Quebec Business Immigration

There are three Quebec Business Immigration programs currently offered by the province of Quebec: the Entrepreneur Program, the Investor Program, and the Self-Employed Worker Program.

Quebec Business Immigration – Investors

To be eligible for the Quebec Business Immigration – Investors program, you must:

  • Have, alone or with his accompanying spouse, including de-facto spouse, net assets of at least CAD $1,600,000 obtained legally, excluding the amounts received by donation less than six months before the date on which the application was filed.
  • Have experience in management in a legal farming, commercial or industrial business, or in a legal professional business where the staff, excluding the investor, occupies at least the equivalent of two full-time jobs, or for an international agency or a government or one of its departments or agencies;
    • Management experience if defined as the exercise, for at least two years in the five years preceding the application for a selection certificate, of duties related to the planning, management and control of financial resources and of human or material resources under your authority; the experience does not include experience acquired in the context of an apprenticeship, training or specialization process attested to by a diploma.
  • Intend to settle in Québec and sign an agreement to invest CAD $800,000 with a financial intermediary, Broker or Trust Company, authorized to participate in the Investor Program.

The assessment of your application will also take into account other factors such as your age, the nature and duration of your professional training and your language skills.

Quebec Business Immigration-Entrepreneur

The selection to the Quebec Business Immigration – Entrepreneur program is based on your experience as a entrepreneur, your ability to successfully carry out a business plan, your efforts to acquire a business in Québec,  and your assets and their lawful acquisition.

To be eligible for this program, you must:

  • have net assets of at least CAD $300,000 that have been legally obtained with, where applicable, your married or common-law spouse provided he or she is accompanying you.
  • have at least two years’ experience in running a business acquired during the five years preceding the date you submitted your application in a lawful and profitable business (agricultural, industrial or commercial) that you manage, alone or with your accompanying spouse or common-law spouse, controlling at least 25% of the capital equity.
  • Experience in running a business is defined as the actual and full-time assuming of the responsibilities and duties related to the planning, management and control of material, financial and human resources, provided that such responsibilities and duties are not assumed in the context of an apprenticeship, training or specialization process attested to by a diploma.
  • Full time means that the person devoted all of their working time to management during the period in question.
    Note: Points are given based on the duration of the responsibilities assumed and full-time assuming of such responsibilities.
  • present your application in one of the two following program components:
    • Ability to carry out a business project component: submit a business project with the purpose of creating or acquiring a business (agricultural, industrial or commercial) in Québec that you will manage yourself or that you will participate in as management and operations partner on a daily basis. You must control, alone or with your accompanying spouse or common-law spouse, at least 25% of the capital equity with a value of at least CAD $100,000.
    • Acquisition of a business in Québec component: have acquired in Québec, alone or with your accompanying spouse or common-law spouse, at least 25% of capital equity in a business (agricultural, commercial or industrial) with a value of at least CAD $100,000. You must manage the business yourself or participate in it as management and operations partner on a daily basis.

Note that you cannot claim to be the purchaser of a business acquired, during the five years preceding the date you submitted your selection certificate application, by another candidate who participated in the program.

Assessment of the application will take into account other factors such as:

  • your age
  • the nature and duration of your training
  • your language skills
  • your personal qualities and your knowledge of Québec.
  • depending on the program component selected, the steps taken to acquire a business in Québec or your ability to carry out a business project will be the key element in your assessment.

In addition, upon your arrival in Québec, you must comply, for at least one year during the three years after obtaining permanent resident status, with the following conditions:

  • create or acquire, in whole or in part, an agricultural, commercial or industrial business established in Québec where you hold at least 25% of the capital equity with a value of at least CAD $100,000 and which will employ, on a permanent basis and for a minimum of 30 hours a week, a Québec resident other than yourself and accompanying family members. The agricultural entrepreneur is immune from the obligation to create or maintain full-time employment;
  • participate in the daily management and operations of the business.

Quebec Business Immigration – Self-Employed Worker

To be eligible for the Quebec Business Immigration – Self-Employed program, you must:

  • come to Québec to create your own job by practicing a profession or trade on your own account.
  • have net assets of at least CAD $100,000 that have been legally obtained with, where applicable, your married or common-law spouse provided he or she is accompanying you
  • have at least two years of experience as a self-employed worker in the profession or trade you plan to practice in Québec.

Assessment of your application will also take into account other factors, such as:

  • your age and the age of your spouse, where applicable
  • the nature and duration of your respective professional training
  • your language skills
  • your personal qualities and your knowledge of Québec

Please Contact Us for more information on these programs.

Global Immigration Consulting Services