Quebec Immigrant Investor Program

The Quebec Immigrant Investor Program is passive in nature, meaning that individuals selected under its auspices are not required to establish or actively manage a business in the province.

Rather, the program requires an investment of $1.2 million into a prescribed (government guaranteed) investment. Applicants must have the intention of settling in the French-speaking province of Quebec.

Successful applicants are issued a selection certificate from Quebec for Canada immigration, which allows them to obtain Canadian permanent residence following health and criminality examinations by federal immigration authorities.

The primary requirements are:

• The legally-acquired personal net worth of $2 million.

• Two years of suitable management or business experience within the five years preceding the application.

• Investment of $1.2 million into a passive government guaranteed investment for a period of five years bearing no interest;

• Settle in the province of Quebec.

Quebec Immigrant Entrepreneur Program

The Quebec Immigrant Entrepreneur Program aims to recruit individuals who have the skills and experience to operate a business in the province. The conditions to apply are different depending on the chosen stream.

Stream 1

This stream consists of managing a business in Quebec that the candidate created alone or with other partners (of which only 3 can be foreign nationals), with support from a business accelerator, a business incubator or a university entrepreneurship centre. 

Stream 2

To apply under this stream, the entrepreneur must control at least 25% of the shares of a new enterprise, or at least 51% of an acquired enterprise, which must have a value equivalent or higher than the funds needed to start the business project. 

The candidate must prove that they have legally acquired a net worth of $900,000, alone or with their spouse if applicable.

Under both streams, successful candidates must obtain the threshold score in the selection grid, which features criteria such as: age, education, language abilities, stays or family in Quebec, financial autonomy. 

All candidates must submit their business project under the form of a business plan. 

Every year, the government accepts a limited number of applications in the entrepreneur category.

Quebec Self-Employed Program

To qualify under the Quebec self-employed program, applicants must meet the following conditions that differentiate them from the Quebec Skilled Worker Program.

• Have two years of applicable experience in the profession they intent to exercise in Quebec.

• Possess a personal net worth of $100,000.

• Have sufficient settlement funds to support themselves and their family.

• Provide a start-up deposit of at least $50,000 if the self-employed candidate is based in the metropolitan area of Montreal, and $25,000 if the candidate is located outside of Montreal.

Like skilled workers, a self-employed applicant is assessed on several selection factors and must obtain sufficient points in order to qualify to apply.