Quebec does not only admit skilled workers on its territory, the Canada-Quebec agreement allows the French-speaking province to also select foreigners from a very interesting category: business people.

Like the Programme de l’expérience québecoise (PEQ), the Quebec Regular Skilled Worker Program (RSWP), the Quebec business class is an important category in economic immigration in Quebec. This category includes three programs intended for people who have experience as investor, self-employed worker or entrepreneur and who want to settle permanently in Quebec. The category essentially has three programs: i) the Quebec Self-Employed Worker Immigration Program; ii) the Quebec Immigrant Investor Program; iii) the Quebec Entrepreneur Immigration Program. The submission of applications in each of these programs allows candidates who meet the criteria to obtain the Certificat de sélection du Québec (CSQ). Like other selection programs in Quebec, it is the CSQ that also allows selected business people to apply for permanent residence at the federal level.

1. The Self-Employed Worker Immigration Program

The Quebec Self-Employed Worker Immigration Program is for people who intend to come to Quebec to create their own job by exercising a level 0, A or B profession in the National Occupational Classification (NOC). Applying for this program requires at least two years of proven professional experience, a minimum net worth of CA$ 100,000 and a start-up deposit. The amount of the deposit is CA$ 25,000 if the candidate will practice outside the territory of the Communauté métropolitaine de Montréal (CMM); and CA$ 50,000 if the candidate intends to settle on the territory of the Communauté métropolitaine de Montréal (CMM). The success of this program is such that the quota of applications for the period from November 1, 2020 to September 30, 2021 has already been reached for non-French speakers. It remains open for French speakers and will probably be relaunched shortly.

2. Quebec Immigrant Investor Program

As part of the reform undertaken by the Government of Quebec so as to modernize the immigration system, the Ministry announces the extension of the suspension of the receipt of applications submitted under the Investor Program until April 1, 2023.

This period will allow the Ministère de l’Immigration, de la Francisation et de l’Intégration (MIFI) to finalize the current revision work, in order to implement a renewed program that more closely matches the government’s goals in terms of integration and francization of immigrants.

3. Quebec Entrepreneur Immigration Program

This program is divided in two streams. Stream 1 is for people who intend to settle in Quebec to create and operate a business. Stream 2 is for applicants who intend to settle in the province to acquire and operate an existing business.

As of November 1, 2020, the Quebec Government began receiving 25 new applications under the first stream of the Quebec Entrepreneur Program. This period of receipt of applications will continue until September 30, 2021. The second stream of the Quebec Entrepreneur Program is suspended until November 2021.

In Stream 1, the applicant must present his business creation and operation project in the form of a business plan and a service offer. For this purpose, he must obtain a valid service offer from a business accelerator/incubator or a university entrepreneurship center. The role of these centers is to assist the entrepreneur so that he can succeed with his project. They too must have the skills and experience.

In Stream 2, where the applicant decides to purchase a business for the purpose of operating it, he must have a net worth of at least CA$ 900,000. He must also present his business project in the form of a business plan. Furthermore, the business to be purchased must have been in operation for the last five years prior to the date of application.

In the different programs of the business category, the selection of candidates for the Self-Employed Immigration Program also takes into account other criteria such as: age, level of education, language skills, previous stays in Quebec. Candidates must also obtain an attestation of learning about democratic values and the Québec values. This is one of the reforms introduced by the Ministère de l’Immigration, de la Francisation et de l’Intégration (MIFI) in recent years.

Whether it is the Self-Employed Worker Program, the Investor Program or the Entrepreneur Program, applicants must be prepared to make significant expenses that must be optimized. This is one of the reasons why our firm is regularly consulted so as to assist applicants in submitting a complete file. Do not hesitate to use our services.