Quebec Investor Immigration Program is a special immigration program that allows one to immigrate to Quebec and start living there. The program itself is a program parallel to the Federal investor immigration program. It allows one to immigrate directly to the province, but the immigration requirements dictate that only an experienced investor may come to Quebec using this application process.
The Quebec Investor Immigration Program asks that you have a net worth of at least CAD2,000,000 and CAD1,200,000 to invest in Quebec. Despite the high investing threshold, the program allows you to get Canadian permanent residence and is still comparatively popular. Foreign investors with business management experiences may find the program especially interesting, as the principal applicant can bring their family into the province, as permanent residents.
The program allows all to apply for the Quebec Certificate of Selection to become a resident of Quebec. Once awarded this certificate, one can then proceed to apply for Canadian Permanent Residence.
What Is a Quebec Investor Program?
Successful applicants, who get both of these documents can move to the province of Quebec. Once there, it is clear that you can move to another province, as no law or regulation would limit you to where you can live once in possession of a Canadian permanent resident status. Still, Quebec has a lot to offer, so it is clear that there is little that other provinces can offer that would impair your experience of staying in Canada.
Nevertheless, the program requirements may be too much for many, especially as the federal investor program has lower financial contribution requirements and allows you to access Canada in one step less. Still, the program is relatively popular.
A part of the reason why is that the program allows you to immigrate to Canada as an investor.. You can invest in an already existing business and retire in Canada if this is up to your taste. The Quebec investor immigration program allows you to get there as an economic immigrant.
Requirements for Quebec Investor Program
Quebec Investor Program requirements are not many. There are three basic requirements that you must satisfy. Besides these, you will also be scored on the Quebec Investor Points Assessment Grid. Here are the requirements to immigrate to Quebec as an investor:
- You need to have a minimum net worth of CAD2,000,000. If you do not have access to these funds alone, you can have them together with your spouse or a common-law partner. When it comes to the funds themselves, all of them need to be acquired legally. Besides this, you will also need to have paid all the taxes in your domestic country, or the funds will not be considered legal
- The primary applicant will also need to have management experience to join the program. The experience will need to be in managing a commercial, industrial, or farming business
- The business people applying for the program will also need to be willing to invest a significant portion of the minimum financial requirements through a Canadian financial intermediary. You will need to sign an investment agreement in the amount of CAD1,200,000 to be eligible to join the program.
Unlike many federal immigration programs, the Quebec Investor program can only be applied for on paper. Besides this, you will need to apply during a certain period. During the application revision period, immigrant investors can expect that their age, education, language proficiency, and training background will all be revised.
Eligibility Criteria for Quebec Investor Immigration Program
Besides this, you will also need to make an application for and pass the federal permanent residency application. These applications are usually submitted through the Express Entry platform. During the application itself, you will need to show medical certificates and police clearance certificates to verify that you can indeed be considered admissible to Canada.
Moreover, you will also need to have appropriate language skills and you will need to have them in at least intermediate level. The higher your language level, the better, and there are special benefits for those who speak both English and French. Please bear in mind that Canada is a bilingual country, and that spending a few months or years perfecting your language level can help you get one of the most powerful passports in the world today.
Besides a good investment portfolio, you will also need to show you have an understanding of Quebec values. to be able to get this recognition, you will need to pass a test of Quebec values. Alternatively, you will need to complete a course in Quebec values. When it comes to the basic eligibility requirements, that is about it. Needless to say, the financial funds (outlined above), and the police and medical certificates are all essential to the program, and without them, you will not be able to participate in the program.
Benefits of Quebec Immigrants Investor Program
You may wonder what the benefits of the Quebec Investor Visa are and why wait for such a long time to get one. The thing is that the selection application process helps the province of Quebec check and choose only the candidates they deem the best. These candidates will be allowed to make a five-year investment if the need is such and they will be able to apply for the federal application review process. Once you have this visa, you can go anywhere in Canada and settle as you would like.
On the other hand, the five-year term investment money is then used to support small and medium-sized businesses in Canada. The money you invest through this program is joined to all other current investments and is made available to special funds that support the development of the Canadian economy. the investment you make is a passive, risk-free investment, but you will receive no interest rate on it. When it comes to these investments, they are not considered risky investments, and being able to get residency by investment is a great, hassle-free way to get a Canadian PR card.
Applying for Quebec Investor Immigration Program
The application for the Quebec Investor Immigration Program is done in two stages, as mentioned before. All programs that are organized by provinces are of this nature: first, you apply to be accepted by the province itself, and only then can you make an application for PR status with the provincial government. With this in mind, business people looking to immigrate to any province can use any available PNP program, as most provinces have their own investor or entrepreneur programs.
