This program allows entrepreneurs to immigrate to Canada by starting a new business that will create jobs and contribute to the Canadian economy. The applicants are connected with private sector entities across the country, providing them access to funding, mentorship, and specialized knowledge necessary for launching and managing their ventures in Canada.
Eligibility
To qualify for a Start-Up Visa, applicants must fulfill the following criteria:
- Meet minimum language proficiency requirements in English or French (CLB 5 in all language abilities)
- Demonstrate that their business is endorsed by a designated organization
- Provide evidence that their business meets ownership criteria
- Possess adequate funds to establish themselves in Canada
- Intend to settle in a province outside of Quebec
- Successfully clear Canadian security and medical evaluations
Additionally, no more than five foreign individuals can apply for permanent residency as part of the same business venture under the Start-Up Visa Program.
One of the big merits of this program is that the applicant and the applicant’s family members can start settling in Canada while waiting for the permanent resident visa process as they can get a work permit and accompanying visas.
We are accepting international entrepreneurs to join our Start-Up Visa projects in Canada now.
If you are considering business immigration opportunities, this can be your right pathway, so contact us right away.
This category facilitates the transfer of key employees from a foreign company to its Canadian branch, subsidiary, or affiliate.
This is one of the International Mobility Program which allows employers to hire foreign workers without the need for an LMIA under certain circumstances, such as intra-company transfers, reciprocal employment agreements, and significant economic, social, or cultural benefits.
Companies may pursue an Intra-Company Transfer (ICT) work permit under the following conditions:
- The entities, both within and outside Canada, share a parent, subsidiary, branch, or affiliate relationship.
- Both entities engage in ongoing business activities, providing goods and services. It's essential that the Canadian entity is operational and not merely established physically in Canada.
Employees are eligible to apply for an ICT work permit if they:
- Currently work for the head/parent company and seek entry to Canada to work in a parent, subsidiary, branch, or affiliate.
- Plan to transfer to a company with a qualifying relationship to their current employer, undertaking employment at a legitimate and continuous establishment in Canada.
- Have held a similar full-time position with the company planning to transfer them to Canada for at least one year within the past three years, either through payroll or contract. If the employment was part-time, other factors such as years of work experience, position similarity, extent of part-time work, etc.
- In cases of recent corporate acquisitions or mergers, the employee doesn't need to have worked for the company for a year, provided they've worked for one of the affiliates for at least one year in the previous three years. The successor entity must demonstrate assumption of interests, obligations, assets, and liabilities of the original company and continued operation in the same business domain.
The occupation of the employees in Canada must fall under one of the following categories:
- Executives and Senior Managers:
- Functional Managers: Manages a function essential to the company's goals by departments and teams.
- Specialized Knowledge: Demonstrates advanced expertise and proprietary knowledge of the company's products, services, processes, and procedures.
Individuals who have relevant experience in cultural activities, athletics, or farm management may qualify for immigration to Canada as self-employed persons.
The federal Self-Employed Visa Canada is designed for applicants with relevant self-employment experience who wish to become permanent residents. Eligible individuals must intend and be able to create their own employment and significantly contribute to Canada's cultural, artistic, or athletic life.
A successful applicant must have at least two years of relevant experience within the five years preceding the application date. This experience can be in self-employment within cultural or athletic sectors or participation at a world-class level in these fields.
Eligible occupations for the Self-Employed Visa Canada include:
- Librarians and archivists
- Conservators and curators
- Authors and writers
- Editors and journalists
- Translators, terminologists, and interpreters
- Producers, directors, and choreographers
- Musicians and singers
- Actors and comedians
- Painters, sculptors, and visual artists
- Photographers
- Film and video camera operators
- Graphic art technicians, designers, and illustrators
- Interior designers and decorators
- Artisans and craftspeople
- Athletes and coaches
- Sports officials and referees
The Self-Employed Visa Canada operates on a points-based system administered by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). Applicants are evaluated based on education, experience, age, language proficiency, and adaptability. A minimum score of 35 out of 100 points is required to qualify. Additionally, applicants must pay the permanent residence fee.
** Applications for the federal Self-Employed Visa are currently paused until January 2027 to address a backlog. In the meantime, self-employed individuals can consider alternative pathways such as the Canada Start-Up Visa Program, or the business purchase and relocation program including the BC PNP Entrepreneur, C11, ICT, etc.
The British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (“BC PNP”) Entrepreneur stream is for individuals who intend to establish or purchase a business in British Columbia and actively participate in its management.
British Columbia offers three entrepreneur streams:
1. Entrepreneur Immigration
2. Entrepreneur Immigration – Regional Pilot
3. Entrepreneur Immigration – Strategic Projects
1. Entrepreneur Immigration
**Requirements:
- Establish a new business or purchase and improve an existing business in BC
- Invest a minimum of $200,000 in the business
- Create at least one full-time job for a Canadian citizen or permanent resident
- Possess a minimum net worth of $600,000
- Have business and/or management experience
- Achieve Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) Level 4 in English or French in listening, speaking, reading, and writing by the time of nomination
- Have, or be eligible for, legal immigration status in Canada
- Be lawfully admitted to the country where you currently reside
- Pay a registration fee of $300, an application fee of $3,500, and a fee of $1,000
2. Entrepreneur Immigration – Regional Pilot
The Regional Pilot stream aims to attract entrepreneurs to rural areas of British Columbia.
