Canada Residency & Citizenship: Security. Opportunity. Peace of mind.

 

Welcome! The Canadian government has created several immigration by investment programs to attract wealthy business persons and their capital to Canada.

International business executives, investors, and important persons who are active worldwide consider an alternative citizenship and passport a powerful tool for international tax planning and a safety net should the living conditions at home become unbearable.

Why Canada?

Canada is the second largest country in the world and largest on the North American continent. It is one of the world's wealthiest nations and has one of the world's highest qualities of life. Today Canada closely resembles the US in its market-oriented economic system, pattern of production, and high living standards. Full citizenship and passports are issued to the applicant and his/her family.

The relaxed life style, stable political, justice, economic and social environment, excellent educational and health system, relatively moderate personal tax system, advantageous corporate tax rates, multilingual population and worldwide known Canadian tolerance of other cultures, have made Canada one of the most desirable countries to live, do business, raise a family, or work and invest.

Canada has a long tradition of immigration and an elaborate system to evaluate and admit new residents. Citizenship is available after four years of residence (and 183 days minimum physical presence during each of the four calendar years), and the Canadian passport is one of the best travel documents in the world.

Canadian Immigrant Investor Programs

Applicants may establish residence (and eventually citizenship) by applying for Canadian permanent residence in one the following categories, representing three of the most popular Canadian immigration by investment options:

PROGRAM #1: British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BCPNP) Residency

SUMMARY: Invest at least CA$ 200,000 outside of the greater Vancouver area (CA$ 400,000 inside the Vancouver metropolitan area) to establish or to purchase and expand an eligible business in the British Columbia province.

 

PROGRAM #2: Federal Startup Visa Program (FSVP) Residency

SUMMARY: Applicants must secure an investment of at least CA$ 200,000 if the investment is from a designated venture capital fund, a minimum of CA$ 75,000 if the investment is from a designated angel investor group, or must be accepted into a designated business incubator. Applicants are not required to invest any of their own money.

 

PROGRAM #3: Quebec Immigrant Investor Program (QIIP) Citizenship

SUMMARY: Invest at least CA$ 1,200,000 into a zero interest, Quebec Government Bond, for five years. A financing option might be available starting from CA$ 300,000.

 

Other, less popular programs include the Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program (MPNP-B), the Ontario Provincial Nominee Program (OPNP-B), as well as the Investor Venture Capital Pilot program.

Canada Citizenship / Residency Program Details

The government of Canada as well as several Canadian provinces and territories have adopted programs which allow the acquisition of residency and/or citizenship on the basis of an investment.

Holders of a Canadian passport enjoy visa free travel to approximately 172 countries, including the US and the European Union, specifically all European countries of the Schengen area.

Canadian residents may apply for citizenship after five years in residency status.

PROGRAM #1: British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BCPNP) Residency

This program is designed for experienced entrepreneurs who are ready to invest in and actively manage a business in British Columbia, Canada.

Applicants will be required to:

1. Invest at least CA$ 400,000 to establish or to purchase and expand an eligible business inside the Vancouver metropolitan area, or CA$ 200,000 anywhere else in British Columbia.

2. Create at least one new job in the business for a Canadian or permanent resident.

3. Own at least one third (33.3%) of the equity of the business, unless personal equity investment is at least CA$ 1,000,000.

NOTE: Due to the popularity of this program the chances of application approval increase with the size of the investment.


To be eligible to apply, an applicant must show the following qualifications:

1. A personal net worth of at least CA$ 600,000.

2. Demonstrate the skills and experience necessary to establish and operate a commercially viable business in BC, specifically:
     - 3 years or more of experience as an active business owner-manager, or
     - 4 years or more of experience as a senior manager, or
     - combination of at least 1 year of experience as an active business owner-manager and at least 2      
       years of experience as a senior manager

3. Sufficient unencumbered personal funds to make the required investment a viable business proposal.

4. Sign a Performance Agreement with the Province of British Columbia.

5. Provide active and on-going participation in the day-to-day management and direction of the business.


Further, applicants may:

1. Establish a new business; or

2. Purchase an existing business; or

3. Form a partnership with an existing business; or

4. Partner with a local or foreign entrepreneur to establish a new business.


Qualifying business activities are defined as follows:

The BCPNP will only consider registrations to establish or purchase and improve a business that contributes to the economic growth of the province and meets the following eligibility criteria:

1. The business must be operated for the primary purpose of earning profits from active income through the provision of products and/or services.

2. The business must have good potential for sustained commercial viability.

3. The business must have the potential to create significant economic benefits for British Columbia. For example, the benefits may contribute to:
   - increasing value-added manufacturing, processing or primary resource activity
   - increasing exports of goods or services
   - increasing destination tourism
   - increasing R&D/technology commercialization
   - developing innovative and creative approaches to traditional businesses
   - transferring technology, skills and specialized know-how to the province
   - servicing an underserved local or regional market

Applications will NOT be approved where the BCPNP is not satisfied that the proposed business has the potential to be commercially viable in British Columbia.


