Business immigration categories exist for individuals starting or investing in a Canadian business venture. The minimum investment and net worth requirements vary from province to province. A PNP allows a province to nominate an applicant for immigration to Canada to settle in that province and based on the province’s economic needs. Here’s all you need to know about the various Canadian PNP business immigration for investors, as well as how to get started.
Provincial Nominee Program (PNP)
The Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) enables provinces to nominate individuals based on a variety of criteria. The majority of PNPs have an entrepreneur or investor program. Each province has established its conditions for net worth, investment, and business and interested people are urged to apply.
The Provincial Nominee Program for Entrepreneurs was established to allow for further applications. Provinces and territories are free to establish their plans based on their unique circumstances. As a result, they manage and regulate their immigration selection criteria autonomously and according to their own needs and goals. Each province has its selection criteria to meet the region’s immediate and long-term demands.
Following that nomination, qualified applicants may apply to the Canadian government for permanent residency. There are numerous programs available to fit the demands of investors ranging from small company owners to large enterprises.
Alberta Provincial Nominee Program (AINP)
Self-Employed Farmer Stream
You must demonstrate your farm management abilities through the following:
- a clear business strategy.
- evidence that a financial institution in Canada will invest in your business plan
- financial records for your current agricultural business
- documentation attesting to your professional experience, education, and training
Requirements
- Invest a minimum of CAD 500,000 in a province-based primary production farming firm.
- You must submit a comprehensive business plan outlining your investment strategy. Priority will be given to business proposals that are thought to have the best likelihood of growing Alberta’s agri-food objectives.
British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BCPNP)
British Columbia Entrepreneur Immigration
Individual Requirements
You must possess a net worth of at least CAD 600,000 and demonstrate that your business or managerial expertise meets the legal requirements for immigration to Canada
Requirements for Business
You must start a new qualified business or acquire and expand an existing one; invest a minimum of CAD 200,000 in the business and generate at least one full-time employee for a permanent resident or Canadian citizen.
Regional Pilot Program
Minimum Requirements
- You must establish a new firm and relocate to a regional municipality with less than 75,000 residents.
- You must invest a minimum of CAD 100,000 in an eligible firm.
- You must have a minimum personal net worth of CAD 300,000.
- You should own a minimum of 51% of the business.
- At the very least, your business must create one new employment.
- You must complete an exploratory visit to the community
Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program (MPNP)
Entrepreneur Pathway
Business Experience
- You must have three years of full-time job experience as an active business owner or senior management of a successful business within the last five years.
- To earn points as a business owner, you must own at least a third of the business.
Language Prerequisites
You must obtain a minimum score of 5 on the Canadian Language Benchmark language test.
Requirements for Education
You must have completed your high school education.
Investment in Business
- If your business is in Manitoba’s capital region, an investment of at least CAD 250,000 is required.
- If your firm is located outside the Manitoba Capital Region, a minimum investment of CAD 150,000 is required.
- Your investment must be in a Manitoba business that meets the criteria.
- Your enterprise must generate at least one job for Canadian permanent residents or citizens.
Requirements for Business
You must complete your business research tour within one year after submitting your application.
Minimum Net Worth
CAD 500,000 must be your minimum net worth
Farm Investor Pathway
Farming Experience
Minimum three years of experience owning and maintaining a farm is required.
Language Prerequisites
You must be able to communicate effectively in either French or English.
Investment Prerequisites
- Your farm operation must be in rural Manitoba.
- You must include a farm business plan with your application.
- You must visit a farmer for research
- You must perform a study visit to an agricultural business in the province.
- You must invest a minimum of CAD 300,000 in the farm business.
- Your investments must be in physical property.
Farm Business Activities
- Your farm business must operate on a continuous and predictable basis in rural Manitoba.
- You must reside on the farm and take an active role in its management.
- Major agriculture production must be the farm’s primary activity.
- You must engage in value-added agricultural activities within the province.
Net Worth
- To qualify, you must have a minimum net worth of CAD 500,000
New Brunswick Provincial Nominee Program (NBPNP)
Entrepreneurial Stream
Requirements
- You must have achieved Canadian Language Benchmark level 5 or higher in all four test categories in either French or English.
- You must also have at least three years of work experience managing and owning at least 33.3 percent of a business, or five consecutive years in a senior business management role.
- Your firm must have a genuine relationship with the province to qualify.
- You must be between the ages of 22 and 55.
- You must intend to remain continuously in the province while owning and managing your local business.
- To begin your firm, you must invest a minimum of CAD 250,000.
- You should have finished at least two years of schooling after graduating from high school.
- Your net worth must be verified and should be at least CAD 600,000
Nova Scotia Provincial Nominee Program (NSPNP)
Business Stream
Requirements
- You must be at least 21 years of age
- You must first submit an online Expression of Interest to the province
- You must get an Invitation to Apply from Nova Scotia Immigration
- Your net worth must be at least CAD 600,000
- You must intend to remain continuously in the province while actively managing and controlling your firm
- At least three years of experience managing and owning at least one-third of a business, or five years in a senior management position, is required
- You must obtain a score of 5 or higher on the Canadian Language Benchmark test in all four categories in either French or English
- A minimum investment of CAD 150,000 in your desired business is required
International Graduate
Requirements
- You must intend to live continuously in the province while actively managing and running your firm.
