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Quebec Entrepreneur Program

The Quebec Entrepreneur Program is for immigrant entrepreneurs with the ability to establish a new business or acquire and operate an existing business in the province of Quebec. Successful applicants are able to immigrate to Quebec, where they will carry out their business project. As with all of Quebec’s immigration pathways this program allows applicants to apply for a Québec selection certificate (CSQ). Upon receiving a CSQ, an applicant becomes eligible to submit an official application for Canadian permanent residence.

How you will be assessed

Entrepreneur candidates are assessed on the following criteria:

  • Your age,

  • Your level of education,

  • your language skills,

  • your stays in Québec,

  • the presence of family members in Québec,

  • your financial self-sufficiency, your net assets and proof of their source and lawful acquisition,

  • your business plan

 

Financial Commitment

In order to be eligible for this program, the candidate must settle in Quebec to create a new business, or acquire an existing business, and manage the business operations. Successful applicants will have to make two financial deposits as part of their application: 

  1. a security deposit of CAD $200,000 serving as insurance that the business will be created; to be refunded when the business plan is carried out successfully; 

  2. a startup deposit that must be used to set up the business. The startup deposit is CAD $300,000 for businesses created in Montreal and CAD $200,000 for business created outside of Montreal. All applicants must meet the eligibility requirements:

Requirements

  • Have net assets of at least $900,000 CAD that have been legally obtained with, a spouse if they are accompanying the applicant.

  • The application must be presented in the form of a business plan.

  • If the applicant is creating a new business, they must own and control at least 25% of its equity capital. If the applicant is acquiring an existing business, they must own and control at least 51% of its equity capital.

  • The business cannot be involved in the following activities:

    • payday loans, cheque cashing, pawnbroking, real estate development, real estate or insurance brokerage, production / distribution / sales of pornographic or sexually explicit products or services.

  • An acquired business must have been in operation during the five years prior to an application.