**Community Requirements:
- Population of less than 75,000
- Located more than 30 km from a municipality with a population of over 75,000
- Capacity to support foreign entrepreneurs through settlement and business support agencies
- Community representatives must complete immigration and pilot-specific training
**Candidate Requirements:
- Intention to start a business and settle in a regional community in BC
- Complete an exploratory visit
- Invest a minimum of $100,000 in eligible business investments
- Possess a personal net worth of at least $300,000
- Achieve CLB Level 4 in English or French in listening, speaking, reading, and writing by the time of nomination
- Own at least 51% of the business
- Create a minimum of one new job
3. Entrepreneur Immigration – Strategic Projects
This stream supports foreign-controlled companies in establishing a business in BC and facilitates the entry of key managerial, professional, or technical staff who intend to become permanent residents of Canada and settle in BC.
**Company Requirements:
- Make a minimum equity investment of $500,000 to establish or purchase and expand an eligible business in BC
- Create at least three new jobs for Canadian citizens or permanent residents for each proposed foreign key staff member (up to a maximum of five key staff)
- Establish or purchase and expand a business in BC
Employers in Canada can hire foreign workers to fill temporary labour shortages, provided they meet specific requirements and obtain a Labour Market Impact Assessment (“LMIA”).
LMIA is a document required by Canadian employers to hire most foreign workers, confirming the employer’s need for a foreign worker to fill a specific job and the absence of available Canadian workers for that role. Employers must apply for an LMIA, and once it is approved, it must be provided to the candidate to include with their work permit application. Typically, a temporary foreign worker needs both a work permit and a positive LMIA to work in Canada, though some occupations are exempt from this requirement.
Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) of Service Canada is responsible for deciding whether to issue a positive LMIA, and the factors considered by ESDC when making an LMIA decision include:
- The impact on the Canadian labour market
- The wages and working conditions offered
- The availability of Canadian citizens or permanent residents for the job
- The potential transfer of useful knowledge and skills
- Whether hiring the foreign worker will create jobs for Canadians, etc.
The validity period of an LMIA differs from the duration of employment for an LMIA-based work permit, and there are three types of employment durations for an LMIA:
- Temporary duration to support only a work permit application
- Permanent duration to support a permanent residence application, with work permits valid for up to two years and not extendable
- A combination of permanent and temporary durations to support both permanent residence and work permit applications (Dual intent LMIA)
** Employers needing an LMIA to hire a foreign worker must use the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP).
Employers who do not need an LMIA can use the International Mobility Program (IMP).
Canada, as a signatory to the 1951 Geneva Convention and its 1967 Protocol, provides permanent residence to refugees through a detailed protection process. This process consists of two main components: the Refugee and Humanitarian Resettlement Program, which operates outside Canada, and the In-Canada Refugee Protection Process.
- Convention Refugee: A person who, due to a well-founded fear of persecution based on race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion, is outside their home country and is unable or unwilling to seek protection from that country.
- Person in Need of Protection: A person in Canada who would face a risk of torture, threat to life, or risk of cruel and unusual treatment or punishment if returned to their home country.
Most refugees are granted asylum within Canada and submit their claims either at a port of entry or an inland Canada Immigration Centre. Once a Canada Immigration and Citizenship (CIC) officer determines that a refugee protection claim is eligible, it is referred to the Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB). The IRB's Refugee Protection Division conducts a hearing to decide if the claimant is a convention refugee or a person in need of protection.
This hearing, although non-adversarial, usually involves the applicant's legal counsel and a government refugee claims officer. If the claim is approved, the claimant can apply for permanent residence from within Canada. This process typically takes about 18 months.
Before the hearing, claimants may be eligible for employment or student authorization under Canadian law.
Bestway Consulting Group also provides services to protect victims of human trafficking.
Human trafficking is a grave violation of human rights and a pressing issue in Canada and around the world. At Bestway Consulting, we are committed to combating this serious crime through our specialized human trafficking consulting services. Our expert team provides comprehensive support to organizations, governments, and communities to help identify, prevent, and respond to human trafficking incidents effectively.
Risk Assessment and Analysis
- Conduct thorough risk assessments to identify vulnerabilities and areas at risk of human trafficking
- Analyze patterns and trends to understand the dynamics of human trafficking in specific regions
Training and Education
- Develop and deliver tailored training programs for law enforcement, social workers, healthcare professionals, and community organizations
- Raise awareness about the signs of human trafficking and the appropriate responses to suspected cases
Victim Support Services
- Provide resources and support for victims of human trafficking, including legal aid, counselling, and reintegration programs such as an open work permit for vulnerable workers
- Collaborate with local shelters and organizations to ensure victims receive comprehensive care
Community Outreach and Engagement
- Facilitate community engagement initiatives to educate the public and foster collaboration in combating human trafficking
- Organize awareness campaigns and workshops to empower communities to take action
Monitoring and Evaluation
- Implement monitoring and evaluation systems to track the effectiveness of anti-trafficking initiatives such as the list of ineligible employer list for the job sponsor, etc.
- Provide detailed reports and recommendations for continuous improvement
Contact Bestway Consulting for Assistance
Do you need our professional assistance? Bestway Consulting offers over 20 years of expertise assisting start-ups, businesses, employers and workers for their goals globally.
Please contact us to schedule a consultation with one of our expertise.
Email: admin@bestwayconsulting.com
Tel: 778-554-0030
