Certain Canadian provinces have their own Business Immigration programs within their Provincial Nomination Programs (PNP) for the purpose of nominating applicants for Permanent Residency.
Canada and its Provinces have entered into agreements that allow a person to be nominated by the Provincial Government and to be issued an Immigrant Visa without having to meet the pass mark that is required for skilled worker and business immigrants.
As a result, individual Provinces are responsible for issuing nomination certificates. If you are successful in convincing a Province that you have a skill or business which is in high demand for that particular Province, the Province will issue you a certificate, provided that you meet all other statutory and admissibility requirements of Citizenship and Immigration Canada and that you can become economically established. You will then be issued an Immigrant Visa for entry into Canada.
If you are interested in living in one of these provinces, you may want to make your business investment there.
Use the table below to compare the programs and learn which is best suited to your circumstances.
Province |
Minimum personal net worth |
Minimum investment required |
Business management experience required? |
Business plan required? |
Government deposit required? |
Performance agreement required? |
Exploratory visit required? |
Additional selection criteria? |
Manitoba |
$350,000 |
$150,000 and ownership of at least 1/3 of an eligible business |
Yes: Previous business ownership or a minimum of 3 years of senior management experience |
Yes |
$100,000 refundable deposit |
Participate in day-to-day management of business |
No, but recommended |
Yes |
Saskatchewan |
$300,000 |
$150,000 and ownership of at least 1/3 of an eligible business |
Yes: minimum of 3 years of business management experience |
Yes |
$75,000 refundable deposit |
Participate in day-to-day management of business & create new jobs for Canadians or permanent residents |
No, but recommended |
Yes |
$800,000 |
$400,000 and ownership of at least 1/3 of an eligible business |
Yes |
Yes |
Optional Fast Track Option: $125,000 refundable deposit – |
Yes, in order to obtain a work permit |
Strongly recommended |
Yes |
|
$400,000 |
$200,000 and ownership of at least 1/3 of an eligible business |
Yes |
Yes |
Optional Fast Track Option: $125,000 refundable deposit |
Yes, in order to obtain a work permit |
Strongly recommended |
Yes |
|
New Brunswick |
$300,000 |
$125,000 |
Yes: previous business ownership or senior management experience |
Yes |
$75,000 refundable deposit |
Participate in day-to-day management of business |
Yes, for a minimum of 5 days |
Yes – basic proficiency in one of Canada’s official languages |
Quebec |
$300,000 |
$100,000 – representing at least 25% of capital equity |
Yes: minimum of 2 years of business management experience in the last 5 years |
Yes |
No |
Participate in day-to-day management of business |
Strongly recommended |
Yes |
Prince Edward Island |
$600,000 |
$150,000 |
Yes |
Yes |
$150,000 |
Participate in day-to-day management of business |
Yes |
Yes |
Prince Edward Island |
$600,000 |
$150,000 and ownership of at least 1/3 of a business OR make an investment of $1,000,000 |
Yes |
Yes |
$150,000 |
Participate in day-to-day management of business |
Yes |
Yes |
Ontario |
– |
$3,000,000 and ownership of at least 1/3 of a business OR make an investment of $1,000,000 |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
Participate in day-to-day management of business & create at least 5 new jobs for Canadians or permanent residents |
No |
Yes |
Northwest Territories |
$500,000 (if buying a business in the city of Yellowknife) |
$300,000 in a business in the city of Yellowknife |
Yes |
Yes |
$75,000 refundable deposit |
Yes, in order to obtain a work permit |
Yes |
Yes |
Yukon |
$250,000 (including $150,000 in liquid assets) |
$150,000 and ownership of at least 1/3 of a business |
Yes: minimum of 5 years of business management experience |
Yes |
$75,000 refundable deposit |
Yes, in order to obtain a work permit |
Yes |
Yes – basic proficiency in one of Canada’s official languages |
**additional deposit of $10,000 if language results are below Canadian Language Benchmark 5 |
Our goal is to provide each client with a successful outcome by determining the most appropriate solution. If you would like to know whether you could be eligible to immigrate to Canada, we invite you to complete our online assessment questionnaire.
If you are interested in seeking professional assistance to guide you through the immigration process or if you have any questions, please contact us.
Looking for more information about the Provincial Nominee Progam (PNP)?