Quebec Entrepreneur Program

Unlike the Federal Government, the Quebec Government has maintained their immigrant Entrepreneur Program. This program is administered by the Ministère de l’immigration, de la diversité et de l’inclusion (Immigration Quebec). The Quebec Entrepreneur program has a yearly quota, and therefore the program opens and closes quickly.  

The two key components of the Quebec Entrepreneur program are:

  1. That the foreign national has the intention to settle and reside in Quebec; and
  2. That the foreign national has the ability to carry out a business project, or the acquisition of a business. 

To qualify under the Quebec Entrepreneur program a foreign national must: 

  • Demonstrate net assets of at least CAD$300,000;
  • Have at least two years’ experience in running a business acquired during the five years preceding the date of submission of the application;
  • Present a business plan that demonstrates one of the two options below:
    1. Ability to carry out a business project: submit a business project with the purpose of creating or acquiring a business (agricultural, industrial or commercial) in Quebec that an applicant will manage or that will participate in as management and operations partner on a daily basis
    2. Acquisition of a business in Quebec: have acquired in Quebec, at least 25% of capital equity in a business (agricultural, commercial or industrial) with a value of at least CAD$100,000. The applicant must manage the business or participate in it as management and operations partner on a daily basis
  • Must have a 25% control of the business that they acquire, or the business project that they create, with a value of at least CAD$100,000. The business must employ, on a permanent basis and for a minimum of 30 hours a week, a Quebec resident (other than the applicant and their accompanying family members), and must participate in the daily management and operations of the business. 

The Quebec Entrepreneur program is a point based system. Immigration Quebec will assess a foreign national on the following criteria:

  • Age
  • Education 
  • Relevant experience
  • Language abilities in English and/or French
  • Previous stay in Quebec
  • Family members who already live in Quebec
  • Financial resources
  • Business plan

Application Process

When applying under the Quebec Entrepreneur program:

  1. A foreign national must first submit an application for a Quebec Selection Certificate (CSQ) as an Entrepreneur with Immigration Quebec;
  2. Immigration Quebec will review and process the CSQ application. Immigration Quebec will review the applicant’s experience as an entrepreneur, their ability to successfully carry out their business plan, the foreign national’s efforts to acquire a business in Quebec, and the foreign national’s assets.  The current processing time for this stage varies on the country of citizenship or residence of the applicant, but can be upwards of three or four years. Please note that during this time, an applicant may be called in for an interview with the adjudicating Immigration Quebec officer in Montreal;
  3. Once the application is approved and the foreign national receives their CSQ, he or she must then file a complete permanent residence application based on Immigration Quebec’s selection with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (Immigration Canada). Immigration Canada will be responsible for assessing medical and criminal admissibility, and will issue the Confirmation of Permanent Residence. The current processing time for this stage varies on the country of citizenship or residence of the foreign national;
  4. If the application for permanent residence is successful, Immigration Canada will issue a document called a Confirmation of Permanent Residence. With this document, the foreign national may then complete the landing process in order to obtain permanent resident status; and 
  5. Upon their arrival in Quebec, the foreign national must, for at least one year during the three years after obtaining permanent residence status in Canada: 
    • Create or acquire (in whole or in part) a business (agricultural, commercial or industrial) in Quebec where they hold at least 25% of the capital equity with a value of at least CAD$100,000;
    • Employ, on a permanent basis and full-time basis (minimum 30 hours per week), a Quebec resident (other than the foreign national and their accompanying family members); and
    • Participate in the daily management and operations of the business.