Quebec Business Immigration (QEIP)

The Quebec government selects business people, entrepreneurs and high net worth individuals wishing to become Canadian permanent residents and settle in the province.

Following the acceptance of their application, successful candidates will receive a Certificate of Selection of Quebec (CSQ) and will be able to submit a permanent residence application to the federal government.

Candidates may be eligible to apply under one of three business immigration categories:

1. Innovative business

Immigrate to Québec to start up an innovative business or carry out an innovative project with the support of an accompanying organization.

To immigrate to Québec as an entrepreneur – Innovative Company Component, you must meet the general conditions of the program and the conditions of the profile under which you wish to apply:

Start-up of an innovative company profile: you would like to start up an innovative company in Québec;
Carrying out an innovative project profile: you are in Québec, you have already started up an innovative company, and you would like to carry out an innovative project within that company.

General conditions of the program

Age: You must be at least 18 years of age at the time of submission of the application.
Education: You must hold a diploma corresponding minimally, in Québec, to a secondary school diploma, obtained before the date of submission of the application.

To demonstrate your knowledge of French, even if French is your mother tongue, you must submit one of the following documents:
Test results certificates or French language assessment diplomas accepted by the Ministère de l’Immigration, de la Francisation et de l’Intégration;
One of the secondary school diplomas accepted by the Ministère de l’Immigration, de la Francisation et de l’Intégration.Level of knowledge of French : You must have a knowledge of spoken French corresponding minimally to level 7 according to the Échelle québécoise des niveaux de compétence en français (PDF 4.94 Mb) (Québec scale of French proficiency levels).

Financial self-sufficiency: You must commit for three months as of the date of obtaining permanent resident status to meeting your essential needs, those of the members of your family accompanying you, and those of dependent children who are Canadian citizens.
Attestation of learning of democratic and Québec values: When your file is opened, you will receive a request by email to obtain an attestation of learning about democratic values. You must obtain your attestation within a maximum of 60 days after receiving this request. The members of your family accompanying you will also need to obtain it, namely, your spouse aged 16 years or older and your dependent children aged 18 years or older. You will not receive this request if you and your family have already obtained this attestation.

Conditions for the Start-up of an Innovative Company Profile

You can apply for the Start-up of an Innovative Company profile if you want to settle permanently in Québec to start up an innovative company.

Please note! You must meet the general conditions of the program and the conditions of the Start-up of an innovative company profile.

Business partners: You can start your innovative business alone or with a maximum of three people who also submit an application under the Entrepreneur Program.
Contribution to the original capital of the business: Your contribution to the original capital of the business that you will create must correspond to at least 10% of the value of this business. You can hold it alone or with the spouse included in the application.
Support from an organization specialized in innovation: You must have received a service offer from an organization specialized in innovation that has committed to supporting you in carrying out your business project. An organization specializing in innovation is an organization with an establishment in Québec whose main activity is to provide support services (training, mentoring, searching for financing) to people whose business project entails starting or growing an innovative business. The organization must be able to demonstrate that it can support you in your business project.
Business plan: Your business project must be outlined in a business plan and submitted with your application.

Conditions for Carrying out an Innovative Project Profile

You can apply for the Carrying out an innovative project profile if you live in Québec where you have set up an innovative company and through which you wish to carry out an innovative project.

Please note! You must meet the general conditions of the program as well as the conditions of the Carrying out an innovative project profile.

Stay in Québec: To submit an application for the Carrying out an innovative project profile, you must have been living in Québec for at least two years be authorized to work in Québec, and have honored the conditions of your stay.
Business partners: You can carry out your innovative project alone or with a maximum of three people who also submit an application under the Entrepreneur Program. You are not required to have started this business with these people.
Contribution to the original capital of the business: Your share in the paid-in capital of the business you have started must be at least 10% of the value of that capital. You may hold it alone or together with your spouse or common-law partner included in the application.
Support from an organization specialized in innovation: You must have received a service offer from an organization specialized in innovation that has committed to supporting you in carrying out your innovative project. An organization specialized in innovation is an organization with an establishment in Québec whose main activity is to provide support services (training, mentorship, or search for financing) to people whose business project entails starting or growing an innovative business.
Submit your business plan: Your business project must be presented in the form of a business plan, which must be attached to your application.

