Canada Citizenship and Residency by Investment

CANADA RESIDENCY BY INVESTMENT

Canada has a history of residency by investment programs at both the federal and provincial levels. The Quebec Investor Program, which has been suspended as of 2021 and is not currently accepting new applications, was a popular program that allowed high net worth individuals to obtain permanent residency in the province of Quebec in exchange for a minimum investment of CAD 1.2 million for a period of 5 years. Other provinces, such as British Columbia and Ontario, have their own Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs) that allow foreign nationals to obtain Canadian permanent residency by investing in businesses or creating jobs in those provinces. Currently the most attractive program available with the lowest investment criteria is the Canadian SUV.

Canada Citizenship by Investment

Citizenship through investment is possible in Canada but applicants will need a period of residency first before being eligible to apply. There is no direct Canadian Citizenship by Investment program.

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CANADIAN START-UP VISA PROGRAMME

The Canadian Start-Up Visa Programme (SUV) targets immigrant entrepreneurs with the skills and potential to build innovative businesses in Canada that can create jobs for Canadians and compete on a global level. La Vida is able to link prospective entrepreneurs with suitable businesses and appropriate training to qualify for residency. Applicants must demonstrate their net worth with an income of at least $200,000 or proof of $1,000,000 of financial assets.

The SUV programme offers a fast and cost-effective immigration route into Canada with fees from around CAD$225,000 (approx USD$160,000) that provides Permanent Residency (PR). Unlike other business immigration paths, the PR status is not tied to the success of the business.

Investors can include their spouse and children 21 years of age and younger. Successful applicants can live anywhere in Canada other than the province of Quebec. This programme takes as little as 12 – 18 months.

CANADIAN PERMANENT RESIDENCY AND CITIZENSHIP

Following a successful application, investors and their families will be issued Permanent Residency status from day one. Investors must reside in Canada for 730 days (two years) within five years to uphold the PR status. If investors live in Canada for three out of the five years (1,095 days) it is then possible to apply for Canadian Citizenship. Applicants must demonstrate adequate knowledge of English and/or French and have no criminal record.

Canadian Passport Strength

For those fortunate enough to obtain it, Canadian citizenship ultimately offers the benefit of a strong passport. The Canadian passport offers visa-free travel to 197 countries worldwide. In terms of mobility for investors, it offers visa-free access to 79.7% of the world’s wealth (as measured by GDP) and a quite substantial measure of 92.2% of the global travel popularity. It ranks 30th overall in La Vida’s comprehensive Global Passport Ranking with an overall score of 86.2.

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