Quebec's Entrepreneur Immigration Programs
The Quebec Entrepreneur Program offers qualified business owners and managers a pathway to permanent residence in Quebec, contingent upon their ability to successfully create or acquire a business within the province.
To qualify for the Quebec Entrepreneur Program, entrepreneurs must either establish a new business or take over an existing one that aligns with one of three specific business profiles, along with meeting the fundamental eligibility requirements.
Important: New changes to the Quebec Entrepreneur Program will take effect on January 1, 2024. Read on to find out more.
Table of Contents
- About the Quebec Entrepreneur Program and general requirements
- Innovative companies
- Business start-ups
- Takeovers
About the Quebec Entrepreneur Program
The Quebec Entrepreneur Program is designed for entrepreneurs looking to establish new, innovative businesses or take over existing ones in the province. Following a comprehensive overhaul in November 2023, the updated program will be effective from January 1, 2024.
Under this program, an entrepreneur is defined as a foreign national aged 18 or older who intends to settle in Quebec to operate a business in an eligible sector, holding significant control over its operations. The individual must manage the business as part of one of the following initiatives:
1. An innovative company
2. A business start-up
3. A business takeover
These three categories comprise the new streams of the entrepreneur program. In addition to meeting the specific eligibility criteria for each stream, all applicants must fulfill the following general conditions:
Hold a diploma equivalent to at least a Quebec secondary school diploma by the time of application.
Demonstrate oral proficiency in French (both listening and speaking) at a minimum level of 7, as per the Quebec scale of French proficiency.
Sign a commitment for three months post-permanent residence (PR) approval, confirming the ability to support the needs of accompanying family members and dependent children, along with proof of sufficient funds.
Stream 1: Innovative Companies
To be eligible for the innovative companies stream of the Quebec Entrepreneur Program, entrepreneurs must focus on starting a business that is either innovative or engages in innovative projects. This stream is divided into two specific profiles:
1. Starting an Innovative Business
2. Businesses Conducting Innovative Projects
To qualify under the “Starting an Innovative Business” profile, applicants must meet the following criteria:
Business Concept: Present a business idea that demonstrates innovation, which could involve new products, services, or processes.
Financial Requirements: Show sufficient financial resources to establish and sustain the business in Quebec.
Business Plan: Submit a detailed business plan outlining the innovative aspects, market analysis, and operational strategy.
Management Role: Take an active role in managing the business, ensuring significant involvement in decision-making and operations.
Commitment to Quebec: Demonstrate a commitment to establishing and growing the business in Quebec.
Meeting these criteria will enhance the applicant’s chances of successfully navigating the entrepreneurial immigration process in Quebec.
Factor | Minimum requirements |
|---|---|
Starting a business | Must intend to start a business alone or with others, including a maximum of three other foreign nationals who submit an application under the same stream. |
Capital investment | Intend to hold (alone or with a spouse/common-law partner, who must be included in the application) a participation in the contributed capital to start the business, amount to at least 10% of the total value of said innovative business. |
Support services | Obtain (for the purposes of starting an innovative business) appropriate support services from an organisation specialising in innovation. |
To qualify under the “innovative project” profile, applicants must fulfil the following requirements:
Factor | Requirements |
|---|---|
Residence and status | Reside in Quebec for at least 2 years from the date of submitting an application. Additionally applicants must be authorised to work under an open work permit, study permit, or issued authorisation pursuant to section 206 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations. |
Starting a business | Must intend to start a business alone or with others, including a maximum of three other foreign nationals who submit an application under the same stream. |
Capital investment | Intend to hold (alone or with a spouse/common-law partner, who must be included in the application) a participation in the contributed capital to start the business, amount to at least 10% of the total value of said innovative business. |
Intention to pursue innovative business | Intend to pursue an innovative business/business activities utilising the same framework as for the innovative project. |
Support services | Obtain (for the purposes of starting an innovative business) appropriate support services from an organisation specialising in innovation. |
Stream 2: Business start-ups
This stream is tailored for entrepreneurs who have a start-up idea or have already initiated a new business and wish to relocate it to Quebec. Applicants can fall under one of two acceptable profiles when applying:
1. Start-Up Businesses
2. Existing Businesses
To qualify as a start-up business under this stream, applicants must meet the following criteria:
Innovation: The business concept must be innovative, offering unique products, services, or processes that differentiate it in the market.
Market Potential: Demonstrate strong market potential for growth and scalability, indicating how the business can succeed in Quebec.
Business Plan: Provide a comprehensive business plan that outlines the operational strategy, financial projections, and the innovative aspects of the business.
Financial Resources: Show that sufficient funds are available to establish and sustain the business in Quebec.
Active Involvement: The applicant must take an active role in managing and operating the business, ensuring significant engagement in day-to-day operations.
By fulfilling these criteria, entrepreneurs can enhance their eligibility for this stream of the Quebec Entrepreneur Program.