2. Entrepreneur Program – Stream 2: Busines\ Y0-startup

To immigrate to Québec as an entrepreneur – Business start-up component of the Entrepreneur Program, you must meet the general conditions of the program and the conditions of the profile under which you wish to apply: Business start-up profile: you would like to start a business in Québec

Already started company profile: you are in Québec and have started a company

Age: You must be at least 18 years of age at the time of submission of the application.
Education: You must hold a diploma corresponding minimally, in Québec, to a secondary school diploma, obtained before the date of submission of the application.

To demonstrate your knowledge of French, even if French is your mother tongue, you must submit one of the following documents:
Test results certificates or French language assessment diplomas accepted by the Ministère de l’Immigration, de la Francisation et de l’Intégration;
One of the secondary school diplomas accepted by the Ministère de l’Immigration, de la Francisation et de l’Intégration.
Level of knowledge of French: You must have a knowledge of spoken French corresponding minimally to level 7 according to the Échelle québécoise des niveaux de compétence en français (PDF 4.94 Mb) (Québec scale of French proficiency levels).

Financial self-sufficiency: You must commit for three months as of the date of obtaining permanent resident status to meeting your essential needs, those of the members of your family accompanying you, and those of dependent children who are Canadian citizens.

Attestation of learning of democratic and Québec values: When your file is opened, you will receive a request by email to obtain an attestation of learning about democratic values. You must obtain your attestation within a maximum of 60 days after receiving this request. The members of your family accompanying you will also need to obtain it, namely, your spouse aged 16 years or older and your dependent children aged 18 years or older. You will not receive this request if you and your family have already obtained this attestation.

Conditions to be honored for the Start-up profile

You can submit an application for the Start-up profile if you wish to settle in Québec to start a business here. Please note! You must meet the general conditions of the program and the conditions of the Already-started company profile.

Management experience: You must have at least two years of experience in business management acquired in the five years preceding the application.
Net worth: You must have a minimum net worth of CAD $600,000. This amount does not include donations received in the six months prior to the date of your application. You can share this net worth with your spouse or common-law partner who is included in the application. You must be able to prove the lawful origin and accrual of your net worth. Your spouse or common-law partner included in the application must also demonstrate the origin and lawful accrual of their net worth, even if their assets are not required to reach the minimum net worth required by the program.
Business Partners: can start your business alone or with a maximum of three people who also submit an application under the Entrepreneur Program.
Business plan: Your business project must be outlined in a business plan and submitted with your application.
Québec notice of intention to select: If you meet all the conditions of the program, with the exception of the offer to purchase and the expenses involved in taking over the business, you will receive a notice of intent to be selected from the Government of Québec. This notice will enable you to apply for a work permit from the Government of Canada to continue the start-up process of your company in Québec, if necessary. Family members included in the application can also obtain a permit.
Start-up for business: You must have started a business in Québec no later than two years after the issuance of the work permit obtained with the notice of intent to be selected. This business must have been registered for at least one year at the time you send the documentation justifying its start-up.

CDN$300,000, if your business is located in the Montréal Metropolitan Area ;
CDN$150,000, if your business is located outside the Montréal Metropolitan Area. Start-up and operating expenses: In the context of starting your business, you must have spent on the start-up or operations a minimum amount of:

Contribution to the original capital of the business: Your contribution to the original capital of the business must correspond to at least 25% of the value of this business. You can hold it alone or with the spouse included in the application. If you are starting your business with business partners who are also applying to the Entrepreneur Program, each of them must have an equity stake in the company of at least 25%.

Conditions to be honored for the Started business profile

You can apply for the Already Started company profile if you live in Québec and wish to settle here permanently to run a business that you started at least one year ago.

Stay in Québec: To apply under the Already started company profile, you must have been living in Québec for at least two years, during which time you were authorized to work, and you must have complied with the conditions of your stay.

Net worth: You must have a minimum net worth of CAD $300,000. This amount does not include donations received in the six months prior to the date of application. You can share this net worth with your spouse or common-law partner included in the application. You must prove the lawful origin and accrual of your net worth. Your spouse or common-law partner included in the application must also demonstrate the origin and lawful accrual of their net worth, even if their assets are not required to reach the minimum net worth required by the program.
Business partners: If you started your business with people other than the person included in the application as your spouse, a maximum of three of them can also submit an application under the Entrepreneur Program.
Contribution to the original capital of the business: Your stake in the company’s paid-in capital must be at least 25% of its value. You may hold it alone or together with your spouse or common-law partner included in the application. If you have started your company with business partners who are also applying to the Entrepreneur Program, each of them must have an equity stake in the company of at least 25%.
Business plan: Your business project must be outlined in a business plan and submitted with your application.

