are financially capable of supporting themselves and their family upon arrival in Canada
Pass the medical screenings and qualify for police criminality certification
Applicants should be on the watch for notifications from the CIC on request for additional documentation, information, or interview (if required). The CIC would reach out requesting that the passport of approved applicants be sent to their respected visa offices for the processing of their permanent resident visa.
Canadian Provinces for Start-up Immigration Visa Applications:
Ontario
Alberta
British Columbia
Manitoba
New Brunswick
Nova Scotia
Northwest Territories
Ontario
Acquiring permanent residency in Canada via buying, investing, or launching a business in Ontario has to be one of two options – the Ontario Entrepreneur Stream or the Ontario Corporate Stream.
Alberta
As Canada’s second-largest agricultural provider and home of several agricultural practices including the exportation of the country’s cash crops, the Alberta province welcomes start-up immigrants annually. Immigrant entrepreneurs can only explore the Self-employed Farmer Stream as their investment visa option in the Alberta province.
British Columbia
This province currently runs two Investor Visa options to match the regular requests of immigrant entrepreneurs looking to establish their businesses in British Columbia. Applicants can either apply for the Regional Pilot Program or decide to go for the Entrepreneur Immigration Stream. Both options come with distinct criteria which must be met accordingly before applying.
Manitoba
Join the 76% of immigrants across the world to enjoy cost-effective living in Manitoba which has resulted in over 95% settling down in that part of Canada after migrating. Even with the low cost of living, the Manitoba province provides two major entrepreneurial visa pathways; Farm Investor and Entrepreneur Pathways
New Brunswick
Starting a business in New Brunswick begins with meeting the eligibility requirements for either Post-graduate Entrepreneurial Stream or the Entrepreneurial Stream.
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia currently provides two major Investor Visa options for startup immigrants looking to launch their businesses in Canada – the Nova Scotia International Graduate and the Nova Scotia Entrepreneur program.
Northwest Territories
The Northwest Territories Business Stream serves incoming business foreign investors and businesspersons interested in contributing to the development of the province with their businesses.
Newfoundland & Labrador
Prince Edward Island
Saskatchewan
Yukon
Newfoundland & Labrador
Interested immigrant entrepreneurs peculiar about starting their businesses to serve the residents and citizens of Newfoundland and Labrador have two visa options to explore – the International Graduate Entrepreneur and International Entrepreneur streams.
Prince Edward Island
The Work Permit Stream helps thousands of participants in starting up their dream businesses in Prince Edward Island today.
Saskatchewan
Presently, startup businesspersons can explore three Investor and Entrepreneur Visa options when looking to launch their businesses in Saskatchewan province. They could either decide to go for the Saskatchewan Entrepreneur Category, the Saskatchewan Farm Owners and Operators-young Farmers Stream, and the Saskatchewan Farm Owner and Operator Category
Yukon
The Yukon Business Nominee Program is currently the only available business visa option for entrepreneurs immigrating to Canada to start a business in that province.
Contact CanUS Immigration Advisor today to determine the best program and your eligibility based on your needs for a business immigration program.
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Unit 201-7025, Tomken Road, Mississauga, ON
Call Us: (905) 673-9176
Email Us: info@canusimmigration.ca
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Email Us: maninder@canusimmigration.ca
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