Canada Investor Visa Programs 2022 Comparison

☑ Canada Startup Visa Program vs.

☑ Canada Provincial Nominee Programs vs.

☑ C11 Work Permit Program for Entrepreneurs vs.

☑ Quebec Immigrant Investor Program (currently suspended).

HELPING YOU NAVIGATE CANADA’S COMPLEX BUSINESS IMMIGRATION LANDSCAPE WITH EASE

When it comes to immigration options, Canada has one of the most complex and multifaceted systems in the world. Given the country’s federal bureaucratic system, each of its provinces has its own Provincial Nominee Program, or PNP, for short.  Within each of these provincial programs, there are multiple streams, and even multiple sub-streams, applicable to foreign business owners and investors.

And to compound the complexity, many of these programs overlap with the so-called Express Entry Visa system, which in itself can be challenging to navigate as a foreigner. And when it comes to Canadian business and startup immigration, there are over 65 Designated Organizations to choose from across the Venture Capital, Angel Investor Group and Business Incubator streams…

Simply put, it is a complete maze for the uninitiated.

While the Provincial Nominee Programs may work for the right individual, these programs tend to be far more limiting in their scope, and far more onerous to comply with. Moreover, with the PNP Programs, you are required to settle in one specific province of Canada. Whereas with the Federal Startup Visa Program, our flagship product, you can settle ANYWHERE in Canada.

While there are outlier options, such as the C11 Significant Benefit Work Permit Program, these are neither straightforward nor easy to apply for, and while the latter offers more flexibility in terms of where you can go settle, the program nonetheless favors applicants seeking to relocate to smaller, more rural locations. The program is also subject to a greater degree of government discretion, leading to lower success rates – especially among applicants opting to apply without the assistance of a knowledgeable service provider.

We specialize in the Federal Startup Visa Program for a number of reasons:

For starters:

  • It is THE most flexible in terms of where you can live (i.e. you can settle anywhere in Canada).

  • It is the ONLY startup visa program in the world that offers a direct path to permanent residency – in as little as 15 months.

  • The Concept / Business Incubator sub-stream of the Canadian Startup Visa (SUV) Program is the ONLY Canadian business immigration track that has no minimum investment requirement.

  • It is one of only two Canadian business immigration paths that doesn’t require any previous management experience.

    It offers the lowest language proficiency requirements (CLB / IELTS Level 5+).

  • It is the only business immigration route to Canadian permanent residency that has no business performance requirements.

  • And as an added bonus, our proven incubator program is one of the only business immigration solutions to offer a 100% money-back guarantee option in case your permanent residency application is not approved.

The below comparative table can help you appraise your Canadian business residency options at a glance.

Comparing the various Canadian Investor Visa  Programs

Consideration Canada Startup Visa (SUV) – Federal Program Canada Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) C11 Work Permit Program for entrepreneurs Quebec Immigrant Investor Program (QIIP)
Specific location requirement None Yes – province specific settlement required. None, but smaller towns and cities preferred. Yes
Minimum investment requirement
  • MATURE ENTERPRISE STAGE: For Designated Canadian Venture Capital Fund Route: You must secure a minimum external investment of $200,000.
    Only 2% of all applicants are at the “scaling of a mature enterprise / VC funding” stage.
  • PRODUCT STAGE: For Designated Canadian Angel Investor Group Route: You must secure a minimum external investment of $75,000.
  • CONCEPT STAGE: If accepted into a Canadian Business Incubator Program: You don’t need to secure a financial investment from a business incubator, so there is no minimum investment requirement. There is, however, a $250,000 incubator fee.

    90% of all applicants are at the Concept / Incubator Stage.
Yes – varies per province:

  • Alberta: $500,000; British Columbia (BC): $200,000+; Manitoba: $150,000+; New Brunswick: $250,000+; Newfoundland: $250,000+
  • Northwest Territory: $150,000+; Nova Scotia: $250,000+; Ontario: $500,000+; Prince Edward Island: $150,000+; Yukon: $300,000
 d minimum stated investment requirement ($200,000 suggested). Yes – $1.2 million
Business type requirement Yes – innovative or globally competitive Yes – in line with provincial strategic objectives (typically only 3 priorities per province) No – though innovative businesses are favored N/A; Passive Infrastructure Investment
Designated Organization support required Yes No No No
Provincial nomination required No Yes No N/A
Type of investment Active business investment Active business investment Active business investment Passive investment; 0% earning government loan
Minimum language requirement Yes – CLB/IELTS 5+ for either English or French Yes – CLB/IELTS 7+ for either English or French Yes – CLB/IELTS 6+ for either English or French No, however French proficiency is highly advantageous
Settlement funds requirement Yes – $13,213 + $3,560 per dependent per year. Yes – variable based on province and exact city location. Yes – variable based on province and exact city location. No
Family eligibility Yes Yes Yes Yes
Medical clearance requirement Yes Yes Yes Yes
Criminal clearance requirement Yes Yes Yes Yes
Approximate application and processing time 15-19 months 22-40 months 15-20 months 55 months
Personal net worth requirement No Yes – varies per province:

  • Alberta: $600,000
  • British Columbia (BC): $600,000+
  • Manitoba: $500,000+
  • New Brunswick: $600,000+
  • Newfoundland: $600,000+
  • Northwest Territory: $250,000+
  • Nova Scotia: $600,000+
  • Ontario: $800,000+
  • Prince Edward Island: $600,000+
  • Yukon: $500,000
 No $2 million
Path to direct permanent residency Yes – Canada’s Startup Visa Program is the ONLY SUV Program to offer a direct path to permanent residency in 15-19 months – and it’s the fastest route to PR. No No No
Age requirements None There are no strict age limits on any of the PNP programs, however applicants aged 25-33 score the most points. There are no strict age limits for the C11 Significant Benefit Work Permit Program, however applicants aged 25-33 score the most points. None
Official program website(s) Canada Startup Visa – Official Government Website C11 Significant Benefit Work Permit Program Quebec Investor Program
Applicant success rate 100% via our proven Concept / Incubator Program (last 3 years) Only 0.4% of independent applicants are approved. N/A N/A N/A
Job creation required No Yes – minimum 2 jobs Yes – minimum 2-4 jobs No
Relevant management experience required No (although it can be advantageous) Yes Yes No
Business survival / performance requirement No Yes Yes N/A