Immigrant Visas » Business Immigrants » Investor

The Immigrant Investor Program (also known as the Investor Category of the Business Class

) seeks to attract experienced business persons 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 endeavors 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:

                          management and control of a qualifying business of sufficient size; OR
                          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.

Citizenship and Immigration Canada will allocate immigrant investment to approved provincial funds according to an allocation formula.

Citizenship and Immigration Canada will subsequently distribute the money among the funds. After five (5) years, the funds will repay Citizenship and Immigration Canada, for subsequent repayment to Investors.


TIMING OF INVESTMENT

IRIS Inc. does not recommend that you make your investment until such time as you know whether your Application for Permanent Residence in Canada has been approved-in-principle. There is no procedural/strategic advantage to investing prior to being approved and, as such, there is little sense to divesting yourself of such a considerable sum of money for a period of approximately one (1) year or so while your Application is being processed.


FINANCING OF INVESTMENT

You may finance your investment in the Immigrant Investor Program. Measures are in place at Citizenship and Immigration Canada Headquarters to support the process; but, it is your responsibility to make the appropriate arrangements with the financial institution of your choice.
Generally speaking, with a minimum deposit of 135,000 CAD, an investor can secure the maximum loan from these financial institutions in order to complete the required 400,000 CAD investment.
After the five (5) year obligatory investment period, the initial capital deposit will have served to pay the interest on the loan. The cost of this financing option, therefore, represents an amount of 135,000 CAD (as of July 2001). This offer may vary according to Canadian interest rate fluctuations and the financial institution concerned.

For a FREE assessment of your eligibility to migrate to Canada in the Independent/Skilled Worker Class, please fill out our Assessment Form.