1. What are the requirements for qualifying as an entrepreneur?
To qualify as an entrepreneur, you must have at least two years of business experience and a net worth of at least C$300,000 that was obtained legally. You must also obtain a minimum of 35 points in a selection grid designed to determine whether you will be able to become economically established in Canada.
You must also make a commitment to own and operate a business in Canada that will contribute to the economy and create jobs. After you become a permanent resident in Canada, you will have three years to meet the conditions of the Entrepreneur Class.
2. What is the procedure to become an entrepreneur?
You must meet the definition of an entrepreneur, pass medical, criminal and security checks, and agree to operate a business in Canada. You can find more information under How to apply in the Related Links section at the bottom of this page.
3. What are the business experience requirements?
You can meet the business experience requirements if you have owned a percentage of a business of a specified size for at least two full years. Please consult the definition of an entrepreneur for more details in the Related Links section at the bottom of this page.
4. Does the business experience have to be recent?
The business experience must occur within the period that begins five years before you sign your application and ends when a decision is made on your application.
5. What is meant by “business”?
You can find more information on the Entrepreneur Program, including definitions of the various terms that apply to the Program, in the Related Links section at the bottom of this page.
6. How do I satisfy Citizenship and Immigration Canada that my net worth was obtained legally?
You will have to satisfy the visa officer that no portion of your net worth was obtained as a result of criminal activity. You should be able to explain material differences between your net income over the years and your present net worth, and to comply with reasonable requests for documents to back up both your income sources and the components of your net worth.
7. Who do I contact for more information about meeting my business conditions in Canada?
Once you are accepted into the Entrepreneur Program, you will receive a brochure that contains instructions and contact information for the Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) offices in Canada. You are required to contact a CIC office within six months after you enter Canada as a permanent resident to report your address and telephone number. You must provide a further update on your progress 18 months after you arrive in Canada.
8. Where do most entrepreneurs come from?
Entrepreneurs come from all over the world. Currently, the majority of entrepreneurs are from China, Taiwan, Korea and Hong Kong, but there are also large numbers of them applying from the Middle East and elsewhere.
You can find more information on where business immigrants come from in the annual report, Facts and Figures from Citizenship and Immigration Canada. You will find a link to the report in the Related Links section at the bottom of this page.