Quebec's Investor Program for Immigration

Investment immigration is a path for immigrants to become permanent residents in Canada based on their investment in the country. This type of entrepreneur visa allows immigrants to establish new businesses or help existing businesses grow, which can lead to more jobs and greater prosperity in Quebec and across Canada. Since 2009, an increasing number of immigrant investors have immigrated to Quebec under its Immigrant Investor Program (QIIP).

The QIIP was designed with two main goals:

attracting immigrant investors and encouraging them to settle outside Montreal where they contribute to economic development, and protecting the interests of Canadians who invest their own money into the program.

Benefits of the QIIP

Businessperson and investor applicants who qualify for the immigrant investor program of Quebec get an unconditional permanent resident visa to Canada. If they have an existing business in a country of repute, they may be allowed to have an alternate residency in that country. They can use their alternate residency status to take up a job, buy a home or holiday home, do business and tax planning, or plan for retirement in Quebec.

The business and investor programs of Canada are the best in the world in that sense. They allow businessmen to continue with their current business and income stream as they fund business operations in Canada where they and their children can do higher studies at highly subsidized rates.

Canada also offers a pollution-free and corruption-free living environment. Business investors migrating to Canada can also use the Canadian banking and financial system for their existing or worldwide-based business operations.

Business owners, investors, senior executives, and high net worth individuals can apply for Canada immigration through the Quebec Immigrant Investor program and other similar programs. If they have the required net worth and management or business experience, they do not have to fulfill age or English or French language requirements.

Consult Visa2Immigration Canada immigration experts and Quebec consultants to know how to enter Canada as an investor!

What are the advantages of investing in Quebec?

Quebec has a modern, innovative and diversified economy. Its GDP (Gross Domestic Product) is $439 billion (2018) which amounts to 20% of the Canadian economy. It has a qualified, multilingual, and well-educated workforce. Per capita GDP in Quebec was $52,384 in 2018. One of the most reliable hydroelectric grids in the world is in Quebec.

Some of the other reasons why people choose to invest in Quebec are:

• The Abundance of Natural Resources: Quebec produces iron, zinc, nickel, gold, silver, and copper. Companies like Goldcorp, Tata Steel, and Jilin Jien Nickel Industry have their presence here. The province is also home to 20% of Canada’s forests and 2% of the forests of the world. More than 50% of Canadian newsprint production happens in this province. Quebec also has one of the largest reserves of fresh water on this planet and produces and sells electricity at the lowest rates in North America.
• Excellent Transportation Network: There are three international airports in the province as well as 82 regional airports. The Montréal port is the largest container port in eastern Canada and operates all year long. It also has an efficient rail system that connects it to all regions of Canada as well as the United States. Quebec also has an efficient cross-border traffic system and competitive trucking rates.
• It exports raw materials, goods and products to various countries.
• Low Operation Costs of Businesses: With reasonably-priced rents, affordable labour costs, lowest rates of electricity and taxes, Quebec is a wise choice for establishing a new business. Montréal is one of the most cost-efficient metropolitan cities in North America and the Québec City region ranks #1 in the world for mature markets among metropolitan areas of comparable size.

Why do immigrants love Quebec for setting up a business?

Quebec is looking for talented and experienced investors and entrepreneurs who want to take over existing businesses in the province. Canadian immigration aspirants may choose to invest in various sectors booming in the province. To help these business investors, Quebec offers ample government support, such as financing programs, competitive fiscal incentives, sound industry intelligence, assistance in finding the ideal site for your business, and an opportunity to forge alliances with local and international business partners.

Quebec is seen as a safe place to raise a family, offer free universal health care, a high-quality education system, affordable housing, and prime access to the North American free-trade zone.

What are the key sectors in Quebec where you might want to invest?

The Services sector accounts for 72% of Quebec's GDP and the Manufacturing sector for 90% of exports of goods as well as 58% of R&D (Research and Development) spending. Other key sectors of Quebec where you can invest are:

• Aerospace sector: Montréal is a major centre for aeronautics. It is home to some of the prime contractors such as Bombardier Aerospace, CAE, Bell Helicopter Textron, and Pratt & Whitney Canada.
• Agri-food sector: Multinational companies like Frito Lay and Kraft are based in Quebec. The province produces high-quality raw materials as well as exports several products in this sector across the world.
• Construction sector: Many globally renowned engineering consulting firms and research centres are based here. The province is also known for its construction expertise in hydroelectric dams.
• Environment sector: It is a seat for new clean technologies and has high standards of sustainable development and environmental protection. Ground Transportation Equipment sector: More than 32,000 people work in 600+ businesses that work in this sector. Bombardier Transportation, Bombardier Recreational Products, Nova Bus, and Prévost Car are some of the global industry leaders that are based in the province. Many transportation electrification research centres are also based in Quebec, Canada.
• Information Technologies and Multimedia sector: Québec is home to multimedia giants, such as IBM, CGI Group, Fujitsu, and Dassault Systèmes. Industry giants like Google, Microsoft, and Facebook have their artificial intelligence research base in Montréal.
• Life Sciences sector: Québec is a major hub in North America for research and manufacturing of biotechnologies, pharmaceutical products, and medical technologies. It was here major discoveries like 3TC/Epivir (the first effective treatment for HIV) and SINGULAIR (used in chronic asthma treatment) were made. Global leaders in the field, such as GlaxoSmithKline, and Pfizer, operate here.
• Metallurgy sector: While Québec is the world's fourth-largest producer of primary aluminum, it also produces steel and cast iron, copper, zinc and ferroalloys. MNCs like Alcoa, ArcelorMittal, and Aluminerie Alouette are also present here.
• Microelectronics sector: More than 100 companies, including Teledyne Dalsa, are working in the field of manufacturing and assembling semiconductors, circuits, and electronic components in the province.
• Optics-Photonics sector: The presence of the National Optics Institute (INO), other research centres, and world leaders like EXFO, ABB, and MPB Communications make it an upcoming sector in the province.
Telecommunications sector: Large corporates that drive innovation in the field are based in the province, such as Ericsson, Bell Enterprises, Rogers, and Vidéotron.
• Tourism sector: Since Quebec is the second most visited province in Canada, it’s a good field to invest in.

