Ontario Investor Program
2023
The Entrepreneur stream is the business stream option under the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP).
The Entrepreneur stream is open to foreign nationals (and up to one foreign national business partner), who wish to implement a new permanent business or buy an existing business in Ontario, with the purpose of making a profit from active income through the sale of goods/services. Under this program, entrepreneurs have the opportunity to be nominated for permanent resident status once their business has been successfully established in Ontario.
The following are the eligibility requirements:
New Business:
- Experience: At least 2 years of full-time business experience (as an owner or senior manager) within the last 5 years;
- Minimum Net Worth: CAD $400,000 – $800,000, depending on the location and type of business;
- Minimum Investment: $200,000 – $600,000, depending on the location and type of business, and a minimum ownership of 33.3%;
- Create at least 1-2 full-time, permanent jobs for Canadian citizens or permanent residents, depending on the location and type of business; and
- Meet a minimum language requirement of Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 4 or equivalent in English or French;
- Be actively involved in managing the business and be physically living in Ontario for 75% of the time in which the business is being established
Purchasing an Existing Business:
- All the requirements listed above under the New Business section;
- The existing business must have been in continuous operation by the same owner or group of owners for the previous 60 months before purchase;
- The purchase must completely transfer ownership from the previous owner(s) to you, your Business Partner (if applicable) and/or your third-party investor(s) (if applicable);
- The proposed business must not have been previously owned/operated by current or former OINP business stream nominees;
- All existing permanent full-time jobs must be preserved;
- The proposed business plan must demonstrate that you intend to grow the business. Buy and hold business plans with no intent to grow the business are not permitted in the Entrepreneur Stream; and
- Make an exploratory visit to Ontario within 12 months after registering an expression of interest.
For more information on Ontario’s business nomination stream, please contact us.
Important Immigration Court Decisions
