Immigrating to Canada as a Entrepreneur
Entrepreneur Stream at a glance
The Entrepreneur Stream is an immigration stream under the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP). It is established under the Ontario Immigration Act, 2015 and its regulations.
For your application to be approved you must follow the process and meet the criteria established under the regulations. This is only a summary; if there are any discrepancies between this webpage and the legislation, the legislation governs.
This stream is for entrepreneurs from outside Canada interested in starting a new business or buying an existing business in Ontario.
It gives an entrepreneur (and up to one foreign national business partner) the opportunity to be nominated for permanent residence once their business has been established in Ontario.
If you are nominated, the next step will be to apply to the federal government through Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). They make the final decision on who becomes a permanent resident.
Entrepreneur Stream application is a For two-stage process
An overview of the process follows
- Register an expression of interest by email.
- If invited, submit an online application.
- You and your business partner (if applicable) attend a mandatory interview.
- If your stage 1 application is successful, you must sign a performance agreement.
- We issue a temporary work permit support letter so that you can apply to IRCC for a temporary work permit.
- Establish your business - you have 20 months from the date you arrive in Ontario to implement your business plan and submit a final report.
- If your business meets all requirements, we ask you for documentation to make sure you are eligible for nomination for permanent residence.
Mandatory Minimum For Requirements at Stage 1
Business experience
- You must have at least 24 months of full-time business experience in the last 60 months.
Net worth
- You must have a minimum personal net worth. If your proposed business is to be located:
- within the Greater Toronto Area (City of Toronto and Durham, Halton, York and Peel regions) you must have a minimum personal net worth of $800,000 Canadian
- outside of the Greater Toronto Area, you must have a minimum personal net worth of $400,000 Canadian
Personal investment funds and Minimum equity
- You must make minimum investments in your business from your personal net worth. If your proposed business is to be located:
- within the Greater Toronto Area, you must make a minimum personal investment of $600,000 Canadian
- outside of the Greater Toronto Area, you must make a minimum personal investment of $200,000 Canadian
Please note that passive investments, including mutual and/or pooled fund securities, while permissible for the purpose of satisfying the minimum personal net worth criterion, are ineligible for inclusion in an applicant’s minimum business investment amount.
General Business Requirements
In addition to meeting the minimum requirements listed above, you must also meet the general business requirements listed below.
- Business purpose
The purpose of the business must be to make a profit from active income through the sale of goods and/or services.
- Canadian and Ontario legal requirements
The business must comply with all applicable federal, provincial or municipal legal, regulatory and licensing requirements. This includes compliance with Ontario’s labour and employment standards laws.
Additional requirements if purchasing an existing business
If you plan to purchase an existing business:
- You must make at least one business-related visit to Ontario within 12 months from the date of registering an expression of interest
- The business being purchased must have been in continuous operation by the same owner(s) for the previous 60 months (proof of ownership and either a letter of intent to purchase the business or sale agreement is required)
- Ownership of the business must be completely transferred to the applicant or any business partner
- The previous owner(s) cannot retain any shares of the business
- You must use at least 10% of your personal investment towards improving or expanding the business in Ontario
Ineligible types of Business
Before you start the process of applying you need to ensure that your proposed business is not one of the ineligible types listed below:
- Automated car wash business
- Holding companies
- Laundromats
- Pawnbrokers
- Pay day loan and related businesses
- Scrap metal recycling
- Tire recycling
- A business involved in producing, distributing or selling pornography or sexually explicit products or services, or providing sexually oriented services
Businesses which have been previously owned or operated by a current or former OINP Entrepreneur Stream nominee or a nominee under the former investor component of the Opportunities Ontario program
If your proposed business will be located in the Greater Toronto Area, the following types are also ineligible:
- existing franchises in Ontario (new foreign franchises expanding into Ontario are permitted)
- gas stations
- bed and breakfasts
Mandatory minimum For Requirements at Stage 2
A. Language
You must be able to listen, read, write and speak English or French at a Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) Level 4.
B. Residency
1. You must be physically living in Ontario for 75% of the time during which you are establishing your business.
2. You must receive a temporary work permit and arrive in Ontario
within 12 months of receiving approval at Stage 1 and inform the program of your arrival within seven days.
C. Active management
You must be actively involved in the day-to-day management activities of your business.
D. Meet the commitments in your performance agreement
You must meet all the commitments agreed to in your performance agreement, which are based on information provided in your EOI and business plan.
Advantages Of Registered Consultant
Speak to a registered consultant. Immigration consultancy for Canada is regulated by IRCC Canada. In the interest of receiving sound advice please verify the credentials of a consultant you choose to work with. Choose one who is
TRANSPARENCY
EXPERIENCE
EFFICIENCY
REGULATED
INTEGRITY
