Entrepreneur

1,612 people came to Canada under the entrepreneur category in 2001, out of 250,346 total immigrants. 26 per cent of immigrants come from Asia: China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, South Korea and Japan. 28 per cent of immigrants who came in the 1990s own homes. Three out of five men who immigrated after 1980 had a post-secondary degree and majored in physical sciences, engineering or trades. (SOURCES: 1996 Census Facts and Figures 2001: Immigration Overview)

Coming to Canada under this class can take from eight months to two years because the visa officer must:

• check out financial statements
• translate foreign documents
• investigate how the applicant accumulated their wealth. It must be through the person's own efforts and not through inheritance or criminal means
• confirm the applicant has the ability to supervise and manage a business

REQUIREMENTS:

Entrepreneurs are part of the class of independent immigrants which includes skilled workers, investors and the self-employed. Entrepreneur immigrants are people who:

• have at least two years experience in the management or control of a business
• have a legally obtained a net worth of at least $300,000, and
• can provide a written statement to an immigration officer that they intend and will be able to meet the conditions outlined below.

Conditions: An entrepreneur immigrant must control more than 33 1/3 per cent of a business, provide active management and create one full-time job (1,950 hours of paid employment) for another Canadian. The person must meet these conditions for at least one of the first three years after becoming a permanent resident.

FOLLOWUP:

Once accepted and in Canada, the entrepreneur must fill out forms about their business every six months for three years. Each form is more detailed than the last.

If the person isn't making headway, a counsellor will intervene and offer help. This can include seminars with bank officers, accountants or franchise experts, as well as help from organizations such as the provincial economic development office. After three years, the immigrant is called to a detailed interview about their business. Questions can include what time they start work and who fills in for employees when they are sick. The immigrant must also supply invoices and other documents relating to their business.

If an immigrant hasn't started a business and it appears they made no effort, the CIC's business unit investigates and writes a report. If the report is not favourable, the case goes to the Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB). The IRB can issue an order to remove the immigrant from Canada. Entrepreneurs have the right to appeal to the Immigration Appeal Division, and finally, to Federal Court.

Investor

1,766 immigrants entered Canada as investors out of 250,346 immigrants in 2001. These investor immigrants brought 4,565 dependents (including spouses, children, parents) with them to Canada. Three-quarters of immigrants end up in Ontario or British Columbia. (SOURCES: 1996 Census Facts and Figures 2001: Immigration Overview)

Business applicants (entrepreneurs, investors and self-employed) must submit applications to one of the following visa offices: Beijing, Berlin, Buffalo, Damascus, Hong Kong, London, Paris, Seoul or Singapore.

REQUIREMENTS:

Investors are part of the class of independent immigrants, which includes skilled workers, entrepreneurs and the self-employed. Investor immigrants are people who:

• have at least two years' experience in management or control of a business, or in managing at least five full-time workers
• have legally obtained a net worth of at least $800,000, and
• indicate in writing to an immigration officer that they intend to make or have made an investment in Canada.

"Net worth" in this case means the fair market value of all of the assets of the investor and spouse or common-law partner, minus the fair market value of all of their liabilities.

MONEY:

The investor has two choices in terms of his/her investment:

1. Give $400,000 to the Government of Canada to distribute among the provinces. The money is locked in for five years, after which the investor gets the money back without interest.
2. Borrowing money to make the investment. Citizenship and Immigration has agreements with several banks and credit unions, all of which are members of the Canada Deposit Insurance Corporation (CDIC). The banks provide different financial programs to help the investor fulfil the $400,000 requirement. After five years, the money is returned without interest. Investor Financing (external link)

Self- Employed

There were 704 immigrants under the self-employed category in 2001. 20 per cent of recent immigrants are children. One in eight immigrants reports having dual citizenship. (SOURCES: 1996 Census Facts and Figures 2001: Immigration Overview)

Business applicants (entrepreneurs, investors and self-employed) intending to settle in Quebec should apply through the province's immigration offices abroad, as listed on the CIC's Web page.

REQUIREMENTS:

The self-employed are part of the class of independent immigrants which includes skilled workers, entrepreneurs and investors. Self-employed immigrants are people who:

-Have the intention, relevant experience and ability to be self-employed in Canada and to make a significant contribution to cultural activities, athletics or the purchase and management of a farm in the country.

-"Relevant experience" means at least two years of one of the following types of experience, during the five years before the date of application for a permanent resident visa:

• self-employment in cultural activities or athletics,
• participation at a world-class level in cultural activities or athletics, or
• farm management experience.