- You must also possess a valid post-graduation work permit.
- You must get an Invitation to Apply from Nova Scotia Immigration
- You must have managed and owned a business in the province for at least one year.
- You must have earned a full-time postsecondary degree or a two-year diploma from a Nova Scotia or community college.
- You must have obtained a score of 7 or higher on the Canadian Language Benchmark test in all four categories in either French or English.
Ontario Provincial Nominee Program (OINP)
Corporate Stream
Business Applicant Requirements
- have been in operation for at least three years prior to the application’s submission
- Invest at least $5 million CAD in expanding into Ontario or purchasing an existing company in the province.
- possess a qualifying structure (public corporation, sole proprietorship or partnership)
Job Creation Requirements
- The company must generate 5 full-time jobs for Canadian permanent residents or citizens Per important staff post. The jobs must be full-time, permanent, and paid at or above the average salary for the kind of work.
Business Requirements
- be clearly connected to the parent business as a subsidiary, branch, or affiliate
- be a for-profit enterprise that sells products and services
- having an active, earned income as your main source of income
- satisfy the area’s legal requirements and restrictions
- be considered a long-term business in the province
Key Staff Requirements
Your company may hire up to five essential employees to help it get started, and these employees may be eligible for permanent residency in Canada if they satisfy the criteria. The key personnel must:
- play a crucial part in the start-up of the company
- all be in a senior, executive, management, or specialized knowledge role in your business
- have a minimum of three years of experience in the desired profession in your business during the past five years
- had been working in that job for a year in a row immediately before you filed your application
- not have a familial relationship to anybody who owns more than 10% of the company’s stock
- not own any stock in your business unless it is less than 10% and part of their job contract’s compensation package
- have full-time, permanent employment that pay the Ontario minimum wage
Entrepreneur Stream
Experience
- Within the past five years, you must have 3 years of business experience.
- You must have worked as a senior management or as a business owner and played an active part in the company.
Net Worth
- A net worth of at least CAD 1,500,000 is required in the Greater Toronto Area.
- You must have a net worth of at least CAD 800,000 anyplace else in Ontario.
- In the information and communications industry, regardless of location, you must have a net worth of at least CAD 800,000.
Investment Requirements
- You must own at least a third of the business in the Greater Toronto Area and invest a minimum of CAD 1,000,000 in it;
- You must own at least a third of the business and invest a minimum of CAD 500,000 in it anywhere else in Ontario.
- You must own at least a third of the business and spend at least CAD 500,000 in it, regardless of its location, in the information and communications industry.
Involvement
- You must be actively engaged in the day-to-day operations of the company.
Business Requirements
- Be a for-profit company that makes money by selling products and services
- Satisfy all of Canada’s and Ontario’s legal criteria
- Be a permanent business
- Be located in the province at all times; and
- Within the first 20 months, establish a minimum of two permanent full-time employment for permanent residents or citizens of Canada, and they must be compensated according to Ontario pay requirements.
Additional Requirements When Buying An Existing Business
- Within a year after filing your statement of interest, undertake a business trip to the province
- Buy a business that has been owned by the same owner(s) for the past five years
- Ensure that the business is completely transferred to you or any other business partner
- Invest part of your own funds in growing and developing your company in the province.
- Keep all of the workers that were working in the company before you acquired it.
Newfoundland & Labrador Provincial Nominee Program (NLPNP)
International Entrepreneur
Individual Requirements
- Have graduated from high school
- Be between the ages of 21 and 59
- Must have an Expression of Interest (EOI) profile
- Must have received an Invitation to Apply (ITA) from Newfoundland and Labrador immigration
- Have a CAD 600,000 personal net worth
- Plan to stay in the province permanently while owning and managing a local business that can help local communities economically
- Submit a business proposal that has been validated
- Engage in the business’s active and continuous management
- Be able to invest a minimum of CAD 200,000 in your company and make at least a third of your income from it
- Create at least one employment for a permanent resident or citizen of Canada
- Demonstrate that your business is run for profit, with the main goal of generating money via the provision of services or the sale of products
- Have at least two years of experience managing and running a company in the last five years, or five years of senior management experience in the last five years
- Have at least level five in all four areas of the Canadian Language Benchmark Test in either French or English
Requirements for Business
- satisfy legal requirements to be able to boost the province’s economy
- be considered a permanent establishment as defined by the Income Tax Regulations of Canada
Requirements for Partnership
- Invest at least CAD 200,000 in the partnership and hold at least one-third of the business
- Invest at least CAD 1,000,000
International Graduate Entrepreneur
Individual Requirements
- Be at least 21 years old
- submit a business proposal that has been validated
- Must have an Expression of Interest (EOI) profile
- Must have received an Invitation to Apply (ITA) from Newfoundland and Labrador immigration
- Have a valid post-graduation work permit
- Have achieved a tertiary qualification after completion of a two-year study at Memorial University or the College of the North Atlantic
- Plan to stay in the province permanently while owning and managing a local business that can help local communities economically
- Have at least one year of active management and ownership experience in the present company (at least one-third of the business)
- Generate at least one employment for a permanent resident or citizen of Canada
- Demonstrate that your business is run for profit, with the main goal of generating money via the provision of services or the sale of products
- Have at least level seven in all four areas of the Canadian Language Benchmark Test in either French or English
Requirements for Business
- Satisfy legal requirements
- Be considered a permanent establishment as defined by the Income Tax Regulations of Canada
- Be able to boost the province’s economy
- Be developed as a professional goal rather than just for the purpose of immigration
Prince Edward Island Provincial Nominee Program (PEI PNP)
Work Permit Stream
Requirements
- You must be able to translate your management abilities, previous job, and business ownership experience to your new venture in Prince Edward Island.