In addition, the BCPNP will NOT approve applications for the following types of business:

1. Bed and breakfasts, hobby farms and home-based businesses.

2. Pay day loan, cheque cashing, money changing and cash machine businesses.

3. Pawnbrokers.

4. Coin operated laundries.

5. Automated car wash operations.

6. Sale of used goods (excluding collectibles, or where the business provides value-added services such as repairs, refurbishing, or recycling).

7. Real estate development/brokerage, insurance brokerage or business brokerage.

8. Businesses involved in the production, distribution or sale of pornographic or sexually explicit products or services, or in the provision of sexually oriented services.

9. Convenience stores.

10. Video and DVD rental stores.

11. Gasoline service stations.

12. Personal dry cleaning services.

13. Any other type of business that by association would tend to bring the program or the Government of British Columbia into disrepute.


Professional fees are approximately CA$ 40,000 plus CA$ 5,000 per dependent to be included in the application. Government and business broker fees amount to between CA$ 15,000 - CA$ 20,000.

PROGRAM #2: Federal Startup Visa Program Residency (FSVP)

The purpose of this program is to bring innovative young companies and their entrepreneurs to Canada, furthering the innovation/entrepreneurial ecosystem. The program provides access to an expedited immigration process specifically for start-up entrepreneurs.

Applicants will be required to:

1. Obtain a letter of support from a designated Canadian investor organization.

2. Secure an investment of at least CA$ 200,000 if the investment is from a designated venture capital fund, a minimum of CA$ 75,000 if the investment is from a designated angel investor group, or must be accepted into a designated business incubator.

3. The applicant must be able to communicate and work in English and/or French.

4. The applicant must have completed at least one year of study at a post-secondary institution.

5. The applicant must have sufficient settlements funds to support themselves and their family once they immigrate to Canada.

6. For admissibility requirement, the applicant and accompanying family members must undergo security, criminal checks and a medical examination.


The applicant receives a temporary work permit to start implementing his/her idea and working closely with the designated Canadian investment organization, which issued a Letter of Support. This stage may take one to two months, depending on the visa office that will be processing applicant’s work permit application.

The applicant and family may apply for permanent residence in Canada once all eligibility criteria have been met. The application processing takes approximately six (6) months to be approved.


Professional fees are approximately CA$ 35,000 plus CA$ 5,000 per dependent to be included in the application. Government fees are low, and amount to between CA$ 1,000 - CA$ 2,000.

PROGRAM #3: Quebec Immigrant Investor Program (QIIP)

The most popular path of immigrating to Canada as an investor is the QIIP, given it is a Government guaranteed, passive investment program with no stringent language, age or minimum education qualifications.

Applicants will be required to:

1. Prove a minimum net worth of CA$ 1,600,000 (if spouse included as dependent on the application, her assets may be included as well).

2. Invest CA$ 1,200,000 in a zero interest, Quebec Government Bond, for five years.


Please note that most financial intermediaries will offer an up-front, all included, one-time financing package from approx. CA$ 300,000 which will cover the full CA$ 800,000 investment and interest over five years including all of the set-up costs. With this financing option, the immigrant investors do not have to liquidate high yield investments in other countries to complete the required investment, which may also trigger undue tax consequences, while protecting against interest rate increases during this 5 years period. It also allows investors to use the available funds to acquire a property in Canada.


To be eligible to apply, an applicant must show the following qualifications:

1. Qualified business experience through business management or corporate employment management positions in 2 of the last 5 years.

2. Proof of how he built his current wealth and declare the nature of his assets and holdings.

3. Confirm ‘intentions' to settle in the Province of Quebec. However, once selected and granted status of Permanent Resident, any new Canadian Permanent Resident may choose to reside in the province of their choice.

Please also note that are no age requirements and no language requirements, but knowledge of English or French is a good asset.

Quota
In order to manage immigration intake levels, the QIIP has introduced an annual quota, and each Financial Intermediary is given a portion of the overall quota. If you are seriously interested in this program we invite you to start the process at the earliest and be diligent in the document collection phase as all applications are accepted on a first-come first-served basis. French speaking applicants would be considered in priority, as the quota and intake closure do not apply to them.


Professional fees are approximately CA$ 25,000 plus CA$ 5,000 per dependent to be included in the application. Government fees are approximately CA$ 17,000 - CA$ 20,000.

Please contact us for a detailed cost estimate or confidential consultation.  Our associated attorneys are ready to assist you with attaining your investment objectives and answer any questions you might have about the Canadian Residency / Citizenship by Investment programs.

