1. Have at least two years of business experience.
To be eligible for the Immigrant Investor Program, you must have:
· managed a qualifying business and controlled a percentage of equity of the qualifying business for at least two years in the period beginning five years before the date of application
OR
· managed the equivalent of at least five full-time employees per year in a business for at least two years in the period beginning five years before the date of application
OR
· a combination of one year of experience described in the first point and one year of experience described in the second point above.
You can find a definition of a “qualifying business” and other terms that apply to the Immigrant Investor Program in the Related Links section at the bottom of this page.
2. Have a net worth of at least C$800,000 that was legally obtained, and be willing and able to make an investment of C$400,000.
Net worth and investment requirements
Net worth
You must be able to satisfy a visa officer that the fair market value of all your assets and the assets of your spouse or common-law partner were obtained legally. Your assets must exceed the fair market value of all your liabilities and the liabilities of your spouse or common-law partner by at least C$800,000.
You must be able to prove that no portion of your net worth was obtained through criminal activity. You will be asked to explain any discrepancies between your net income over the years and your present net worth. The visa officer who assesses your net worth may ask you for documents to confirm both your income sources and your net worth.
Investment requirements
If you meet the criteria for the Immigrant Investor Program, you will be asked in writing to make an investment of C$400,000.
You can arrange for one of the facilitators approved by Citizenship and Immigration Canada to handle the administrative aspects of making your investment. You can also make your investment through a direct electronic funds transfer. You can find more information on facilitators and direct electronic funds transfers in the Related Links section at the bottom of this page.
3. You must also show that you have enough money to support yourself and your dependants after you arrive in Canada.
The Government of Canada does not provide financial support to new skilled worker immigrants.
You must show that you have enough money to support yourself and your dependants after you arrive in Canada. You cannot borrow this money from another person. You must be able to use this money to support the costs of living for your family.
You will need to provide proof of your funds to the Canadian visa office in your home country when you submit your application for immigration.
The amount of money you need to support your family is determined by the size of your family. These amounts are updated every year.
You do not have to show that you have these funds if you have arranged employment in Canada.
How much money should you bring?
Find out how much it costs to live where you are planning to settle in Canada.
Bring as much money as possible to make moving and finding a home in Canada easier.
Disclosure of funds
If you are carrying more than C$10,000, tell a Canadian official when you arrive in Canada. If you do not tell an official, you may be fined or put in prison. These funds could be in the form of:
· cash
· securities in bearer form (for example, stocks, bonds, debentures, treasury bills) or
· negotiable instruments in bearer form (for example, bankers’ drafts, cheques, travellers’ cheques or money orders).
4. Obtain a minimum of 35 points in the selection grid.
To qualify, you must first meet the definition of an investor. You can find the definition in the Related Links at the bottom of this page.
You will then be assessed against five selection criteria and a point system. You must obtain a minimum of 35 points if you want to immigrate to Canada.
Learn more about each factor by clicking on it.
Your Score
The maximum possible score is 100. The pass mark is currently 35 points. However, the pass mark may change, so make sure you visit this site regularly if you are considering immigrating to Canada as an immigrant investor.
Selection is based on the documents you provide and an assessment of your score under each of the selection criteria.
An interview may be required. During the interview, a visa officer will ask you to explain any information that is unclear, or inconsistent in the documents you provide. If there is a difference between your assessment of your qualifications, and the visa officer’s assessment, the officer’s assessment will prevail.
5. Meet medical and security requirements. You and your family members must pass a medical examination and security and criminal checks. You can find more information on both of these topics in the I Need To… section on the right-hand side of this page.
6. Meet any other requirements of Canadian or Quebec immigration regulations.
Quebec Immigrant Investor Program
Under the Canada-Quebec Accord, the province of Quebec operates its own immigrant investor program. All investors in the program must be selected by Quebec and must plan to settle in Quebec. Visit the website of the Quebec ministry that handles immigration for more information about investing and living in Quebec. You will find a link in the Related Links section at the bottom of this page.
Business information for other provinces and territories
For business immigration information and contacts for other Canadian provinces and territories, please consult the list of provincial and territorial government contacts in the Related Links section at the bottom of this page.