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Residency & Golden Visas
Ten provincial entrepreneur and investor routes to Canadian permanent residency, with verified 2026 investment thresholds. Canada's two federal business routes are closed.
About Canadaنبذة
Canada offers one of the most comprehensive business immigration frameworks worldwide. Through its Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs), qualified entrepreneurs and business owners can establish or purchase a business, create local employment, and secure Canadian permanent residency. Canada's two federal business routes, the Start-Up Visa and the Self-Employed Persons Program, are closed to new applications. Each open stream reflects its province's or territory's economic priorities — from business development in British Columbia, the Atlantic provinces and the North to primary agriculture in Alberta. Successful applicants usually receive a work permit to launch operations, followed by nomination for permanent residency after meeting the conditions of a performance agreement.
Ten provincial entrepreneur streams are open. Both federal business routes are closed.
Routes for entrepreneurs, investors and farmers, across nine provinces and territories.
No single national threshold — investment ranges from CAD $100,000 to CAD $300,000 by province and region.
Provincial Nominee Program admissions were raised to 91,500 for 2026, up from 55,000 in 2025.
Eligible for Canadian citizenship after three years of residence as a permanent resident.
Canada at a glance
Population
40,400,000
Capital
Ottawa
Language
English and French
Currency
Canadian Dollar (CAD)
Time zone
Multiple (UTC-3.5 to UTC-8)
Climate
Varies from temperate to sub-arctic; cold winters and mild summers.
Residency routesالمسارات
In detailالتفاصيل
Provincial pathways that are open
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British Columbia — Entrepreneur Immigration, Base stream Investment from CAD $200,000; net worth CAD $600,000.
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British Columbia — Entrepreneur Immigration, Regional stream Investment from CAD $100,000; net worth CAD $300,000. No longer a pilot — BC made it a permanent part of the BC PNP on 27 May 2024.
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Prince Edward Island — Work Permit Stream Investment from CAD $150,000; net worth CAD $600,000. PR through a work permit and a performance agreement.
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Nova Scotia — Entrepreneur stream Investment from CAD $150,000 inside Halifax or CAD $100,000 outside it; net worth CAD $600,000 or CAD $400,000. A CAD $2,000 application fee applies from 1 September 2026.
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New Brunswick — Business Immigration Stream Investment from CAD $150,000; net worth CAD $500,000 (CAD $300,000 for farming). This stream replaced the closed Entrepreneurial Stream.
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Newfoundland & Labrador — International Entrepreneur Investment from CAD $200,000; net worth CAD $600,000; operate the business for a year before nomination.
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Northwest Territories — Business Stream Investment from CAD $200,000 within Yellowknife or CAD $100,000 outside it; net worth CAD $500,000 or CAD $250,000. Exploratory visit and interview required; no deposit.
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Manitoba — Business Investor Stream, Entrepreneur Pathway Net worth CAD $500,000. Investment is indicatively CAD $250,000 in the Manitoba Capital Region or CAD $150,000 outside it; Manitoba does not publish a fixed threshold and sets the exact amount individually in your Business Performance Agreement.
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Alberta — Self-Employed Farmer Stream Net worth and equity of CAD $500,000 in primary agriculture. Open, but only 60 nominations across all Alberta entrepreneur streams for 2026 against 217 applications already in process.
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Yukon — Business Nominee Program Investment from CAD $300,000; net worth CAD $500,000.
Pathways that have closed
None of these accepts a new application. Each has its own page with the official closure dates and the routes that remain open.
- Federal Start-Up Visa — paused 30 June 2026; intake ended 31 December 2025.
- Federal Self-Employed Persons Program — intake closed 30 April 2024; pause extended indefinitely on 19 December 2025.
- Ontario OINP Entrepreneur Stream — closed; Ontario has archived the page.
- Saskatchewan Entrepreneur Category — permanently closed 27 March 2025.
- Saskatchewan Farm Owner & Young Farmer Stream — permanently closed 27 March 2025.
The federal Business category is set at 500 admissions a year under the 2026-2028 Immigration Levels Plan, which is the clearest explanation of why both federal entrepreneur routes were shut. Provincial Nominee Program admissions, by contrast, were raised to 91,500 for 2026 after being halved to 55,000 in 2025.
BC Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP) for Entrepreneur - Regional Pilot
This program was designed to encourage foreign investors or entrepreneurs to open small business or purchase running business in smaller communities of British Columbia. Hence this program has been termed as British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP) for Entrepreneur- Regional Pilot. This is a permanent residency program. This is a low investment and asset requirement program.
to be eligible to apply for this program
You need to conduct an exploratory visit to British Columbian regions where you would set up or buy your business. This will be your research for your business plan.