Contact Us For Next Steps

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: What are some of the most popular immigration by investment programs worldwide?

A: The Bulgaria Citizenship by Investment Program offers several investment options starting from EUR 257,000 plus fees for Bulgaria (EU) citizenship and passport after 5 years in residency status.

The Cyprus Residency by Investment Program offers several investment options from EUR 300,000 for Cyprus (EU) permanent residency. Residents may apply for citizenship after 7 years in residency status.

The Greece Golden Visa allows non-EU applicants to file for Greece (EU) permanent residency by way of a EUR 250,000 investment in local real estate. The investor may file for Greek citizenship after 7 years of living in Greece at a minimum of 183 days per year.

The Malta Naturalisation for Exceptional Services by Direct Investment regulation provides the applicant with Malta (EU) residency and citizenship & passport for an investment in the amount of EUR 600,000 (36 months residency option) or EUR 750,000 (12 months residency option). Additional are a philanthropic donation, a property purchase or rental, and fees. For applicants who are only seeking Malta (tax) residency or Schengen travel benefits, options start at an annual recurring expense of EUR 15,000 plus property and fees. 

The Monaco Residency / Citizenship Program offers Monaco permanent residency to applicants who can prove sufficient accommodations and financial self-sufficiency. The applicant may file for Monaco citizenship after 10 years of permanent residency.

The Portugal Golden Visa Residence Permit Program offers Portugal (EU) permanent residency for a property investment starting from EUR 280,000. Investors may apply for Portugal citizenship after 5 years in residency status. 

The Spain Golden Visa offers Spain (EU) permanent residency for a EUR 500,000 minimum investment in real estate, or a EUR 1 Million Euro asset transfer, or a 2 Million Euro securities investment, or the creation of a new government-approved business project. The investor may file for citizenship after 10 years in residency status.


Outside of the EU, citizenship by investment programs include those offered by Turkey, Vanuatu, Canada, the United States of America, and the Caribbean nations of Antigua & Barbuda, St. Kitts & Nevis, Grenada, Dominica, and St. Lucia:

Turkey offers the Turkish citizenship and passport for a property purchases of at least USD 400,000. 

Vanuatu offers the Vanuatu citizenship and passport for a donation starting at USD 130,000.

Canada offers several residency by investment options, leading to citizenship if desired, starting at CAD 200,000.

The United States EB-5 Program leads to permanent residency status and citizenship in the United States for a minimum investment of USD 900,000 in a commercial enterprise in the U.S. that generates at least 10 jobs for Americans. After 5 years as a permanent resident the investor may apply for U.S. citizenship.

The Caribbean nations of Antigua & Barbuda, St. Kitts & Nevis, Grenada, Dominica, and St. Lucia offer citizenship programs requiring a real estate investment from USD 200,000 or a non-refundable donation of at least USD 100,000.


Please contact us using the contact form below for a detailed cost estimate or confidential consultation.  Our associated attorneys are ready to assist you with attaining your investment objectives and answer any questions you might have about the Canada Residency / Citizenship by Investment programs.
 

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Contact Us for a Free Consultation

Contact us for a free, detailed cost estimate or confidential consultation by email (or phone / office visit, if preferred). To start the application process online please register here.

We will reply to your inquiry by email within one hour!

If you prefer to meet in person at any of the offices please send us your dates of travel so that we may coordinate a time most convenient for you.

Our team of associates in Canada includes immigration specialists working exclusively on citizenship & residence matters and will stand by your side throughout the entire application process, from start to finish. The team will work with you until your residence or citizenship by investment application has been approved and you have received your residence certificate or Canadian passport.

Do you have any questions? Use our contact form to receive a reply today.
 
 

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Contact Form
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Please select which program you are interested in:
CANADA: British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BCPNP). Permanent Residency from CAD 200,000. Citizenship after 5 years. CANADA: Federal Startup Visa Program Residency (FSVP). See description. CANADA: Quebec Immigrant Investor Program (QIIP). Permanent Residency from CAD 300,000. Citizenship after 5 years. Other: describe your interest in the box below, or use our automatic Product Finder Tool to find a global Immigration by Investment program that best fits your budget and timeline. Unfortunately we cannot assist with asylum cases, tourist visas, passport renewals, citizenship by family descent, or job referrals.
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Zenturo Ltd.

Residency & Citizenship by Investment Programs Worldwide

Canada Office: Vancouver

 394A / 395A, Triq il-Kbira San Guzepp
Santa Venera, SVR 1016
Malta

Phone: +356 9950 5515
WhatsApp: +356 9991 4125
Telegram: +356 9991 4125
WeChat: ZenturoSupport
Skype: Zenturo Ltd. Support



Company Registration No.: C-39472
VAT ID: MT-18142026

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