Canada business Immigration

The Canada Business Immigration Category of visas was designed to attract experienced business people to Canada. Successful candidates are those who can invest in Canada, start businesses in Canada and generate revenues and employment for Canadians.

In 2003, over 8,100 business migrants were allowed entry into Canada. In 2005-2006, the government target is to welcome between 9,500 to 10,500 Canada business immigrants.

In order to encourage the development of a strong, prosperous economic environment, the Canadian government seeks business people with sufficient business experience and the necessary assets.

There are three categories:

Investor Immigrant Visas: aimed at successful senior executives with managerial experience or successful owners or part-owners who have the intention and ability to invest in Canada for a term of 5 years;

Entrepreneur Immigrant Visa: aimed at successful owners or part-owners with significant business experience who have the intention and ability to own and manage a business in Canada, which generates revenues and employment;

Self-Employed Immigrant Visa: aimed at persons with relevant experience in world-class athletics or cultural activities or with farm management experience, who have the intention and ability to become self-employed in Canada;

PNP

If you're looking to obtain a Canadian permanent residency card - the Provincial Nominee Program may be worth considering. This Canadian immigration program allows employment based, investment based immigration and immigration in certain other situations.

The Canadian government has negotiated various provincial and territorial skilled immigration agreements relating to the specific needs of employers and capital investment requirements for each geographic area. Therefore, most Canadian provinces also have their own business immigration programs that are designed to encourage skilled workers to settle in those provinces.

Currently, Provincial Nominee Programs exist in the following provinces and territories:

• Alberta
• Manitoba
• Newfoundland and Labrador
• Prince Edward Island
• Yukon
• British Columbia
• New Brunswick
• Nova Scotia
• Saskatchewan
• Ontario

Under the various Provincial Nominee Programs, the participating provinces seek to attract skilled workers under immigration agreements with the Canadian government.

Canada is one of the most popular immigration destinations in the world and has one of the largest foreign born populations of OECD countries. Most Canadian immigrants come to the country as skilled workers - either as temporary foreign workers, permanent residents under its points based skilled migration scheme, or as provincial and territorial nominees.

The Provincial Nominee program allows provinces and territories to nominate business immigrants who will live and work in Canada and receive Canadian permanent residence cards. Provincial Nominee applications are given preference over other skilled visa applicants by Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC).

In general, there are two ways you can immigrate to Canada as a Provincial Nominee: either as a skilled worker with a job offer or as a business entrepreneur. Some provinces and territories have additional variations on these basic categories.

For instance, in addition to an entrepreneur category, the Newfoundland and Labrador Provincial Nominee Program has the Immigrant Partner category which allows up to three migrants to come under the nominee program if they will partner together in a business.

In the case of Ontario, there is the Employer category for employers who wish to hire foreign skilled workers and the Multinational Investor Category, which is meant to aid companies planning to make major investments in Ontario by fast-tracking work permits and permanent residence cards for key personnel.

Many provinces also have special categories for students wishing to gain permanent residence and employment after their studies. Additionally, you may be able to qualify for this immigration program if you have family residing in Canada.

In most cases, an employer wishing to hire you under the provincial nominee program can state their case for hiring foreign talent to the provincial government. Once approved, they can then have you apply for permanent residence under the Provincial Nominee Program.

Canadian Immigration and Citizenship then makes a final decision on your application.