You need to present your business proposal to the community’s designated representative. This will help you get more information and community referrals.
Along with your application, you need to submit documents supporting your education, your work experience and your Business Plan/concept.
Amongst the applicants, if you are one of the high ranking applicant, you will be invited to submit a complete application for the program.
Once you meet the requirements, then you will get the nomination for BC, using which you can proceed to apply for your PR with the Federal Government.
Canada Business Investor Visa
Ranked as the world's second-largest country, Canada boasts abundant natural resources, vast oil reserves, and breathtaking landscapes. In recent years, Canada has actively welcomed a diverse influx of immigrants, including skilled professionals and entrepreneurs, through various pathways.
XIPHIAS Immigration, with our extensive knowledge and expertise, supported by a skilled team of immigration specialists worldwide, stands ready to facilitate your journey to Canada as an Entrepreneur or Business Investor. Our expertise includes Canada business visa investments, ensuring compliance with the latest Canada business visa minimum investment requirements. We specialize in Canada citizenship by investment, guiding you through the process of Canada investment visas and business investment immigration processes.
Canada Startup Visa
Canada Start-up Visa Program has been specially designed to help entrepreneurs with innovative ideas who want to set up a startup in Canada. Such business should have the potential to scale up to global levels.
Manitoba
Manitoba, the rich Canadian Province filled by natural resources and agricultural lands, invites entrepreneurs to live and invest in Manitoba through its Manitoba Immigrant Nominee Program. You can either invest in Farm land or in a new or running business in Manitoba to qualify for this program.
Prince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island through its PNP, apart from inviting the skilled professionals into the province, also invites Business enthusiasts into the province through various pathways defined for investors. PEI is a conducive province for all those who would like to relocate to a peaceful growing economy.
SINP
The Saskatchewan’s Investment Nominee Program, invites all those immigrants who would want to invest either in Agricultural land or in any running/new business in Saskatchewan. Such enthusiastic immigrants who would want to invest in Agricultural land should also know how to run agriculture based business too.
Quebec Investor Program
Quebec Investor Program was designed to increase investments in Quebec and to provide jobs for local population in Quebec. It is important for the investor to satisfy few unique cultural requirements to qualify for this program.
BC Investment Program
British Columbia through its Provincial Nominee Program encourages high net worth individuals and entrepreneurs to invest in the province to either set up a new business or take part in an already running business. It is one of the lowest investment programs in Canada.
Canada Investment Visa, Requirements, Eligibility, Cost and Processing Time
As your dedicated Canada investment visa consultant, XIPHIAS Immigration is committed to providing tailored guidance, ensuring that you meet all the required criteria for a successful application.
Understanding the financial implications is important, and our team offers detailed insights into the Canada investment visa cost. This transparency allows you to make informed decisions and plan your investment effectively. Furthermore, we recognize the significance of time in the immigration process. Hence, we provide clear information on the Canada investment visa processing time, ensuring a clear and transparent process.
Canada Investor Visa Immigration Consultants in Dubai, UAE
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Sources
- IRCC — Supplementary Information for the 2026-2028 Immigration Levels Plan
- IRCC — Immigration measures for entrepreneurs (19 December 2025)
- Each programme page above links the province's own eligibility page.
Checked 29 September 2026.
The processكيف نعمل
Choose the suitable provincial entrepreneur stream with XIPHIAS experts.
Submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) outlining your business concept.
Receive an invitation to apply and complete net-worth verification and business plan submission.
Attend a mandatory interview and/or exploratory visit where required.
Obtain a temporary work permit to establish or manage your business in Canada.
Fulfil investment and job-creation conditions under a performance agreement.
Apply for permanent residency nomination upon successful operation.
Eligibilityالمتطلبات
What it takes to qualify.
Legally acquired net worth, typically CAD $250,000 to CAD $600,000 depending on province and region.
Minimum investment from CAD $100,000 to CAD $300,000 depending on location.
Business ownership or senior management experience — usually three years.
Language: CLB 4 or CLB 5 in English or French, depending on the stream.
A business plan and active day-to-day management within Canada.
Clean criminal record and admissibility under IRCC standards.
Questionsأسئلة شائعة
Canada, answered.
Ten streams across nine provinces and territories: British Columbia (Base and Regional), Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Newfoundland & Labrador, Northwest Territories, Manitoba, Alberta and Yukon. Ontario and Saskatchewan have closed theirs.
ابدأ الآن
Begin your Canada application.
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