Quebec Immigrant Investor Program: The pause period for the Quebec Immigrant Investor Program has been extended till at least April 1, 2023.
The only immigration program in Canada created expressly for immigrant investors is the Quebec Immigrant Investor Program. Foreign investors who participate in the Quebec Immigrant Investor Program and make investments totaling at least CAD$2 million may be qualified to apply for Canadian permanent residence.
Despite the fact that Quebec is a province with a large French-speaking population, the Quebec Immigrant Investor Program does not require applicants to be fluent in French. However, while choosing applications, linguistic ability might be taken into account.
The Quebec Immigrant Investor Program: Why Choose It?
The only passive investor immigration scheme in Canada is the Quebec Immigrant Investor scheme, which also has a variety of other benefits. Many foreign business investor immigration programs, like the EB-5 program in the United States, demand that applicants create a particular number of jobs within a certain amount of time.
Such a criterion is not there in the Quebec Immigrant Investor Program.
In addition, the Quebec Immigrant Investor Program also grants first entry-level residents permanent residence status in Canada, with no intermediate temporary status. The applicant’s immediate family members may be listed on the application as well and be granted permanent residency in Canada, with all the advantages that come with this status, such as access to world-class education and universal health care.
Who qualifies for the Quebec Investor Immigrant Program?
The ability and willingness of a person to make investments in the province of Quebec determines eligibility for the Quebec Immigrant Investor Program. An applicant’s (and their spouse, if applicable) net worth must be at least CAD$2,000,000, and they must invest CAD$1,200,000 over a five-year period with Investissement Québec – Immigrants Investisseurs Inc.
In order to qualify for the Quebec Immigrant Investor Program, applicants must additionally show that they have at least two years of managerial experience from the five years before to their application. The planning, management, and control of material, human, or financial resources must be a part of this experience.
With one of the participating financial intermediaries in Quebec, all applicants must sign an investment agreement.
All candidates for permanent residency through Quebec immigration programs must demonstrate their familiarity with Quebec values as of January 1, 2020. You can achieve this by passing an exam on Quebec values or finishing a course on Quebec values.
What is the Quebec Immigrant Investor Program application process?
Only during specified intake times are applications accepted for the Quebec Immigrant Investor Program. Quebec declared that from November 1, 2019, to at least April 1, 2023, the Immigrant Investor Program will be closed to new applications. After April 1, 2023, there is no assurance that fresh applications will be approved. More information will be made public nearer to this date by Quebec’s immigration ministry.
Quebec accepts new permanent residents through a two-step application procedure.
| Stage | Description |
|---|---|
| Selection | Province-level selection takes place. Certificat de sélection du Québec (CSQ) applications are required from all potential immigrants to Quebec. |
| Admission | Federal admission takes place. After receiving a CSQ, an individual must apply to the federal government for permanent residence status in Canada. As with all applications for permanent residency, candidates must pass a medical examination and a police background check to prove their eligibility to enter Canada. |
An applicant may be granted Canadian permanent residence status when their application has been accepted at both the provincial and federal levels.
Interested applicants must prepare a paper-based application, filling out the applicable immigration forms, and gathering the required supporting documentation in order to apply to the Quebec Immigrant Investor Program. Immigration officials will ask investors for evidence of their intention to settle in Quebec, managerial experience, a copy of the official investment agreement, and information about their personal assets. On the website of Quebec, detailed information regarding necessary forms and supporting papers is available.
The Direction de l’enregistrement et de l’évaluation comparative in the city of Montreal must receive physical copies of applications for the Quebec Immigrant Investor Program by courier. The investor may submit a federal application for permanent residency if their application is accepted and they are given a CSQ.
What other possibilities are there for investors to immigrate to Canada?
The only immigration program in Canada now created expressly for foreign investors is the Quebec Immigrant Investor Program. The Canadian Immigrant Investor Program was run by the federal government in prior years, but it was discontinued in 2014.
There are several opportunities for Canadian immigration for entrepreneurs from abroad with previous business expertise. For immigrant entrepreneurs who have their business concepts accepted by approved organizations in Canada, the government Start-up Visa Program is one choice. The well-known immigrant destinations of Quebec, Ontario, and British Columbia are among the several jurisdictions that provide entrepreneurial immigration streams.
Other Articles
- British Columbia Entrepreneur Immigration Ultimate Guide
- Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program (SINP): Entrepreneur Program
- Ontario Entrepreneur Stream explained
- The Start-Up Visa Program: Entrepreneur immigration to Canada
- Canada Express Entry Points for a Job Offer