What are the eligibility requirements of the QIIP program?

Besides age, education requirements, and language skills requirements, you must also have the following to be eligible for the Quebec Immigrant Investor Program:

• Net assets of at least C$ 2 million (with or without a spouse). You cannot count donations received less than six months before you apply for the program.
• Management experience for at least two years (in the preceding 5 years( where you have done planning, management, and control of human resources, material resources, and/or financial resources. Training or apprenticeship period is not counted in this experience.
• Intention to settle in Quebec.
• Signed an agreement with a qualified broker or trust.
• Done investment of C$ 1.2 million with the government authority called Investissement Québec - Immigrants Investisseurs Inc. for 5 years (which is guaranteed by the Government of Quebec). The revenue generated from this investment is used to offer business assistance programs in the province, such as:
• Business Assistance—Immigrant Investor Program (BAIIP)
• Employment Integration Program for Immigrants and Visible Minorities (PRIIME).

After a period of five years, this amount is reimbursed within 30 days without any interest.

How to apply for Quebec immigration as an investor?

You should know the immigration rules and procedures as well as application intake periods when you apply for the Quebec Selection Certificate or the Certificat de sélection du Québec.

Please note that the Quebec government only reviews and processes applications that are complete, have all the documents, and fees have been paid. Incomplete applications are not processed and are returned to applicants.

To apply for the permanent selection, you need to complete, sign, and submit the following forms:

• Application for Permanent Selection - Investor Program form - A-0520-FA
• Guide to writing the narrative document for investors, entrepreneurs and self-employed - A-8100-AO

Enclose the fees you need to pay while submitting your application.

You also need to sign an investment agreement with an authorized financial intermediary for the Investor Program.

You may also need to enclose declarations in the prescribed format by:

• your spouse or de facto spouse
• candidates or their spouse who have the training, qualifications, and skills of a regulated trade or profession in Québec
• candidates or their spouse who have been trained as family physicians, general practitioners, or medical specialists outside Canada and the United States
• candidates or their spouses who have the training and teaching experience in preschools elementary schools, or secondary schools - A-0527-IA

Since the processing of an application takes several months, you may receive a letter asking you to complete or update your file as instructed.

You can only submit the investor program application by mail or courier to the Direction de l'enregistrement et de l'évaluation comparative, in Montréal. It is not accepted in person.

Only one application is accepted at a time. Since these applications are confidential, applicants are only informed about the status of their application by regular mail or fax. No information is given out over the phone.

A few tips to remember:

• All the information you provide in the application must be accurate. You might have to prove the achievements you mention with the help of documents or answering questions asked by the immigration offering during the interview.
• Download and save the duly completed forms. Print them, sign them, and then send them by mail.
• If there’s a change in your family situation (such as marriage, the birth of a child, etc.), you need to submit an updated application form for permanent selection in the Investor Program along with all the required and supporting documents.
• You also need to submit a marriage certificate or a birth certificate or proof to showcase that you have been living together with your spouse or child for at least 12 months.

Ask for help from our QIIP experts to help you with arranging the documents, translating them, and making sure that your application is complete.

What is the fee for the Quebec Investor Immigration Program?

When you apply for the QIIP, you need to include the permanent selection form, all the required documents and pay the fees in full (in Canadian dollars only). This fee may change from time to time.

As of January 1, 2021, the QIIP fee for the principal applicant of QIIP is C$ 15,962. No fee is charged for the spouse or dependent children. You can pay the fee by

Canada Post money order or bank draft drawn on a Canadian bank.

If you pay via bank drafts, they should be made payable to the Minister of Finance of Québec and sent by courier (along with the application, form and other documents) to the Ministered de l’Immigration, de la Francization et de l’Intégration office in Montreal.

You will also have to pay the fees charged by the Government of Canada for processing your PR application. Please note that this application fee is non-refundable.

What is the average QIIP application processing time?

The Quebec Immigrant Investor Program (QIIP) is the only Canada immigration program where you can gain Permanent Residency status through passive investment. Its processing time depends on the country you are applying from. On average, it takes anywhere between 12 to 44 months for processing the QIIP application.

The wait time for Quebec selection applications for countries in North America, South America, and Western Europe is generally shorter - at around 12 months. But if you are immigrating to Canada from countries like China or India, your wait time may be somewhere around 44 months.

While the Ministry is trying its best to limit the impact of the COVID-19 impact on the processing times of applications, you may still face some delays. Applications are processed in the chronological order of being received by the Ministry. The application processing time depends on a lot of factors, including:

• Selection objectives of the immigration program by geographical area,
• The volume of applications received by the Ministry, and
• The international context of selection of applicants.

Talk to our Canadian immigration experts to learn how much time the Government of Canada takes to process PR applications.