Factor | Requirements |
|---|---|
Business management experience | Must have at least 2 years of business management experience within the last 5 years, before the date of the application. This management experience cannot be obtained in a role within an ineligible sector. |
Starting a business | Must intend to start a business alone or with others, including a maximum of three other foreign nationals who submit an application under the same stream. Business functions must be planned for a maximum of two years, or for operations equalling costs of at least $300,000 CAD for business established in the Montreal Metropolitan Area (MMA), or $150,000 CAD for business established outside the MMA. Applicants must (alone or with a spouse or common law partner identified in the immigration application) intend to contribute capital to the business equalling at least 25% of the businesses’ value. |
Net assets | Have (with a spouse or common law partner identified in the immigration application) net assets totalling at least $600,000. The lawful origin of these assets must be proven. Further, funds must exclude any donations received in the six months before submitting an immigration application. |
Issuance of a work permit, and work obligations | Applicants must apply for and be issued a work permit under section 205 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations, upon receiving a decision on their immigration application. After a one-year period of registering the business in Quebec, but no more than two years after receiving this work permit, applicants must: 1. Demonstrate having started their business in Quebec; and 2. Demonstrate they have made payments of start-up or operating costs for their business, and they have invested the necessary amount of capital in accordance with the regulations around “starting a business” contained in this table. |
To qualify under the “Business already started” profile, applicants must:
Factor | Minimum requirements |
|---|---|
Resident requirements | Reside in Quebec for at least two years prior to the date of submission of your application, with ability to work based on an open work permit, a study permit, or a work permit obtained according to section 206 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations. |
Starting a business | Have started a business alone or with others, including a maximum of three other foreign nationals who submit an application under the same stream. Business functions must be planned for a maximum of two years, or for operations equalling costs of at least $300,000 CAD for business established in the Montreal Metropolitan Area (MMA), or $150,000 CAD for business established outside the MMA. Applicants must (alone or with a spouse or common law partner identified in the immigration application) intend to contribute capital to the business equalling at least 25% of the businesses’ value. |
Net assets | Have (with a spouse or common law partner identified in the immigration application) net assets totalling at least $300,000. The lawful origin of these assets must be proven. Further, funds must exclude any donations received in the six months before submitting an immigration application. |
Investment in the business | Applicants must (alone or with a spouse or common law partner identified in the immigration application) contribute the amount of capital investment in the company equivalent to at least 25% of the company’s total value |
Demonstrate viability | Applicants must be able to show the effective nature of their business after a year of its registration with the program. |
Stream 3: Takeover
This stream is designed for individuals looking to immigrate to Quebec through the acquisition of an existing business, whether they are in the process of acquiring a company or have already completed the acquisition. It includes two eligible profiles:
1. Company in the Process of Acquisition
2. Company Acquired
To qualify under the “Company in the Process of Acquisition” profile, applicants must meet the following criteria:
Acquisition Agreement: Provide evidence of a formal agreement or commitment to acquire the business.
Business Viability: Demonstrate that the company has a viable business model and is capable of generating profits.
Operational Plan: Present a clear operational plan that outlines how the applicant intends to manage and grow the business post-acquisition.
Financial Resources: Show that the applicant has sufficient financial resources to support the acquisition and subsequent operations of the business.
Active Role: Commit to actively managing the business after the acquisition is completed.
Meeting these criteria will strengthen the applicant’s case for this stream of the Quebec Entrepreneur Program.
Factor | Minimum requirements |
|---|---|
Net assets | Have (with a spouse or common law partner identified in the immigration application) net assets totalling at least $600,000. The lawful origin of these assets must be proven. Further, funds must exclude any donations received in the six months before submitting an immigration application. |
Intention to acquire a business | Intend to acquire (alone or with a spouse or common law partner identified in the immigration application) control of a business in operation for at least 5 years, and from one or more transferors—none of whom have been selected for the entrepreneur program in the 5 years preceding the application. Applicants can also acquire the business from a group as the elected controlling holder. |
Paying acquisition costs | Intend to pay (alone or with a spouse or common law partner identified in the immigration application) expenses necessary for acquisition of the business equivalent to at least $300,000 CAD for business established in the Montreal Metropolitan Area (MMA), or $150,000 CAD for business established outside the MMA. |
Support services | Obtain (for the purposes of acquiring control of the business) appropriate support services from an organisation specialising in takeovers. |
Make an offer | Make an offer for the purposes of acquiring control of a business that meets the above requirements, within no less than 2 years of submitting an immigration application. |
To be eligible under the “Company acquired” profile applicants must meet the following criteria:
Factor | Minimum requirements |
|---|---|
Residence and status | Reside in Quebec for at least 2 years from the date of submitting an application. Additionally applicants must be authorized to work under an open work permit, study permit, or issued authorization pursuant to section 206 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations. Note that a work permit issued under section 205 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations will make an applicant ineligible for this program. |
Net assets | Have (with a spouse or common law partner identified in the immigration application) net assets totalling at least $600,000. The lawful origin of these assets must be proven. Further, funds must exclude any donations received in the six months before submitting an immigration application. |
Acquired business | Acquire and hold (alone or with a spouse or common law partner identified in the immigration application) control of a business in operation for at least 5 years, and from one or more transferors—none of whom have been selected for the entrepreneur program in the 5 years preceding the application. |
Support services | Obtain (for the purposes of acquiring control of the business) appropriate support services from an organisation specialising in takeovers. |
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