Selection Stage
The first stage of this program is the selection stage. During this time, you will need to make and submit your application for the program itself. Immigration specialists working on the immigrant investor program will then review your application and all the supporting documents (such as those proving your language skills) and will give their opinion on your potential immigration to Canada.
For the selection phase, you will need to go through the following steps:
- you will need to prepare and complete the required documents for the program – the documents for the application itself are available in French only, on the government of Quebec’s official website. When it comes to filling out the documents, you can do that on screen, but will then need to print out the documents and sign them all before sending them. It is essential to pay attention to the application procedure and the documents outlined here, as any mistakes in filling out the documents can prolong the procedure needlessly. When it comes to the documents that you should include to support your application, you will also need to include supporting documents, as well as the declaration of consent for any minors traveling with a single parent or guardian. All the documents submitted have to be in French or English – otherwise, a verified translation (stamped by a court-sworn translator) will be necessary
- you will also need to pay the application review fee – for this program, the application fee is only paid by the principal applicant. For this immigration option, you will need to cash out some CAD17,380 and bear in mind that this fee is revised every year, on January 1st, so you may need to do your checking after reading this document. Your spouse and dependent children do not pay any fee, but the fees must be paid in full and in Canadian currency only. Canada uses the Canadian dollar, abbreviated as CAD, CAN, or CA$. this fee is non-refundable, even if you do not pass the selection criteria
- you will need to mail a full application. This includes all the papers and documents that are supposed to support your statements, the application form for the permanent selection, and the proof of payment of the fees to process and review your application. The provincial application will not be considered if your documents are incomplete. Bear in mind that this is only the initial application step, as the second one has stricter requirements and is reviewed by the federal government. All the documents in the initial stage should be sent to:
| Direction du regroupement familial et de l’enregistrement Ministère de l’Immigration, de la Francisation et de l’Intégration 207-1200, boulevard Saint-Laurent Montréal (Québec) H2X 0C9 CANADA |
Needless to say, you can use a representative for this process. When it comes to this, there are two additional forms that you will need to fill out, as Canada cannot let just anyone handle your documents and potentially sensitive or private information. The documents are all submitted as a part of the standard application package.
Admission Stage
If the selection phase is successful, you will receive the Certificate of Selection. With this certificate, you apply for the second stage – the admission stage. This stage allows you to become a Canadian resident. With the permanent resident visa, you can work anywhere you would like, travel to Canada, and apply for Canadian citizenship for as long as you fulfill the eligibility requirements for one.
During this stage, your supporting documents will be reviewed. These may differ depending on the country you are coming from, but your income statements, income taxes and the source of funds you will be using to invest in Canada will generally be reviewed. If there are differences in the documents you need to submit for this program, you should know that Western countries generally have lower eligibility requirements.
Processing time for Quebec Investor Immigration Program
Quebec investor program processing time is dual, as you need to apply for two different programs to get the PR status. This may only seem complex, but in reality, this is an efficient approach to immigration, which ensures that most people can apply and that the [processing times are kept at a reasonable level. A similar application process can be seen in the Express Entry program, one of the fastest of its kind in the world.
Provincial
The initial part is the Certificate of Selection in Quebec, and here, the processing times are usually some 9-12 months. This is because there are a lot of applications to revise, and only the best candidates can get their approval. On average, there are less than 2,000 applications that are approved per year. Even though the program may be halted, the provincial government keeps processing the applications.
Federal
Once the provincial election is finished and the certificate awarded (remember, this takes up to a year), you can continue on your way to immigration to Quebec by applying for the Federal PR. The processing times here differ based on the number of applications but generally take around 40 months. This may seem long, but please pay attention that this is still shorter than in some other countries. The USA, for example, takes up to ten years to process their own permanent residence application.
If you pass the residence requirement list, but cannot wait, as there may be an important business project that needs to be handled (and you are in active business management(, you can apply for other programs in the meantime. Canada YTRV, Canada intra-company transfer, and Canada GTS (Global Talent Stream) are all good programs to consider for temporary residence with an option to extend your stay and apply for PR status. Once this is approved, you can move to the province of Quebec
Check Out How to Immigrate to Quebec Canada through the Quebec Immigration Program:
How Does Special Opportunity for French Speakers Work?
As Quebec is a predominantly French-speaking province, it is clear that knowing the French language is going to be a big plus when moving to the province or applying for Canadian PR status. However, under the Quebec investor program, there are also other benefits for those who speak French and can prove that by means of standardized language tests.
The program is capped at 1,900 applications per year, but this cap does not apply to those who speak French. When it comes to them, neither does the standard processing time – as the province has decided to process the applications of those speaking French with a priority. Furthermore, the program has a set application window, but those with a language certificate or good French language proficiency test results can apply year-round.
How Does Canadian Citizenship by Investment Work?
There is no Canadian citizenship by investment, and saying this is an exaggeration. However, it is important to note that you can use investments to become a Canadian citizen. How does this work?