3. Entrepreneur Program – Stream 3: Business takeover

To immigrate to Québec as an entrepreneur – Business take-over component, you must meet the general conditions of the program and the conditions of the profile under which you wish to apply:

Company in the process of being acquired profile: you would like to take over a Québec company
Acquired company profile: you have taken over a Québec company

General conditions of the program

Age: You must be at least 18 years of age at the time of submission of the application.
Education: You must hold a diploma corresponding minimally, in Québec, to a secondary school diploma, obtained before the date of submission of the application.

To demonstrate your knowledge of French, even if French is your mother tongue, you must submit one of the following documents:

Test results certificates or French language assessment diplomas accepted by the Ministère de l’Immigration, de la Francisation et de l’Intégration;
One of the secondary school diplomas accepted by the Ministère de l’Immigration, de la Francisation et de l’Intégration.Level of knowledge of French: You must have a knowledge of spoken French corresponding minimally to level 7 according to the Échelle québécoise des niveaux de compétence en français (PDF 4.94 Mb) (Québec scale of French proficiency levels).
Financial self-sufficiency: You must commit for three months as of the date of obtaining permanent resident status to meeting your essential needs, those of the members of your family accompanying you, and those of dependent children who are Canadian citizens.

Conditions to be honored for the Company in the process of acquisition profile

Net worth: You must have a minimum net worth of CAD $600,000. This amount does not include donations received in the six months prior to the date of your application. You can share this net worth with your spouse or common-law partner included in the application. You must prove the lawful origin and accrual of your net worth. Your spouse or common-law partner included in the application must also demonstrate the origin and lawful accrual of their net worth, even if their assets are not required to reach the minimum net worth required by the program.
Business partners: You can take over a business on your own or together with your spouse or common-law partner included in the application.
Control of the business: You must acquire control of the company you wish to take over alone or with your spouse or common-law partner included in the application.If you have business partners, they will not be able to control the business.
Takeover expenses: In the context of the business takeover, you must spend a minimum amount of:
- CDN$300 000 for businesses located in the Communauté Métropolitaine de Montréal;
- CDN$150 000 for businesses located outside the Communauté Métropolitaine de Montréal.
If you have not yet started the takeover process when you submit your application, you must include these expenses in your takeover plan. Once the takeover offer has been made, you will need to provide all the necessary supporting documentation to demonstrate that you have indeed incurred these expenses.
Support From an organization specializing in business takeovers: You must have arranged for the services of an organization specializing in business takeovers to support you throughout the entire transfer process. An organization specialized in business takeovers is an organization with an establishment in Québec whose main activity is to provide support services (training, mentoring, business transfer brokerage). The organization must be able to demonstrate that it can support you in your business project. To do so, it must draw up a service offer in which it presents the services it offered you in the context of the business transfer process. The service offer makes it possible to assess the capacity of the organization to support you in carrying out your business project. The resources deployed by the support organization must be sufficient and adapted to the needs related to the transfer process.
Succession plan: Your business project must be outlined in a takeover plan and submitted with your application. To draw up your plan, use the document Plan de relève — Programme des entrepreneurs – Volet 3 (PDF 306 Kb) (in French only).
Takeover bid: In the two years following the submission of your application, you must have made a takeover bid in accordance with the business project presented in the succession plan and service offer. You must also demonstrate that you made the planned expenditures for the acquisition of the business.

Conditions for immigrating to Québec as an investor

To immigrate to Québec as an investor, you must honor the following conditions.

Investment agreement

First, you must enter into an investment agreement with a financial intermediary that has signed a participation agreement with the Ministère and with Investissement Québec Immigrants Investisseurs Inc.

This financial intermediary will be responsible for making the investment and the financial contribution on your behalf.

Have management experience

You must have at least two years of management experience. This experience must have been acquired within five years preceding the submission of your application.