- You must have completed high school or an equivalent secondary school.
- You must be between the ages of 21 and 59.
- You must have obtained a score of 4 or higher on the Canadian Language Benchmark test in all four categories in either French or English.
- You must be able to communicate in at least one Canadian language.
- You must intend to reside and work continuously in the province.
- You must be actively involved in the business’s daily operations and ongoing management.
- You should have a minimum net worth of CAD 600,000.
Northwest Territories Provincial Nominee Program (NTNP)
Business Stream
Investment Prerequisites
- You must invest at least CAD 300,000 in purchasing or developing a business inside Yellowknife’s corporate limits
- You must invest at least CAD 150,000 in purchasing or launching a business outside of Yellowknife’s corporate limits
Requirements for Net Worth
- A minimum of CAD 500,000 is required to start or acquire a firm within the Yellowknife corporate limits.
- A minimum of CAD 250,000 is required to create or acquire a firm outside Yellowknife’s corporate borders.
- CAD 75,000 as a good faith deposit to the Department of Industry, Tourism, and Investment upon acceptance of your application.
Individual Requirements
- You must own at least one-third of the business or have invested at least CAD 1,000,000 in the business if you own less than one-third.
- You must possess a level 5 in either English or French on the Canadian Language Benchmark.
- You must demonstrate insight and expertise into the territory’s economy to ensure that your business contributes to regional growth.
- You must have at least one business trip to the territory to research the business environment
- You must have the experience and expertise to put your company strategy into action successfully
- You must intend to make a permanent home in the Northwest Territories
Saskatchewan Provincial Nominee Program (SINP)
Entrepreneur Category
Minimum Entry Requirements
- Have a net worth of at least CAD 500,000
- During the last ten years, you must have at least three years of business management or entrepreneurship experience
- If your company is based in Regina or Saskatoon, you must plan to invest at least CAD 300,000. You just need to invest CAD 200,000 if it’s situated somewhere else
Criteria for a Business Establishment Plan
- Your intention to establish a business in Saskatchewan
- You will own at least one-third of it unless you invest at least CAD 1,000,000 in the business
- Your commitment to take an active and continuing involvement in the business’s day-to-day operations
- If your new company is in Regina or Saskatoon, you must create two employment for permanent residents or Canadian citizens
Farm Owner and Operator
Requirements
- You must have a net worth of at least CAD 500,000
- You must sign a performance agreement demonstrating your intention to purchase and operate a farm in Saskatchewan
- You must spend at least five working days in the province on an exploring trip
- You must be able to demonstrate that you have knowledge and expertise in agricultural operations
- A proposal for a commercial agricultural opportunity is required
Farm Owner and Operator – Young Farmer Stream
Requirements
- A personal net worth of $300,000 CAD or more is required
- You must be under the age of 40
- A minimum of three years of farm ownership, farm management, or practical agricultural experience is required
- You must submit a proposal for a commercial farming opportunity in Saskatchewan
- To augment your agricultural income, you or your spouse must be employed
Yukon Provincial Nominee Program (YNP)
Business Nominee Program
Individual Requirements
You must get a score of at least 65 on the points assessment grid
- Have received your high school diploma
- Have three years of experience as an entrepreneur or business manager
- Have five years of job experience in a related field
- Be a non-refugee
- There are no additional provincial or territorial nominee programs for which applications are pending
- A minimum net worth of CAD 500,000 is required, including at least CAD 300,000 in liquid assets
- You must intend to stay in Yukon permanently
- You must hold a job in your company that is classified as National Occupational Level 0 or A
- Be able to demonstrate that you can invest a minimum of CAD 300,000 in capital
Requirements for Business
- be brand new or acquired from prior owners
- be managed by you
- be an active investment rather than a passive one
- Become a member of one of the following industries:
- Agriculture
- Cultural industries
- Energy
- Film and video production
- Forestry
- Information technology
- Manufacturing
- Mining or mineral development
- Tourism products, attractions, services and facilities
- Value-added processing
Here’s What You Can Read Now
Business Immigration Programs
How to Visit Canada as a Businessman (Business Visitor)
Federal Self-Employed Program