The first category of Canadian business immigration is the Canadian Immigrant Investor Program visa. To fall under this category, you must be willing and able to make an investment of CDN $400,000. This investment is placed with the Receiver General of Canada.
Participating provinces then use your investment to create jobs and help their economies grow. Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) will return your investment to you, without interest, in approximately five years, after you have become a permanent resident.
Many potential business immigrants, though able to meet the program's net worth requirements, may have difficulty raising the assets required in a short period of time, or they may not wish to tie up their money for a period of five years while receiving no interest on the transaction. There is an alternative: you may finance your investment. You have the option to receive a loan from a financial institution in Canada for up to 70% of the investment. You may finance your investment. CIC has agreements with a number of financial institutions that can facilitate the financing of your investment.

Under the Quebec Investor Program, applicants are sought who are experienced business persons with a large amount of capital, interested in investing in Quebec.
In order to apply under this program, applicants must:

• Demonstrate at least 3 years of management experience in a business enterprise, government or other society;
• Possess a minimum net worth of $800,000 CDN of legally acquired funds;
• Undertake and a make an investment of $400,000 with a stockbroker or a trust company, for a term of 5 years.

The second possibility for those wishing to immigrate to Canada through business immigration is the Entrepreneur Program. Under the Federal Entrepreneur Program, the Canadian government seeks to attract experienced business people interested in actively owning and managing a business in Canada, which will generate revenue and create employment for Canadians.
In order to apply under this program, you must:

• Demonstrate business experience. This means that you must have managed and controlled a percent of equity of a qualifying business;
• Possess a minimum net worth of $300,000 CDN of legally acquired funds;
• Have the intention and ability to own and actively manage a Qualifying Canadian Business within three years of becoming a permanent resident;
• Create at least one-full time employment for a Canadian citizen or permanent resident;
• Earn sufficient points in the selection factors to meet the pass mark. The selection factors include points awarded for education, proficiency in Canadian official languages, work experience, age, and adaptability factors to life in Canada.

Under the Quebec Entrepreneur Program, applicants are sought who are experienced business persons interested in actively owning and managing a business in Quebec, which will generate revenue and create employment for Quebec residents.
In order to apply under this program, applicants must:

• Have at least three years of management experience in a business enterprise, government or other society;
• Have a minimum net worth of $300,000 CDN of legally acquired funds (including your spouse's assets);
• Submit a viable business plan to establish or acquire a business in Quebec, which the applicant intends to manage and operate and which will employ at least three Quebec residents;
• Possess the intention and ability to own and actively manage an eligible business within three years of becoming a permanent resident;
• Create at least one-full time employment for a Canadian citizen or permanent resident.

This is the third possibility for business immigration to Canada, and concerns self-employed individuals. As a self-employed person, you must have relevant experience in cultural activities, athletics or farm management. You must also have the intention and ability to establish a business that will, at a minimum, create employment for yourself. You must make a significant contribution to cultural activities or athletics or purchase and manage a farm in Canada.
No immigration conditions are imposed on this class. However, you must be able to:

• Demonstrate at least 2 years experience of self-employment in cultural activities or in athletics, and participation at a world-class level in cultural activities or athletics, or farm management experience;
• Possess sufficient funds to support their family upon their arrival;
• Possess the intention and ability to establish a business that will generate self-employment;
• Make a significant contribution to the cultural or athletic life of Canada or purchase and manage a farm in Canada;
• Earn sufficient points in the selection factors to meet the pass mark. The selection factors include points awarded for education, proficiency in Canadian official languages, work experience, age, and adaptability factors to life in Canada.

The Quebec Self-Employed Program is geared towards applicants who will generate their own employment by practicing an occupation for which they possess previous experience.
In order to apply under this program, applicants must:

• Have at least two years of experience in the occupation they intend to pursue in Quebec;
• Have a minimum net worth of $100,000 CDN of legally acquired funds (including spousal assets);
• Have the intention and ability to create their own employment by pursuing their occupation in Quebec.