This experience cannot have been acquired in the following sectors:

Payday loans, cashing cheques, or pledge loans
Production, distribution, or sale of pornographic or sexually explicit products or services related to the sex industry, such as nude or erotic dancing, escort services, or erotic massage

Net worth

must have a net worth of at least CAD $2,000,000. This amount does not include donations received in the six months preceding the date of submission of your application. You may share this net worth with your spouse or common-law partner included in the application.

You must prove the lawful origin and accrual of your net worth. Your spouse or common-law partner included in the application must also demonstrate the origin and lawful accrual of their net worth, even if their assets are not required to reach the minimum net worth required by the program.

Education

You must hold a diploma corresponding minimally, in Québec, to a secondary school diploma, obtained before the date of submission of the application.

Level of knowledge of French

You must have a knowledge of spoken French corresponding minimally to level 7 according to the Échelle québécoise des niveaux de compétence en français (PDF 4.94 Mb) (Québec scale of French proficiency levels).

To support the demonstration of your knowledge of French, even if French is your mother tongue, you must present one of the following items:

Attestations of test results or French evaluation diplomas accepted by the Ministère de l’Immigration, de la Francisation et de l’Intégration;
One of the high school diplomas accepted by the Ministère de l’Immigration, de la Francisation et de l’Intégration, even if French is your mother tongue

Here are the secondary school diplomas accepted by the Ministère:

The general, vocational, and technological baccalaureates issued by the French Ministry of Education
The Certificat d’enseignement secondaire supérieur (CESS) issued by the Government of the French Community of Belgium
The Certificat de maturité issued on completion of studies at a school in a French-speaking canton of Switzerland

The Ministère may call you for an interview to verify the level of French you have declared on your application for permanent selection.

Attestation of learning of democratic and Québec values

When your file is opened, you will receive a request to obtain an attestation of learning about democratic values and Quebec values.

You will have a maximum of 60 days after receiving this request to obtain your attestation.

The members of your family accompanying you must also obtain an attestation, specifically your spouse aged 16 years or older and your dependent children aged 18 years or older.

You will not receive this request if you and your family have already received your attestation.

Investment and financial contribution

No later than 120 days following the date on which the Ministère requests this, your financial intermediary must make a five-year term investment of CDN $1,000,000 and make a financial contribution of CDN $200,000 to Investissement Québec Immigrants Investisseurs Inc.

The investment is guaranteed by the Gouvernement du Québec.

At the end of your investment, your financial intermediary will reimburse the amount of CDN $1,000,000 without interest, within 30 days.

Notice of intention to select from Québec

If you meet the above selection conditions and the Ministère has received confirmation of your investment (investment and financial contribution), you will receive a notice of intent to select.

This notice will enable you to apply for a work permit, for you and for the members of your family included in the application, from the Government of Canada for your stay in Québec.

The application for a work permit must be made within six months following the date of the notice of intention to select.

Period for receiving applications

You may submit an application at any time.

There is no maximum number of applications to be received.

Preparing and completing the required forms and documents

Prepare your application carefully to avoid lengthening the processing time.

To consult or print the documents in PDF format, you must use Adobe Reader software, available free of charge on the Adobe website.

You can fill in forms directly on-screen, and then print and sign them.

Paying your application review fee

Full payment of the required fee must be included with the required forms and documents.

Here are the fees for reviewing an application for permanent selection effective January 1, 2024. The fees are adjusted on January 1 of each year.

Principal applicant: $17,380

Wife or husband, spouse or common-law partner: $0

Each dependent child: $0

The fees must be paid:

in full
in Canadian funds only
by you or a third party
when the application is filed or mailed

These fees are not refundable even if your application is rejected.

Accepted payment methods

You may pay by the following payment methods.

By postal money order and bank draft

Canada Post money order
A bank draft is drawn on a Canadian bank

Postal money orders and bank drafts must be:

Made out to the Minister of Finance of Québec
Mailed to the Ministère de l’Immigration, de la Francisation et de l’Intégration, together with your application
Be identified with your name in print on the back.

The following payment methods are not accepted:

Cash payments
Personal cheques
Traveller’s cheques
Credit cards

Immigrate to Québec as a self-employed worker

Settle in Québec and work for yourself

Coming to work in Québec

You must practice your profession in Québec, alone or with others, with or without paid help.

You cannot practice your profession in the following ineligible sectors:

Payday loans, cashing cheques or pledge loans;
Production, distribution, or sale of pornographic or sexually explicit products or services related to the sex industry, such as nude or erotic dancing, escort services, or erotic massage;
Trading, leasing, brokerage, development, or planning in the property sector.

