Benefits of Program

Under the Program, a foreign investor may receive:

a.                  An unconditional Canadian visa.

b.                  Once your Canadian visa application is approved, you and your family will be entitled to Permanent residence status upon entering Canada;

c.                  The right to work and travel anywhere in Canada;

d.                  The right to enter and leave Canada freely;

e.                  The right of applying for full Canadian citizenship three years following your permanent landing in Canada.

Who is an Investor

An Investor means a foreign national who

a.                 has business experience;

b.                has a legally obtained net worth of at least CDN $800,000; and

c.                 indicates in writing to an officer that they intend to make or have made an investment.

Business experience

In respect of an investor, means

a.      the management of a qualifying business and the control of a percentage of equity of the qualifying business for at least two years in the period beginning five years before the date of application for a permanent resident visa and ending on the day a determination is made in respect of the application, or

b.      the management of at least five full-time job equivalents per year in a business for at least two years in the period beginning five years before the date of application for a permanent resident visa and ending on the day a determination is made in respect of the application 

Net worth

In respect of an investor, means the fair market value of all of the assets of the investor and their spouse or common-law partner minus the fair market value of all of their liabilities. 

Qualifying business

This  means a business -- other than a business operated primarily for the purpose of deriving investment income such as interest, dividends or capital gains -- for which, in each of any two years in the period beginning five years before the date of application for a permanent resident visa and ending on the date a determination is made in respect of the application, there is documentary evidence of any two of the following:  

a.      that the percentage of equity multiplied by the number of full time job equivalents is equal to or greater than two full-time job equivalents per year;

b.      that the percentage of equity multiplied by the total annual sales is equal to or greater than CDN $500,000;

c.      that the percentage of equity multiplied by the net income in the year is equal to or greater than CDN $50,000; and

d.     that the percentage of equity multiplied by the net assets at the end of the year is equal to or greater than CDN $125,000.

Full-time job equivalent 

This means 1,950 hours of paid employment.

Net assets

In respect of a qualifying business or a qualifying Canadian business, means the assets of the business, minus the liabilities of the business, plus shareholder loans made to the business by a foreign national and their spouse or common-law partner.

Net income

This means in respect of a qualifying business or a qualifying Canadian business, means the after tax profit or loss of the business plus remuneration by the business to a foreign national and their spouse or common-law partner.

Percentage of equity

Percentage of Equity means

a.       in respect of a sole proprietorship, 100 per cent of the equity of the sole proprietorship controlled by a foreign national or their spouse or common-law partner;

b.       in respect of a corporation, the percentage of the issued and outstanding voting shares of the capital stock of the corporation controlled by a foreign national or their spouse or common-law partner; and

c.       in respect of a partnership or joint venture, the percentage of the profit or loss of the partnership or joint venture to which the foreign national or their spouse or common-law partner is entitled.

Financing of Investment

If  an investor does not wish to liquidate assets to come up with the $CAN400,000 mandatory deposit, the investor may finance the investment. through a number of Canadian banks and credit unions. This option allows an investor the possibility to limit the down payment to as little as CDN $120,000 and still meet all the requirements of the immigrant Investor Program in order to obtain Canadian citizenship. The investor will need only $CAN120,000 of liquidity as opposed to $CAN400,000 and still meet all the requirements of the Immigrant Investor Program in order to obtain Canadian citizenship. The funds that the investor is not required to transfer to complete the mandatory down payment may be invested and earn higher returns, thereby improving the overall return.