Quebec Program – Investors

•    Why do I have to follow different steps with the Government of Québec and the Government of Canada?

•    What are the costs and timeframes for immigrating?

•    Who do I need to contact to submit an immigration application if I am already in Québec?

•    Can I get information on the Québec economy?

Q. Why do I have to follow different steps with the Government of Québec and the Government of Canada?

Immigration comes under the shared jurisdiction of the Government du Québec and the Government of Canada. To immigrate to Québec, candidates and their families must meet both the selection and the admission requirements.

Selection

Québec is responsible for the selection of business immigrants who wish to settle in its territory.

Québec’s exclusive power over selection is guided by criteria it has determined in light of its immigration objectives. To be selected, a candidate must meet the requirements of one of three immigration programs for businesspeople (entrepreneur, investor, self-employed worker) by submitting an Application for a Selection Certificate and passing a selection interview.

If selected, candidates will receive a Certificat de sélection du Québec (CSQ - Québec selection certificate), the official immigration document issued by the Government of Québec.

Admission

Canada is responsible for the admission of business immigrants on its territory. The Government of Canada admits to Québec only those business applicants that Québec has selected. To be admitted, candidates must submit an application for permanent residence. They, and their family members as well, must also pass the required medical examination and security checks.

An application for permanent residence is not accepted if an applicant’s health or that of a family member (who may or may not be accompanying the applicant) presents a health or public safety risk or may result in an excessive burden on health and social services in Canada, even if the candidate has received a CSQ.



On arrival, the applicant is granted permanent resident status, which confers the same rights as those enjoyed by all Canadian citizens, except the right to vote and the right to obtain a Canadian passport. After three years of permanent residency, a candidate may claim these rights by applying for Canadian citizenship.

Q. What are the costs and time frames for immigrating?

The fees levied by the Québec government for processing immigration applications are indicated below:

Entrepreneurs        -  C$950

Investors                 -  C$3,850

Self-employed         -  C$950

Each Dependant     -  C$150

The fees are subject to change at any time and they are non-refundable.

Processing times

The time required to process applications varies due to a number of factors (overall selection objectives by geographic pool and immigration category, volume of applications for a Québec Selection Certificate submitted from various territories, international context).



These processing times apply to applications for a Québec Selection Certificate only. They do not include those that apply to applications to the Government of Canada for permanent residence.

Information regarding processing times is updated regularly.

Q. Who do I need to contact to submit an immigration application if I am already in Québec?

The immigration application must be sent to the Government of Quebec office in Montreal.

Q. Can I get information on the Québec economy?

There are many good reasons for choosing to live and do business in Québec. By learning as much as you can before you arrive, you will spare yourself unpleasant surprises or disappointments. Your immigration and business plans will rest on a surer footing as a result.

Doing business in Québec

To businesspeople eager to explore new horizons, Québec offers a diversified, dynamic, modern and outward-looking economy, a highly skilled labour force, competitive operating costs and an advantageous corporate tax system.