Quebec Entrepreneur Program

This immigration program offers the possibility for someone to settle permanently in Canada, specifically in Quebec by obtaining permanent residence. The program has two streams under one of which, upon meeting the eligibility criteria and factors, interested entrepreneurs may apply conditional on establishing or acquiring a business in the province.

What is an entrepreneur

An entrepreneur under this program, according to the regulations, is someone aged 18 who comes from abroad to settle in Quebec with the objective of carrying out a business plan which consists of either operating a business in Québec that he creates, alone or with other partners, or to operate a business there that he creates or acquires.

The program has two components:

• Part 1 – Business creation;
• Part 2 – Business creation or acquisition.

Quebec Entrepreneur Program Stream 1 Requirement

• Have a general high school diploma;
• Submit a financial commitment contract;
• Have the support of a business incubator, a business accelerator or a university entrepreneurship center.

These three requirements are minimum requirements that must necessarily be met in order to be eligible under this program. The candidate for this immigration program is entitled to obtain a minimum score of 41 points based on the factors of the selection grid intended for entrepreneurs.

Points may also be awarded to the candidate for the following factors:

• Educational level;
• Age;
• English and French language skills;
• stays and family in Quebec.

It should be noted that the characteristics of the spouse or partner who will accompany the candidate are not taken into account for the evaluation of the profile of the candidate within the framework of this program.

Quebec Entrepreneur Program Stream 2 Requirement

To be selected under this component, the foreigner must obtain a score of 81 points calculated according to the economic selection grid. The factors taken into consideration for the allocation of points are, among others, level of education, fields of training, age, language skills in English and French as well as stays and family in Quebec.

The characteristics of the applicant's spouse or common-law partner do not give additional points in the component of this program, although it is possible to operate the business with one's spouse or de facto spouse.