Investors who meet the above criteria and are interested in immigrating to Quebec can apply for a CSQ from the Ministère de l’Immigration, de la Diversité et de l’Inclusion (MIDI). This program only accepts paper-based applications, submitted in hard copy by mail or courier.

Applications will take into account other factors as well, including age, language proficiency, and training background. The Quebec Investor Program has a limit on the number of applications it will accept in a given period. As well, the program only accepts applications during pre-determined application intake periods.

Quebec Entrepreneur Program

The Quebec Entrepreneur Program is for immigrant entrepreneurs with the ability to establish a new business or acquire and operate an existing business in the province of Quebec.

The Quebec Entrepreneur Program is an immigration pathway targeting immigrant entrepreneurs with the ability to establish a new business or acquire and operate an existing business. Successful applicants are able to immigrate to Quebec, where they will either carry out their business project. As with all of Quebec’s immigration pathways this program allows applicants to apply for a certificat de sélection du Québec (CSQ – Québec selection certificate). Upon receiving a CSQ, an applicant becomes eligible to submit an official application for Canadian permanent residence.

Quebec Entrepreneur Program Requirements

The Quebec Entrepreneur Program operates two different streams, each with its own distinct eligibility requirements:

Stream 1
In order to be eligible, applicants must settle in Quebec to create and operate a business which is supported by a service offer from a business accelerator, a business incubator, or a university entrepreneurship centre. The business project may be undertaken alone, or with others, up to three of whom can be foreign nationals applying to the same immigration program. There is no strict definition for the types of organizations who are able to support through a service offer. However, generally the following definitions should guide applicants:

• Business accelerator: An organization with an establishment in Quebec that offers support services, particularly assistance seeking financing, to entrepreneurs whose projects aim to grow innovative businesses.
• Business incubator: An organization with an establishment in Quebec that offers support services to entrepreneurs who seek to create innovative businesses.
• University entrepreneurship centre: An organization administered by a university institution at the university level that provides coaching services to entrepreneurs.

Stream 2
In order to be eligible for this stream, the candidate must settle in Quebec to create a new business, or acquire an existing business, and manage the business operations. Successful applicants will have to make two financial deposits as part of their application:

(1) a security deposit of CAD $200,000 serving as insurance that the business will be created; to be refunded when the business plan is carried out successfully;

(2) a startup deposit that must be used to set up the business. The startup deposit is CAD $300,000 for businesses created in Montreal and CAD $200,000 for business created outside of Montreal. All applicants must meet the following eligibility requirements:

• Have net assets of at least $900,000 CAD that have been legally obtained with, where applicable, a spouse or common-law partner if they are accompanying the applicant.
• The application must be presented in the form of a business plan.
• If the applicant is creating a new business, they must own and control at least 25% of its equity capital. If the applicant is acquiring an existing business, they must own and control at least 51% of its equity capital.
• The business cannot be involved in the following activities: payday loans, cheque cashing, pawnbroking, real estate development, real estate or insurance brokerage, production/distribution/sales of pornographic or sexually explicit products or services.
• An acquired business must have been in operation during the five years prior to an application.

Quebec Self-Employed Worker Program

The Quebec Self-Employed Worker Program allows certain self-employed people to immigrate to Quebec and create their own job. In order to qualify for this program, an applicant needs to have net assets of at least $100,000 CAD and two years of experience as a self-employed worker in the field they plan to practice in Quebec.

The Quebec Self-Employed Worker Program is an immigration pathway that targets newcomers with experience creating their own jobs. Successful applicants are able to immigrate to Quebec where they will create their own job by practicing a profession or trade on their own account. As with all of Quebec’s immigration pathways, when in operation, this program allowed applicants to apply for a certificat de sélection du Québec (CSQ – Québec selection certificate). Upon receiving a CSQ, an applicant becomes eligible to submit an official application for Canadian permanent residence.

Quebec for Self Employed Requirements

To be eligible for the Quebec Self-Employed Worker Program, applicants must meet the following criteria. An applicant must:

• Come to Quebec to create their own job by practicing a profession or trade on their own account
• Have net assets of at least $100,000 CAD that have been legally obtained with, when applicable, an accompanying spouse or common-law partner.
• Have at least two years of experience as a self-employed worker in the profession or trade they plan to practise in Quebec.
• Meet the minimum points required as indicated on the Quebec Self-Employed Worker Points Assessment Grid.

Applications will take into account other factors as well, including age, language proficiency, and training background.

Quebec Self-Employed Worker Points Assessment Grid

All candidates for the Quebec Self-Employed Worker program must meet the minimum points requirements on the grid listed below. Please note that the province of Quebec reserves the right to make changes to this points grid at any time.