The Québec Immigration Process for Investors

by Visa Consultant Immigration Expert

The Canadian province of Québec has a prosperous and diverse economy, skilled workforce, competitive operating costs and a beneficial corporate taxation system. Québec immigration aspirants who can invest the required amount of funds in business can gain the status of permanent residents, and take advantage of the associated perks.

Investment in varied sectors is invited. IT and software, aerospace, agri-food, light metals, multimedia, telecommunications, life sciences, export industries, and natural resources are the mainstays of the local economy. To fulfill the eligibility requirements of the Investor PNP Canada Program, an applicant must:

Have lawfully acquired net assets amounting to at least CAD 2,000,000 – alone or in combination with a spouse/de-facto partner – excluding any donations received within the 6 months preceding submission of the application.
Have management experience of two or more years within the five years preceding the application for a Québec Selection Certificate. The job duties must have included management, planning, and control of human, material or financial resources under the applicant’s authority. Experience gained through training, apprenticeship or a diploma specialization is not included.
Showcase willingness and intention to settle in Québec.
Sign an investment agreement with a financial intermediary – who may be a broker or trust company that is authorized under the Québec Investor Program.
Invest CAD 1,200,000 for a five-year term with Investissement Québec – Immigrants Investisseurs Inc.

The Government of Québec – Ministère de l’Immigration, de la Diversité et de l’Inclusion – controls the selection process, while Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) – the federal Canada immigration authority – is responsible for the admission of immigrants into the national territory. The application procedure under the Québec Investor Program is streamlined, and unfolds in three steps:

Step 1: Apply for Permanent Selection

Aspirants and accompanying spouse/de-facto partner/children must prepare a complete application including duly completed forms, required declarations, narrative and supporting documents, and fees (CAD 15,496). This application package should be sent by mail or courier to Direction de l'enregistrement et de l'évaluation comparative in Montréal.

Step 2: Obtain the Québec Selection Certificate

The application is evaluated based on the afore-mentioned eligibility requirements. Processing times for the permanent selection application vary depending on the volume of applications received, territory and availability of staff. If required, the applicant may be asked for additional documents or be invited for a selection interview.

Selected candidates will be issued a notice of intent for permanent selection. It is necessary to make the investment of CAD 1,200,000 within 110 days of receiving this notice. Once the receipt of this amount is confirmed, the Ministère will issue a Québec Selection Certificate via mail.

Step 3: Apply for Permanent Residence to IRCC

Those who receive the Québec Selection Certificate can proceed to apply for permanent residence to the IRCC. They must undergo medical examinations and security checks, and pay the processing fee (CAD 550) as well as the right of permanent residence fee (CAD 490). Applications submitted online via the Express Entry System are typically processed within 6 months, while paper-based applications require 15 to 19 months. After due verification, the IRCC may grant the PR visa.

Between 10^th September 2018 and 31^st August 2019, 1900 applications for permanent selection under the Québec Investor The program will be accepted for processing by the provincial authorities. For qualifying investors, Québec immigration is a lucrative option to expand business interests abroad, with the added advantage of gaining Canadian permanent residence.