The Quebec Immigrant Entrepreneur Program aims to recruit individuals who have the skills and experience to operate a business in the province. The conditions to apply are different depending on the chosen stream.
Stream 1
This stream consists in managing a business in Quebec that the candidate created alone or with other partners (of which only 3 can be foreign nationals), with support from a business accelerator, a business incubator or a university entrepreneurship center.
Stream 2
To apply under this stream, the entrepreneur must control at least 25% of the shares of a new enterprise, or at least 51% of an acquired enterprise, which must have a value equivalent or higher than the funds needed to start the business project.
Conditions include:
- Investment of starting funds of $200,000 for a business outside the metropolitan area of Montreal, or $300,000 for a business located in the metropolitan area of Montreal.
- A minimum guarantee deposit between of $200,000.
- A net value of $900,000 CAD legally acquired, alone with their spouse if applicable.
Under both streams, successful candidates must obtain the threshold score in the selection grid, which features criteria such as: age, education, language abilities, stays or family in Quebec, financial autonomy.
All candidates must submit their business project under the form of a business plan.
Every year, the government accepts a limited number of applications in the entrepreneur category.
Quebec Self-Employed Program
To qualify under the Quebec Self-Employed Program, applicants must meet the following conditions that differentiates them from the Quebec Skilled Worker Program.
- Have two years of applicable experience in the profession they intent to exercise in Quebec.
- Possess a personal net worth of $100,000.
- Have sufficient settlement funds to support themselves and their family.
- Provide a start-up deposit of at least $50,000 if the self-employed candidate is based in the metropolitan area of Montreal, and $25,000 if the candidate is located outside of Montreal.
Like skilled workers, a self-employed applicant is assessed on several selection factors and must obtain sufficient points in order to qualify to apply.
