Going to Canada on business and going to Canada for doing business are two separate things.
Those visiting Canada on business are deemed to be business visitors.
A business visitor in Canada can take part in international business activities provided s/he does not have the intention of entering the Canadian labour market.
A business visitor is a temporary visitor who is looking for ways to grow his or her business, invest, and/or advance his or her business relationships.
Generally, business visitors stay in Canada from anywhere between a few days to a few weeks. Business visitors can remain in Canada for a maximum of six months.
Those intending to stay in the country beyond six months, or contemplating work overseas in Canada, will be regarded as temporary workers and not business visitors. Consequently, such individuals will be required to apply for a Canada work permit.
A business visitor will require either a Canada visitor visa or an Electronic Travel Authorization [eTA] to enter the country.
Alternatively, those looking to do business in Canada on a long-term basis while settling in Canada as a permanent resident, will have to apply for Canadian permanent residence through the Business Immigration Program in the Start-up Business Class.
Filling the IMM 5759 form is required for securing the Business Visa for Canada.
Interestingly, immigrants account for 33 per cent of all business owners in Canada. Moreover, more than one out of every four workers in the food and beverage sector are immigrants.
Welcoming to entrepreneurs
Canadian permanent residence through the Business Immigration Program builds upon the fact that the Canadian government welcomes successful entrepreneurs exploring new challenges and opportunities.
Canada’s Business Immigration Program is specifically designed for encouraging and facilitating the admission of such individuals into Canada.
Both the federal government as well as the provincial and territorial [PT] governments in Canada encourage business immigrants, offering a wide range of services for assisting immigrants to start a business and settle in Canada with their families.
In order to be eligible for the Canada Start-up Visa under the Business Immigration Program, the start-up business should be a new business that will be operating within Canada, thereby meeting the criteria of a qualifying business having received a commitment from a designated angel investor group, venture capital fund, or a business incubator.
‘Designated’ implies that the business incubator, venture capital fund, or angel investor group be designated by the Minister eligible for issuing commitments under the Canada Start-up Business program.
A Letter of Support — to be supplied by the designated entity investing in the business proposal of the individual — will have to be included along with the application.
To qualify for the Start-up Business Class, the business should already have been incorporated as well as carrying on business in Canada at the time that the commitment is made by the individual.
According to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada [IRCC], “consideration will be made for a qualifying business whose incorporation is conditional upon the attainment of permanent residence by the applicant(s).”
Those intending to take up Canadian permanent residence and settling within the province of Quebec are not eligible for applying under the Start-up Business Class.
In keeping with the Canada-Quebec Accord, Quebec has its own immigration programs, requirements of which differ greatly and must be carefully perused.
Nunavut, among the three territories that are part of the confederation of Canada, does not have any immigration programme as such for the induction of newcomers into the territory.
Similarly, those intending to settle down in any of the other nine provinces [with the exception of Quebec] or two territories [with the exception of Nunavut], can take the provincial route to Canada PR.
Canadian permanent residence through the provinces/territories involves a candidate securing a nomination under the Provincial Nominee Program [PNP].
A PNP nomination increases the chance of an Express Entry candidate receiving an IRCC invitation, through any of the federal Express Entry linked PNP streams.
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