The first step is to join an investor immigrant program. You will need to pass a medical examination, and police examination, and continue to join an immigration program just like any other applicant. After the application period is over and your application is successfully reviewed, you can get the certificate of selection.
With this certificate, you can then apply for PR status with the federal government of Canada. If this application is successful, you will be awarded a PR status and you become one of the Canadian investor visa holders. With this document, (and other application documents), you can then move to Canada.
While there,m you should bear in mind that you need to follow all the laws and regulations, as this will be one of the application requirements for Canadian citizenship. Among other things (and a clear police file), you will need to ensure that you have spent at least 4 full years on Canadian soil in the six years before your application for Canadian citizenship.
Besides this, there will also be other prerequisites, but it cannot be said that there are citizenship-by-investment options for Canada. Always remember that Canada is always looking for ways to improve its safety and economy and letting anyone with a pocket deep enough into the country is simply not an option. So, there are ways to use your investment money to obtain a chance to get Canadian citizenship, but Canada is not one of the countries that automatically awards it.
Canadian Immigration Alternative for Investors
There used to be alternatives to using the Quebec Investor Immigrant Program to get a hold of a Canada PR card. However, these programs were abolished or indefinitely suspended over time. However, one remains, and that is the Quebec Entrepreneur program. this program has a lower asking net worth and allows you to get the PR status nevertheless.
The Quebec Entrepreneur Program is intended for all who have a net worth of CAD300,000 at a minimum and it allows you to go to Canada with a minimum investment of CAD100,000 and 25% ownership in a local business. The program, unlike the investor program, allows you to immigrate only with a sound business plan (which will be controlled and you will have to defend it) and an intent to settle in Quebec and run the business until your business plan has been fulfilled.
When it comes to some other alternatives, each province has its own entrepreneur or investor programs, but you will have to check each of the programs out individually to make sure you are eligible for one or more of them. When it comes to these programs, as there are many, it is best to follow the PNP live tracker to stay informed and make prompt applications for programs that interest you.
Still, as the biggest city in the province, Quebec City remains one of the most popular immigration destinations in Canada. Extended processing times (with an average processing time of almost 4-5 years) are worth the wait and some of the programs that offered you to immigrate faster are suspended or canceled (the federal entrepreneur visa, the federal investor program).
The Quebec Self-Employed Program is another such alternative program. It allows you to immigrate to Canada for as long as you have sufficient work experience to your name (at least two years) in the five years preceding the application date., When it comes to the eligible occupations, they have to be on the NOC list and you will need to ensure that you do not deal with payday loans or in any kind of production and selling of pornographic or other kinds of adult content. this is an elimination factor, so it is important to follow through.
FAQ
How Can I Get PR in Quebec without French?
there are many programs that you can use to get Quebec PR without knowing French. However, it should be noted that you should always consider that knowing French will increase your chances of getting the PR with any of these programs. it is also useful to note that Quebec does not have access to Express Entry, but rather has its programs, such as the Quebec Investor Visa program and the Quebec Entrepreneur Program.
How Long Do You Have to Live in Quebec to Become a Resident?
To be considered for permanent residence in Quebec, you need to either apply for a PR program or be in Quebec already with a temporary resident status. This status can be obtained through an intra-company transfer or studies. In any case, you will need to have spent at least three months in Quebec without having resided in another province for more than three months before that to qualify to become a resident.
How Long Does It Take to Get an Investor Visa?
An investor visa in Quebec, Canada, can take more than 4 years to obtain. This is a two-step process where it takes some 9-12 months to get the certificate of selection (Step 1) and some 40 months to get the PR (Step 2)., the process is long, but is worth the wait: the investor visa and PR give you the right to work and live anywhere in Canada you like.
How Much Money Do You Need for An Investor Visa?
For a Quebec investor visa, you will need a considerable amount of money. You will need to have CAD2 million of personal net worth, or joined net worth with your common-law partner or your spouse. You will also need to have at least CAD 1.2 million to invest in a no-interest, low-risk investment fund in Canada. All the investments are made only after your Certificate of Selection and your PR have been approved, so you do not have to make an investment unless you are absolutely positive that you will be able to get to Canada.
Final Thoughts
Canadian Immigration Authorities and the IRCC (Immigration, Refugee and Citizenship Canada) have suspended the federal investor program. For this reason, the Quebec Investor Program is the only program of this kind remaining if you would like to immigrate to this province. you will need to make sure you satisfy the eligibility criteria and that you apply early enough: limited quotas set by the Canadian visa authorities make it somewhat difficult to apply on time. the average price or cost of the processing services is not low, and the average processing time can be over 4 years long, but is well worth the wait: Quebec is one of the most developed provinces in Canada and has a lot to offer.