Investor Visa

[Higher]

Hello, there are a few questions that I would like answered.

I currently have a net-worth of 800,000 CD$
I can invest 400,000 CD$ in Canada.

I currently don't have any business managing experience, I would like to gain that experience in Canada.

I plan on associating with Canadian citizens, generate jobs, etc.
Is it possible to immigrate under that criteria?

Where I live currently it's impossible to gain business experience, that's why I believe Canada will be the best place to start.

If there is any other sort of a solution to do so (invest in canada without prior experience) please feel free to state it.

[ghiaskhan]

Please visit www.cic.gc.ca   and read about immigration to cabada under business class immigration as an Investor .http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/immigrate/business/index.asp

The Immigrant Investor Program seeks to attract experienced business people to invest C$400,000 into Canada's economy. Investors must:

show that they have business experience
have a minimum net worth of C$800,000 that was obtained legally and
make a C$400,000 investment.
Your investment is managed by Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) and is guaranteed by the Canadian provinces that use it to create jobs and help their economies grow.

CIC will return your C$400,000 investment, without interest, about five years and two months after payment.

Learn about:
To be eligible under the Immigrant Investor Program, you must:

Have at least two years of business experience.
Find out more
Have a net worth of at least C$800,000 that was legally obtained, and be willing and able to make an investment of C$400,000.
Find out more
You must also show that you have enough money to support yourself and your dependants after you arrive in Canada.
Find out more
Obtain a minimum of 35 points in the selection grid.
Find out more
Meet medical and security requirements. You and your family members must pass a medical examination and security and criminal checks. You can find more information on both of these topics in the I Need To... section on the right-hand side of this page.
Meet any other requirements of Canadian or Quebec immigration regulations.
Quebec Immigrant Investor Program
Under the Canada-Quebec Accord, the province of Quebec operates its own immigrant investor program. All investors in the program must be selected by Quebec and must plan to settle in Quebec. Visit the website of the Quebec ministry that handles immigration for more information about investing and living in Quebec. You will find a link in the Related Links section at the bottom of this page.

Business information for other provinces and territories
For business immigration information and contacts for other Canadian provinces and territories, please consult the list of provincial and territorial government contacts in the Related Links section at the bottom of this page.


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[Higher]

I don't have any business experience, I would like to gain business experience in Canada.
Which route would you recommend to a person such as me to immigrate through?

[ghiaskhan]

Well the immigration  under Business class requires Business experiance.

[BCguy]

Consider also the Provincial Business Immigrant programs with LESS requirements and FASTER PROCCESING  TIMES.for example BC Provincial Nominee Program Business Immigrant,You need to invest as little as 200,000$ to come and Immigrate to our province,A message from the Goverment of British Colombia,The best Place on Earth....Sorry But thats really the official provincial slogan

[Leon]

Somebody told me that the NB program requires no particular amount.  I think I looked at it once and could not find a specific amount on their website but your business plan still needs to be approved by them.

[eduardoF]

To be considered for nomination by New Brunswick, applicants must have a guaranteed job offer in their intended occupation or an approved plan to do business in New Brunswick .

Criteria:

To be considered as a business plan applicant:

you must have previous management experience with proven success as a senior executive and/or business owner;
your business skills must be relevant to the business you intend to pursue in New Brunswick;
you must have sufficient funds to finance the first phase of the planned business venture without third party assistance and to support your family for a period of up to two years (the personal net worth requirement will vary based on business venture proposed);
you are required to participate in the business in an active managerial role.
The ability to speak English and/or French is critical to your success as an entrepreneur in New Brunswick. We expect you to have a basic knowledge of English and/or French and be able to understand and answer the questions during the interview with New Brunswick officials. If we are not satisfied that you have sufficient knowledge of the language to carry on a business in New Brunswick, you will be required to take intensive language training and to participate in a second interview prior to nomination.

As an applicant to the New Brunswick Provincial Nominee Program, you must make a commitment to settle permanently in New Brunswick and are required to sign a declaration stating your intention to live and work in this province. Provincial Nominees are likely to see their application for immigration to Canada processed expeditiously.


Yep, no minimum investment required. for details: http://www.gnb.ca/Immigration/Information/businessapplicants-e.asp

[ghiaskhan]

Money is not a problem for Higher.He does not have business experience, Which is a fundamntal requirement for any  Federal Business Immigration Progrmme or any of the provincal programmes.He wants to gain Business experience in Canada.
I feel there is no straight forward answr to this.

[eduardoF]

well, do you really think it's a good idea to bury 400K a) into something you don't know (managing a business) and b) in a country that is not yours?

anyway... one alternative for you is: find a business partner in canada, invest in it, and once you have invested in it and managed it for a year, even from your own home country, then apply for a visa! my point being: if what you want is to invest in canada and gain business experience, you don't need to move to canada right away.

you can look for brunswickan startups listed in the toronto stock exchange, I guess.

[ghiaskhan]

 Canadian law allows  foreigners to invest in any legitimate business, but such  investors cannot become directors of incorporation or a company.Directors have to be Canadian natioals or persons holding PR status. That means such an investor will not be able to manage his own assets, and shall be vulnerable to risks.
So is it sensable that  one take such a risk?

[Higher]

Currently starting a business in my home country is not something impossible but definitely something that is hard to accomplish.
For the past 5 years I have been studying on how to invest correctly and how to manage a business.
I didn't go to any course or class that explains it but I have been reading books and been talking and asking people about the subject.

Finding a business partner in Canada is something that I have been planning to do, if I can work together with a partner and through that stay in Canada then that would be great, but if like ghiaskhan said I really cannot manage the business, then that could provide a problem.

How about any other Visas that via them I can gain Canadian experience?

[ghiaskhan]

You may qualify to immigrate as a skilled worker.But it will depend as to what qualification do you have etc....read details www.cic.gc.ca...immigrate...skilled worker...who can apply.You may also apply as provincial nominee.

[Leon]

All I can say is read about all the PNP's and see if one of them has an immigration class you qualify under.  The skilled worker is currently waiting for new rules which should be posted soon, they may be tied to professions in the future.  The Quebec skilled worker is still open if you meet their qualifications, one of which is speaking French.  If you are under 30 and live in certain countries, you may be eligible for a working holiday for one year.  If you have family in Canada, you may possibly be sponsored by them.  In Manitoba you may even be sponsored by distant relatives or friends.  You could apply for university and come in on a student visa, get a part time work permit on the side and if you take a 2 year course, you may qualify to immigrate under a PNP or work for one year and immigrate under CEC.  If you try to locate a job and come in on a temporary work permit, you can qualify to immigrate under PNP or CEC.

[ghiaskhan]

Thats another respectable detailed view. Well done Leon.

[aurobind]

Leon has given a wide range of options for Higher. But the question here I suppose is that Higher without experience but with funds want to invest and learn business.
Let me share my 30years of experience both as worker and then as self employed.
1. Keep your money safe. As in business the curve is like a tick mark. So you should be able to with stand the lows of it.
2. Use part of it for gaining experience in business.
3. Before gaining experience in business better learn to be "hands on" in working conditions to learn what we call "tricks of trade". As this will sharpen your skills when you are an employer later in life.

(You will have to show CIC about the source of that income. Hope it is legitimate.)

So Higher has an option to apply for some management courses and simultaneously invest in business which appeals to him and learns the business process and aply under CEC later. by this process you will spend the studying expenses from your capital and also get time to study the market conditions favorable and rewarding.