Quebec Business Immigration

If you are interested in investing in, starting a new business or buy an existing business in the province you can choose from one of the following programs:

Entrepreneur Program

The program operates in two different streams, stream 1 and steam 2:

Stream 1

The first stream of this program is for foreign entrepreneurs who want to start and run a business in Quebec. The business project can be undertaken up to three of whom can be foreign nationals applying to the same immigration program.

In order to be eligible, applicants must have a Canadian equivalent of at least a secondary school general Diploma and the business must be supported by a service offer from a business accelerator, a business incubator or a university entrepreneurship centre. Definition of the types of organisations who can support is not strictly limited, but generally the following definitions should guide applicants:

• Business Accelerator
  – An organisation with an establishment in Quebec that offers support services – mostly assistance seeking financing to entrepreneurs whose projects aim to grow innovative businesses
• Business Incubator
  – An organisation with an establishment in Quebec that offers support services to entrepreneurs who seek to create innovative businesses
• University Entrepreneurship Centre
  – An organisation administered by a university institution at the university level that provides coaching services to entrepreneurs

Each supporting organisation must demonstrate their ability to support the applicant and their business project by addressing the following elements:

• Proposed Support Plan
  – List and description of services offered to the applicant
• Operating Plan
  – Detailed budget of the service offer and the schedule of activities
• Expertise as a Business Accelerator, Business Incubator or University Entrepreneurship Centre
  – Skills and Achievements related to the entrepreneur’s project

Entrepreneurs also need to obtain the passing score of 41 points under all factors in the Quebec Economic Class selection grid for stream 1.

Note: When an applicant applies for this stream, they must submit their application in the form of a business plan.

Stream 2

This stream is for entrepreneurs who wishes to create a new business or acquire an existing business and manage the business operations. As part of the application, applicants will need to make two financial deposits:

• Security Deposit: CAD$200,000 serving as insurance that the business will be created
  – Deposit will be refunded when the business plan is carried out successfully
• Start-up Deposit: CAD$300,000 if the business is created in Montreal and CAD$200,000 for business created outside of Montreal. This start up deposit must be used to set up the business.

To be eligible, all applicants must meet the following requirements:

• Score at least 81 points under all factors in the Quebec Economic Class selection grid for stream 2
• Have a net asset of at least CAD$900,000 (can include partner’s net worth)
• If you are creating a new business, must own and manage at least 25% of its equity capital if you are creating a new business
• If you are buying an existing business, you must own and manage at least 51% of its equity capital. The business must also have been operating for the last five years.
• Business cannot be involved in payday loans, cheque cashing, pawnbroking, real estate development, real estate or insurance brokerage, production/distribution/sales of pornographic or sexually explicit products or services

Note: When an applicant applies for this stream, they must submit their application in the form of a business plan.

Important Notice

Quebec has now confirmed that they will remove the start-up and security deposit requirement under stream 2 for candidates with applications already in the steam. The new rules take effects as of 31 March 2021 following the publication of new regulations in the Official Quebec Gazette.

This removal of deposits totalling up to CAD$500,000 applies to applications received before 01 November 2020 which are yet to be processed. New applications are currently suspended until 01 November 2021.