Quebec Entrepreneur Program

Important Update:

The MIDI has announced that the Quebec Entrepreneur Program will accept 60 new applications between August 15, 2018, and March 31, 2019. The first stream received 25 applications, while the second stream accepted 35. Candidates who have successfully passed an approved language test demonstrating advanced intermediate proficiency in French are exempt from this admission threshold and can submit their application at any time.

The Quebec Entrepreneur Program is an immigration pathway for immigrant entrepreneurs capable of creating a new business or acquiring and operating an existing business. Selected candidates can immigrate to Quebec to realize their entrepreneurial project. Like all Quebec immigration programs, this program allows candidates to apply for a Quebec Selection Certificate (CSQ). After obtaining the CSQ, the applicant can submit an official application for permanent residence in Canada.

The Quebec Entrepreneur Program is divided into two distinct streams, each with its own eligibility criteria:

Stream 1
To be eligible, the applicant must establish themselves in Quebec to create and operate a business supported by a service offer from a business accelerator, business incubator, or university entrepreneurship center. The project can be undertaken alone or in collaboration with others, of whom a maximum of three can be foreign nationals under the same immigration program. Here are the generally accepted definitions for these organizations:

• Business Accelerator: An organization established in Quebec that offers support services, including funding search assistance, to entrepreneurs aiming to grow innovative businesses.
• Business Incubator: An organization in Quebec that provides support services for the creation of innovative businesses.
• University Entrepreneurship Center: An organization managed by a university that offers support services to entrepreneurs.

The supporting organization must demonstrate its ability to assist the candidate and their project. The service offer must include:

• Proposed Support Plan: A description of the services offered to the candidate.
• Operating Plan: A detailed budget for the service offer and a schedule of activities.
• Expertise: Skills and accomplishments of the organization as an accelerator, incubator, or university entrepreneurship center.

The candidate must submit a business plan to Quebec and complete all required forms on the website of the Quebec Ministry of Immigration, Diversity, and Inclusion (MIDI).

Stream 2
To be eligible for this stream, the candidate must establish themselves in Quebec to create a new business or acquire an existing business and manage its operations. Two financial deposits are required:

• Guarantee Deposit: CAD 200,000, refundable when the business plan is realized.
• Start-Up Deposit: CAD 300,000 for businesses in Montreal, CAD 200,000 for those outside Montreal.

The eligibility conditions are as follows:

• Have a net worth of at least CAD 900,000, legally acquired, including assets of the spouse or common-law partner if accompanying the applicant.
• Submit a business plan.
• If a new business is created, the applicant must own and control at least 25% of the shares. In the case of acquisition, they must own and control at least 51% of the shares.
• The business must not be involved in certain activities such as payday lending, real estate brokerage, or the production/distribution of pornographic material.
• The acquired business must have been operating for the five years preceding the application.

Applications will also be evaluated based on other factors such as age, language skills, education, financial independence, visits to Quebec, family in Quebec, and training background. Candidates must submit their application in the form of a business plan, including all required forms and documents on the MIDI website.