Have the required work experience

You must have at least two years of work experience in your profession, in your own name, in the five years preceding the date of submission of your application;
To be considered, your work experience must not have been acquired in an ineligible sector.

Be in the process of obtaining or have obtained authorization to practice your profession if it is regulated in Québec

If you wish to practice a profession that is regulated in Québec, you must fulfill one of the following conditions:

Have authorization to practice this profession in Québec;
Have training or a diploma that is partially or fully recognized by the authority that regulates your profession in Québec. Your proof of recognition must be dated no more than five years from the date of submission of your application.

Have the minimum net worth

You must have a net worth of at least CDN$100,000. This amount excludes donations received in the six months preceding the date of submission of your application. You can share this net worth with your spouse or de facto spouse included in the application.

You must demonstrate the legal origin and accumulation of your net worth. Your spouse or common-law partner included in the application must also demonstrate the origin and lawful accrual of their net worth, even if their assets are not needed to reach the minimum net worth required by the program.

Hold a secondary school diploma

You must hold a diploma obtained before the date of submission of your application and corresponding, minimally, in Québec, to a secondary school diploma.

Have a minimum knowledge of French

You must have a knowledge of spoken French corresponding minimally to level 7 according to the Échelle québécoise des niveaux de compétence en français (PDF 4.94 Mb).

To support the demonstration of your knowledge of French, even if French is your mother tongue, you must present one of the following items:

Attestations of test results or French evaluation diplomas accepted by the Ministère de l’Immigration, de la Francisation et de l’Intégration;
One of the high school diplomas accepted by the Ministère de l’Immigration, de la Francisation et de l’Intégration, even if French is your mother tongue.

Make a start-up deposit

You must make a start-up deposit with a financial institution with an establishment in Québec. The amount of the deposit depends on the area where you plan to practice your profession:

Outside the Communauté métropolitaine de Montréal (CMM), the start-up deposit is CDN$25,000.
On the territory of the CMM, the start-up deposit is CDN$50,000.

You will need to make the deposit after you receive the letter that confirms the opening of your file.

Capacity for financial self-sufficiency

You must sign a financial self-sufficiency contract, in which you commit for three months as of the date of obtaining permanent resident status to meeting your essential needs, those of the members of your family accompanying you, and those of dependent children who are Canadian citizens, if applicable.

Obtain an attestation of learning about democratic values and Québec values

When your file is opened, you will receive an email request for an Attestation of learning about democratic values and Québec values.

You must obtain your attestation within a maximum of 60 days after receiving this request.

Members of your family that are accompanying you will also need to obtain it, including your spouse aged 16 years or older and your dependent children aged 18 years or older.

You will not receive this request if you and your family have already received your attestation.

Quebec Business Immigration (QEIP)

Immigration to Canada – an exciting journey!

Immigrate to Québec as an entrepreneur

Immigrate to Québec as an entrepreneur

1. Innovative business

General conditions of the program

Conditions for the Start-up of an Innovative Company Profile

Conditions for Carrying out an Innovative Project Profile

2. Entrepreneur Program – Stream 2: Busines\ Y0-startup

Conditions to be honored for the Start-up profile

Conditions to be honored for the Started business profile

3. Entrepreneur Program – Stream 3: Business takeover

General conditions of the program

Conditions to be honored for the Company in the process of acquisition profile

Immigrate to Québec as an investor

Immigrate to Québec as an investor

Conditions for immigrating to Québec as an investor

Investment agreement

Have management experience

Net worth

Education

Level of knowledge of French

Attestation of learning of democratic and Québec values

Investment and financial contribution

Notice of intention to select from Québec

Period for receiving applications

Preparing and completing the required forms and documents

Paying your application review fee

Accepted payment methods

By postal money order and bank draft

The following payment methods are not accepted:

Immigrate to Québec as a self-employed worker

Immigrate to Québec as a self-employed worker

Immigrate to Québec as a self-employed worker

Coming to work in Québec

Have the required work experience

Be in the process of obtaining or have obtained authorization to practice your profession if it is regulated in Québec

Have the minimum net worth

Hold a secondary school diploma

Have a minimum knowledge of French

Make a start-up deposit

Capacity for financial self-sufficiency

Obtain an attestation of learning about democratic values and Québec values

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