Entrepreneur Immigration Tips

There are quite a few immigration paths for entrepreneurs in Canada.  There are also many misconceptions about investor and entrepreneur immigration programs in Canada.  Here are some tips to keep in mind:

1. Active participation, not passive investment

Buying a property alone in Canada will not allow you to get permanent residence.  Immigration programs for entrepreneurs in Canada require that you actively participate in managing your business.*

* The only passive-investment program in Canada is the Quebec Investor Program which will take approximately 6 years to process and costs approximately $400k (which is not returned).  Entrepreneur programs that allow you to invest money into your own company could be much faster and more cost effective.

2. English/French exams are important

While there are avenues for permanent residence for most entrepreneurs, regardless of their English/French levels, the higher the language scores, the more programs become available.  French speakers have even more ways to immigrate than English speakers.

3. Consider a Work Permit as temporary stepping stone

A work permit will allow you to work in Canada in your business within a few short months.  It will also allow you to bring your family members to Canada and permit them to work or study in Canada.  It could also open up doors for you to obtain permanent residence in additional immigration programs.

4. Immigration is not all that you need

In order to have a business in Canada, you will need to have proper advice and representation from professionals such as corporate lawyers, tax advisors, marketing professionals, etc.   Make sure you keep this in mind when calculating your costs and time in this process.

5. Do not judge a program by its name

Programs such as the Entrepreneur Streams in various Provincial Nominee Programs may sound great but the devil is in the details.  Oftentimes the requirements may not fit your circumstances or there are faster and easier ways to reach your goals.

We will be holding a webinar for Entrepreneurs who are interested in starting or expanding their businesses to Canada.  Please see below for details:

Webinar:

Canadian Immigration and Corporate Strategies for Entrepreneurs

Presenters: Elizabeth Long and Ziah Sumar, Long Mangalji LLP

Chris Chu, Chris Chu Law

This webinar is for international entrepreneurs who would like to expand their current business or open a new business in Canada. We will explore avenues for work permits and permanent residence for Entrepreneurs including:

– Provincial Nominee Programs

– Owner/Operator LMIAs and other Work Permits for Entrepreneurs

– Start-up Visa

– Express Entry for Business Owners

Our special guest, Chris Chu, who is a corporate lawyer, will also be providing tips on corporate and real estate laws in Canada.

Date: Wednesday, August 28 at 9:30AM EST 

Location: Webinar – Available from your own computer

Click here to sign up.

Please note that space is limited.