The Government of Québec will accept and process a maximum of 1900 applicants under the Québec Immigrant Investor Program (QIIP) for the period commencing September 10, 2018. Candidates who demonstrate an intermediate level of French language proficiency are not subject to this maximum and will receive priority processing for applications submitted at any time.
Please note: the intake period for this program has been extended until August 31, 2019.

Eligibility Requirements

If you are a business immigrant applying under the QIIP, you must:

• intend to settle in Québec;
• have at least 2 years of management experience acquired within the past five years;
• have a minimum net assets of CAD $2,000,000 either alone or in combination with your spouse;
• sign an investment agreement with an authorized financial intermediary approved for the QIIP (see list of Authorized Brokers and Trust Companies); and
• commit to a five-year term investment of CAD $1,200,000 with Investissement Québec – Immigrants Investisseurs Inc.

Additional Qualifications:

Other factors and criteria on which your application will be assessed include your:

• age,
• level of educational attainment, and
• language proficiency in French and/or English.

The Québec Entrepreneur Program for business immigration has two streams under which foreigners may apply. The Government of Québec will accept and process a maximum of 60 entrepreneurs (25 under stream 1, and 35 under stream 2) for the period commencing August 15, 2018. Candidates who demonstrate an intermediate level of French language proficiency are not subject to this maximum and will receive priority processing for applications submitted at any time.
Please note: the intake period for this program ended on March 31, 2019.

Eligibility Requirements: Stream 1

If you are a business immigrant applying for the Entrepreneur Program under Stream 1, you must:

• intend to settle in Québec to create and operate a business for which a service offer from a support organization has already been received; and
• present a business plan outlining your venture along with the service offer.

Your venture can be carried out alone, or with up to three other foreigners that have submitted permanent selection applications under the Entrepreneur Program for the same project.

Securing a Service Offer

A service offer is required to verify that the support organization possesses sufficient resources to adequately support the implementation of the applicant’s business venture. You must seek a service offer from a support organization that:

• meets the appropriate definition of a business accelerator or incubator, or university entrepreneurship centre; and
• demonstrates its ability to support you and your venture.

Eligibility Requirements: Stream 2

If you are a business immigrant applying for the Entrepreneur Program under Stream 2, you must:

• intend to settle in Québec to create or acquire and operate a business;
• have a minimum net worth of CAD $900,000, either alone or in combination with your spouse;
• propose your venture in the form of a business plan; and
• make a start-up deposit and security deposit at a financial institution established in Québec.

Support Organizations

A Business Accelerator is an organization established in Québec that offers entrepreneurs seeking to develop innovative companies support services related mainly to finding and securing investment and financing.

A University Entrepreneurship Centre is an organization managed by an academic institution or affiliated organization that provides mentoring services to entrepreneurs.

A Business Incubator is an organization established in Québec that provides mentoring services, including hosting, to entrepreneurs seeking the creation of innovative businesses.

The support organization must:

• write a service offer outlining the services it intends to provide;
• propose a detailed support plan listing and expanding on the services outline in the service offer;
• present an operation plan detailing the budget for the support activities and schedule for providing them; and
• prove its expertise as a support organization by presenting any skills and/or achievements that relate to the applicant’s venture.

Additional Qualifications

Other factors and criteria on which your application will be assessed include:

• your age, as well as that of your spouse (if applicable);
• your educational attainment, as well as that of your spouse (if applicable);
• your language proficiency in French and English, as well as that of your spouse (if applicable);
• whether you have made past visits to Québec; and
• whether you have family residing in Québec.

Important Notes:

1. The start-up deposit will be used to set up your business. If you intend to set up your business outside the Montréal Metropolitan Community (MMC), the required amount is CAD$200,000. If you intend to set up your business within the MMC, the required amount is CAD $300,000.

2. Furthermore, the security deposit will ensure that you carry out your business plan and will be refunded once you have done so. It must be in the amount of CAD $200,000 whether you plan to operate within or outside the MMC. It is the responsibility of the applicant to find a financial institution in Québec where they will make these deposits.

3. If you choose to create a business, you must own and control at least 25% of its equity capital. If you plan to acquire a business you must own and control at least 51% of its equity capital.

The Government of Québec will accept and process a maximum of 50 self-employed workers for the period commencing August 15, 2018. Candidates who demonstrate an intermediate level of French language proficiency are not subject to this maximum and will receive priority processing for applications submitted at any time. Please note, the intake period for this program ended on March 31, 2019.

Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible for the Québec Self-Employed Worker Program, you must:

• intend to settle in Québec and become self-employed without financial assistance;
• have a minimum 2 years of relevant experience as a self-employed worker;
• have a minimum net assets of $100,000, either on your own or in conjunction with your accompanying spouse (if applicable); and
• make a start-up deposit of CAD $25,000 if you intend to work outside the Montréal Metropolitan Community (MMC), or CAD $50,000 if you intend to work within the MMC.

Additional Qualifications

Other factors and criteria on which your application will be assessed include:

• your age, as well as that of your spouse (if applicable);
• your educational attainment, as well as that of your spouse (if applicable);
• your language proficiency in French and English, as well as that of your spouse (if applicable);
• whether you have made past visits to Québec; and
• whether you have family residing in Québec.

Important Notes:

If you intend to practice a regulated trade or profession, such as nursing or engineering, you must contact the pertinent regulatory body in Québec right away. You will be required to familiarize yourself with the process of obtaining legal authorization to practice the regulated trade or profession in Québec. If you have earned qualifications (i.e. a diploma or licence) to practice a regulated trade or profession from outside Québec, you must be aware that it may not be transferable, and therefore may not grant you the right to practice in Québec.

If you intend to practice a profession governed by a professional order, you will be required to pass a French language examination in the case that the language proficiency test results provided in your application are deemed inadequate.

Additional Information:

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