Business immigration

Business immigration: Select an available business route based on active entrepreneurship, a qualifying company transfer or Québec investor eligibility. Permanent residence: Apply for federal permanent residence and pass the applicable admissibility checks. A provincial nomination is not the grant of permanent residence. Canadian citizenship: As a permanent resident, accumulate at least 1,095 days of physical presence in the previous five years. Eligible pre-PR temporary days count as half-days, up to 365 days. Tax filing, language and citizenship-test requirements apply where required. Citizenship is based on actual qualifying presence. Simply holding a Canadian permit or owning a business does not meet the residence test.

The federal Start-up Visa programme is paused as of 30 June 2026. It is not presented here as an open new-application route.

Choose between an available provincial entrepreneur stream, C11, an eligible company transfer or the Québec investor route. Follow that route’s work-permit, business-performance and nomination/selection stages. The federal Start-up Visa pause prevents using it as an open new-application alternative.

Relevant ownership or management experience, lawful funds and a credible business or investment case. Buying any Canadian business does not automatically qualify.

Match the project to current provincial criteria or the appropriate work-permit exemption, then document ownership, funds, operations and required local economic benefits.

The result depends on the route: a temporary work permit or nomination/selection supporting a separate permanent-residence application.