Canada Residence by Investment

The country has a long tradition of immigration and an elaborate system to evaluate and admit new residents. Citizenship is available after three years of residence (and 183 days minimum physical presence during each of the three calendar years). The Canadian passport is one of the best travel documents in the world.

You can establish residence by applying for Canadian permanent residence in one the following categories:

• Investors
• Entrepreneurs
• Self-employed persons
• Skilled workers and professionals

Once your application is approved, you and members of your immediate family may enjoy all the advantages of Canadian citizenship (with the exception of voting and holding political office), including access to excellent free health care and first-class education.

Overview of the Canada Investor Immigration Program

The immigrant investor programs were created by the Canadian government to attract wealthy businesspeople and their capital to Canada. Investors and their immediate family can gain permanent residence in Canada by satisfying the following five government selection criteria:

1. You must demonstrate relevant business experience, as defined under the regulations. In essence, you must have previously managed or operated a qualified business for at least two out of five years preceding your application.
2. You and your spouse must have legally obtained a personal net worth of a minimum of CAD 2 million.
3. Your entire family must complete and pass Canada's medical and security evaluations.
4. You must invest CAD 1.2 million for a period of five years at no interest (0%) under one of the two available immigrant investor programs. The investment is government-guaranteed and will be repaid in full at the end of the investment period.
5. You will also be assessed on age, language, education, experience, and time spent in Quebec on a points-based system.

There are several ways to become a permanent resident in Canada. The most popular economic programs are:

• The Quebec Immigrant Investor Program
• The Express Entry Program (federal)
• The Provincial Nominee Programs

The selection procedure is similar under both the federal and Quebec programs, with the following distinction: applicants who want to establish themselves economically in the province of Quebec have to obtain a certificate of selection of Quebec (CSQ) before applying for permanent residence to the Government of Canada. Applicants and their dependents will be assessed on health and security grounds. Holders of a CSQ are required to reside in the province of Quebec.

Key advantages of Canadian residence by investment

• One of the highest standards of living in the world
• Affordable, high quality education
• Multicultural, tolerant, and vibrant cities
• Excellent place to do business, with access to the entire North American market
• Eligibility to apply for citizenship following three years of the five-year residence period

Procedures and time frame of the Canada Investor Immigration Program

In order to be considered for the residence programs, an application must be submitted to the relevant government office. At this point, a file reference number is issued, allowing applicants to check the status of their applications. Once approval has been given, if you are from a nonvisa exempt country, you will be required to submit your passport to the local Canadian embassy or consulate, and the permanent resident visa will be issued. 

Once you arrive in Canada with the visa, you are granted permanent residence. Application processing times differ depending on which category they fall under and where the application was submitted. The Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada website gives a breakdown of estimated processing times. Note that in order to maintain permanent resident status, physical presence for two out of five years in Canada is required.

*On 31 March 2021, the Ministry of Immigration, Francisation and Integration announced the extended suspension of the Quebec Immigrant Investor Program. The program will not reopen before 1 April 2023.