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As immigration lawyers we are consulted by a wide range of individuals with a great variety of immigration goals. Interestingly a lot of the questions and concerns that our clients have are the same. If you are considering coming to Canada, it is useful to turn to the basic primary school lesson about the 5W’s – who, what, where, when and why – to ask yourself the essential questions about this process and to prepare yourself as much as possible for the immigration experience.

Few would realize or recall that Canada was a world leader in introducing business immigration programs – which would soon be followed by most of the leading world economies – the majority of which still maintain such programs today. In 1986, Canada introduced the Investor (IIP) and Entrepreneur (EP) immigration programs.

In our most recent blog, we examined the options for business persons to establish themselves in Canada. While the two federal business immigration programs – the Start Up Visa (SUV) and the Self-Employed (SE) category as well as the provincial and territorial PNP entrepreneur programs, lead to permanent residence, the other options for entrepreneurs are to firstly establish a business presence in Canada and then work towards permanent residence through the Express Entry selection program. As we have repeatedly said in our blogs over the past many years, working towards Canadian permanent residence for a businessperson takes long term strategic planning.  

We are frequently approached by international business people seeking to establish a presence in Canada and settle with their families permanently. In the international marketplace, “business immigration” is a common term and many countries offer attractive options for obtaining permanent residence.

As immigration lawyers, we are frequently approached by both aspiring business immigrants as well as Canadian business owners who are keen to sign a deal and transfer ownership of a business with a view to the prospective business immigrant securing their family’s status in Canada and the Canadian business owner securing their family’s retirement. A mutually beneficial arrangement!
Sadly, Canada’s federal business immigration programs don’t contemplate such an arrangement as a means of obtaining Canadian permanent residence, thwarting the dreams of both prospective business immigrants and Canadian business owners not to mention the loss of investment in the Canadian economy.

It is a sad reality that when business people come to consult with our Vancouver immigration lawyers for Canadian immigration opportunities, we have very few options to provide them with. The Federal Investor and Entrepreneur programs were terminated in 2014. The current Start Up Visa category requires securing a Canadian financier to invest in a prospective business concept.

We are frequently approached by self employed business people who are interested in establishing Canadian operations and would like to immigrate to Canada as well.  You would think that Canada would be welcoming of the entrepreneurial spirit that business self starters bring to the economy in terms of both tax revenue and job creation.  Yet Canada’s current immigration program is very limited in options for self-employed business people.  Let’s review what immigration options are available for the business person.