Canada Citizenship by Investment

Canada, since 2014 has stopped its citizenship by investment programme. Although, the country allowed a form of the programme to run in its French-speaking area of Quebec until recently. The Quebec investor programme is on hold at this time but may (or may not) continue to be a Canada citizenship by investment option in time to come.

The only alternative for entrepreneurs and investors at the moment, is to acquire Canada permanent residence by investment. The programme is known as the Canada Start-Up Visa Programme. This form of permanent residency by Investment programme is suitable for those who intend to permanently live in the country, move with their family, raise children and pay taxes there. This is not a suitable option for applicants investing in a passport for travel or tax optimization.

Canadian permanent residence by investment can be granted to all family members (these include common-law spouses and children under 18 years of age); adult children must apply on their own. Once obtained, citizenship is inherited by the younger generation. Note that the parents of the husband and wife cannot be included in the original application: they can only move to Canada after the investor’s family has relocated there.

Page Contents

• Overview of Canada Citizenship by Investment
• The Canada Start-Up Visa Program
• Eligibility Requirements of the Canada Start-Up Visa Program
• Procedures and time frame of Canadian residency by investment
• Documents Required to Obtain Canada Permanent Residency by Investment
• How to Apply for Canada Permanent Residence Start-up Visa Program
• Quebec Residency by Investment Program
• How Can Total Law Help?

This is the only form of Canada citizenship by investment that is currently open to everyone. Canada is among the world’s richest countries. The goal of the Canada Start-Up Visa Program is to grant permanent residence to entrepreneurs and active investors in companies and expanding businesses that are looking to establish themselves in Canada.

Unlike other immigration programs, there is no age limit of 46 years for investors, which often makes it the only option for mature people to move to Canada.

This is suitable for those who are looking for investment for their startup business. The company must conduct most of its business within Canada. The program is popular with companies in the IT, pharmaceutical, biotechnology and agricultural sectors.

Start-up founders and their families can get permanent residence in Canada under a startup program. A decision is made on the application within six months. 2750 visas are granted annually according to the quota established for the program.

The process takes 12 to 31 months.

You will need to submit a business proposal, which then needs to be approved by a specified government business organization. Once approved by your chosen fund (business incubator, angel investment group, or venture capital fund), you will receive a letter of support, which will let you and your family apply for permanent residence. If you want to keep your permanent resident status, you must stay in Canada physically for two out of five years (or 730 days).

In order to apply for Canadian residence by investment, the following documents are required:

• Filled out application form
• notarized and translated copies of passports of all family members included in the application
• confirmation of kinship for family applications:
• birth or marriage certificate
• police clearance certificates for all family members
• confirmation of financial position
• constituent documents, certificate of ownership of real estate, bank statements, appraisers’ reports
• receipt of payment of duty
• photographs
• confirmation that you have invested the required amount in the Canadian economy.

All foreign-language documents must be translated into English and notarized.

The procedure to obtain Canadian permanent residence by investment is divided into several stages and takes up to 3 years on average.

1. Submit documents to the government of Canada. The applicant collects the necessary documents confirming their experience as an entrepreneur or manager, the availability of the required investment amount and fulfillment of the other requirements. Then they submit them to the Comparative Registration and Evaluation Office.

If your application meets the requirements and is within the quota assigned, you will be issued a special certificate and a temporary residence permit.

2. Fulfill the investment condition. The applicant transfers the amount specified in the terms of the program.
3. Apply at your local Canadian embassy or consulate. When submitting documents, you will need to pay a fee of 15,235 CAD (≈ $12,000). If you meet the requirements, you will be issued an entry visa, which can be used to move to Canada within 12 months. The applicant is also issued a permanent resident card. If the applicant does not move to Canada within 12 months, the documents will have to be resubmitted.
4. Wait for a decision. To apply for citizenship, the applicant must have lived in Canada for three years, spending at least 183 days a year there. A decision on the citizenship by investment application is taken within a period of one year. If approved, the applicant will need to pass an exam on knowledge of the language and history of Quebec, as well as undergo an interview with migration officials. The test does not need to be taken by those who are over 54 years old.

A Canadian passport by investment cannot be obtained at the time of writing this article. However, that may become possible in the future, should the Quebec investor program resume. In any case, Investors may only acquire citizenship until 3–5 years after the investment is made. First, an application for permanent residence has to be submitted. Then the applicant needs to live in Canada for 3 years, spending at least 183 days a year during each of the 3 years there. Only then can they apply for citizenship.

Permanent residency grants the investor and their family the same rights and responsibilities as Canadian citizens, with the exception of the right to vote or hold public office.