1. PERMANENT RESIDENCE
Canada offers the most established and the most widely used investment immigration programs in the world conferring permanent resident status .Canada accepts close to six thousand business applicants annually providing permanent residence to about 15,000 immigrants. The Canadian confederation system of government and the country’s social norms offer a “European alternative” to the more unabashed capitalism of the USA. Canada offers European style social benefits complete with the resultant high levels of taxation and unparalleled quality of life. Under the Canadian model, business immigrants can enjoy the benefits of a national health care program, affordable first class education and a national pension system that provides measurable annual income upon retirement. .
There are three business Federal Immigration programme offered
under the Act:
1. Investors
2. Entrepreneurs
3. Self Employed
THE INVESTOR PROGRAM
The Federal Investors Class:
The Federal Investor Program is passive in nature and requires an investment of $800,000 CAD which is deposited with the Receiver General of Canada and a personal net worth of $1,600,000 CAD with two years of suitable management or business experience. The investment bears no interest and must be maintained for about five years and two months .Applicants may state a desire to live anywhere in Canada except Quebec. The investment is government guaranteed and the proceeds are allocated to the Provinces excluding Quebec. The intention is to attract business acumen and investment to Canada. A qualified applicant has typically owned and/or managed an active trade or business, which may include professional practices, rather than merely managing investment activities. Typically, the Investor class, unlike the Entrepreneur Class, is most suited to the applicant who does not intend to become active in an ongoing business in Canada.
The federal program permits applicants to finance the bulk of their investment through designated banking institutions. Typically the financing schemes require a down payment of $120,000.The bank loans the applicant the balance of $280,000. The applicant deposits the sum of $400,000 with the Receiver General. The Canadian government guarantees repayment of the bank loan and not the investor’s down payment. The bank takes fees and interest from the down payment , the immigration agent takes their commissions from the down payment .The Federal government disburses the net proceeds to the provinces for use in a variety of public projects. The net cost to the investor is the down payment. The five year investment period begins following visa issuance.
Under the Canada-Quebec Accord, the province of Quebec operates its own immigrant investor program. All investors in the program must be selected by Quebec and must plan to settle in Quebec.
B. The Entrepreneur Program
The Federal Entrepreneur Class:
The Entrepreneur class confers permanent residence upon applicants who demonstrate an ability to become economically established in Canada on the basis of their two years of suitable business experience and a personal net worth of $300,000 CAD, met the selection criteria for the Entrepreneur program and met medical, security and other requirements. Approval is contingent upon the entrepreneur undertaking to invest and become involved in the active management of a qualifying Canadian business operated in Canada that will contribute to the economy and create employment for Canadians.
C. The Self Employed Program
The Federal Self Employed Class:
The self employed class is geared towards applicants who have relevant self-employment experience as well as the intention and the ability to create their own employment and make a significant contribution to the cultural, athletic life of Canada, or to create their own employment by purchasing and managing a farm in Canada.
To qualify under this category, an applicant must demonstrate a sufficient financial net worth, although less than an entrepreneur and not specified in the regulation, should enable the applicant to be self-employed in Canada and make a significant contribution to specified economic activities in Canada and to meet the initial settlement requirements for the applicant and accompanying dependants.
Under the
Canada-Quebec Accord, the province of Quebec operates its own business immigration program.
