Business and other Provincial Nomination Program (PNP- State Level)
Investors, entrepreneurs and self employed persons
The Business Immigration Program seeks to attract experienced business people to Canada who will support the development of a strong and prosperous Canadian economy.
Business immigrants are expected to make a C$400,000 investment or to own and manage businesses in Canada.
Canada has three classes of business immigrants:
Investors
Entrepreneurs
Self-employed
Find out if you can immigrate as one of the following by clicking on the class above.
Each application can be made for only one class and cannot be changed once the application is submitted. The criteria you must meet to qualify are different for each class.
On other hand you also have an option to migrate under state/province level programs also known as PNP programs.
The Provincial Nomination Program (PNP) allows provinces to nominate individuals who wish to immigrate to Canada and who are interested in settling in a particular province.
Provincial nominees are selected based on their ability to contribute to the province's economic development. Usually, but not always, a genuine Canadian job offer from an employer within the province is a requirement under the Provincial Nomination Program. Provincial nominees are not assessed on the six selection factors of the Federal Skilled Workers Program.
Most provinces in Canada participate in the Provincial Nomination Program. Participating provinces sign agreements with Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) that allow the provinces to directly select immigrants who meet the requirements they have established. Immigrants who wish to apply as a Provincial Nominee must first apply to the province where they wish to settle:
- Alberta PNP (AINP)
- British Columbia PNP
- Manitoba PNP
- New Brunswick PNP
- Newfoundland and Labrador PNP
- Nova Scotia PNP
- Ontario PNP
- Prince Edward Island PNP
- Saskatchewan PNP (SINP)
- Yukon PNP (YNP)
Before submitting an application to immigrate to Canada, a Nominee must first receive a Provincial Nomination Certificate from the province. After a successful nomination by a province, a separate application must be made to Citizenship and Immigration Canada for Canada Immigration (Permanent Resident) Visa.
The Province of Quebec, where Montreal is located, does not participate in the Provincial Nomination Program. Rather, the governemnts of Quebec and Canada have entered into a series of agreements, by which Quebec has established its own selection criteria for all economic immigrants who indicate their intention to reside in that province.
Provincial Nomination Program Processing Times vary from one Canadian Immigration Visa office to another.
For more information on the Provincial Nomination Programs (PNP), see our Provincial Nomination Program (PNP) FAQ