Entrepreneurs

Business Class Immigration

Investors
Entrepreneurs
Self-Employed

Entrepreneurs
An entrepreneur is an immigrant who intends and has the ability to establish, purchase or make a substantial investment in a business or commercial venture in Canada that will make a significant contribution to the Canadian economy. The entrepreneur also intends and has the ability to provide active and on going participation in the management of the business or commercial venture and they have to create at least one other job for a Canadian citizen or permanent resident of Canada. The entrepreneur must satisfy the Canadian Immigration officials within 2 years of the date of obtaining landed immigrant status that a business has been started or an investment in a business has been made. These terms and conditions are included in the entrepreneur’s immigrant visa and also the immigrant visas of all the accompanying dependant children.

Entrepreneurs must have the intention and ability to establish, purchase or make a substantial investment in a business in Canada that will contribute significantly to the economy and create jobs. The business must employ at least one Canadian citizen or permanent resident other than the entrepreneur and his/her dependents. The entrepreneur must be actively involved in managing the business. No minimum net worth is required but applicants in this category must prove that they have enough capital to establish a business, cover its short-term operating costs, and support their dependents.

Entrepreneurs and their dependents are admitted to Canada under the "terms and conditions" that they will establish and actively manage a business in Canada within two years of arrival. Immigration officials in Canada monitor the entrepreneur's progress and can help by referring entrepreneurs to provincial officials or other agencies that assist in business activities.

Features of the Entrepreneur Program:

* The amount required is dependent on the type of business that the entrepreneur plans to establish or purchase in Canada. The amount must be sufficient to allow the entrepreneur to start the business and cover the costs of establishing the family in Canada;

* The entrepreneur must actively manage the business, and the business must create employment opportunities for others;

* The business must make a significant contribution to the economy;

* All family members are admitted under the same "terms and conditions" as the principal applicant. The "terms and conditions" are removed once the entrepreneur sets up a significant business venture, hires at least one employee, and is actively involved in managing the business.

To qualify as an Entrepreneur, the applicant must meet three basic requirements:

The applicant must have sufficient funds to buy or start a business in Canada with sufficient funds left over to successfully resettle their family. Unlike the Investor category, there is no minimum amount laid down, however, Canadian visa officers tend to like to see net assets of at least Can$300, 000 (US$200,000).

The applicant must have the necessary proven management skills that make it likely that they could successfully operate a business in Canada.

The applicant must have a business plan, showing the type of business in which they would like to invest, location of investment, amount of investment and the number of Canadians that will be employed.

Because the applicant will not make the investment prior to arrival, they will receive a condition on their Visa which states that the applicant must invest in a business or joint venture that employs one or more residents of Canada within two years of arrival in order to maintain Canadian permanent residency status.