Eligibility

The Immigrant Investor Program (also known as the Investor Category of the Business Class) seeks to attract experienced businesspersons and capital to Canada. This category is ideal for those who want to immigrate to Canada but who do not wish to be obligated to engage in any type of business/employment activity upon their arrival. The ever-increasing popularity of the Immigrant Investor Program among new immigrants to Canada is self-evident. The chart, below, which was created by Citizenship and Immigration Canada and which has been reproduced, below, with appreciation, shows a 55% increase in the number of applicants in the Immigrant Investor Program from 1999-2001.

ELIGIBILITY

To be eligible to apply for Permanent Residence in Canada in the Investor Category, Investors must demonstrate business experience, a minimum net worth of 800,000 CAD and make an investment of 400,000 CAD. An Investor's net worth need not have been created by his/her own endeavours but, rather, must have been "legally obtained" (i.e. inheritance, gift, etc.). Assets of an Investor's spouse/common-law partner/same-sex partner are also included when assessing net worth.

There are two (2) ways for an Investor to demonstrate business experience:

(i)     management and control of a qualifying business of sufficient size;

OR

(ii)     management of a business, or a portion of a business, (without the need to own it) with at least five (5) full-time (37.5 hours per week or more) employees.

(i)     Ownership Option

In the ownership option, Investors will be required to provide documentation, proving that, within any two (2) of the last five (5) years, they controlled and managed a Qualifying Business that meets any two (2) of the defined requirements/attributes for full-time (37.5 hours per week or more) employees, sales, net income and equity.

The following chart sets out the minimum requirements for a Qualifying Business at various percentages of ownership.

(ii)     Management Option

As an alternative to actual ownership, Investors may qualify by providing documentary proof that, over any two (2) of the last five (5) years, they had managed at least five (5) full-time (37.5 hours per week or more) employees in a business.