This visa category closed to new applications temporarily on December 30th 2015. The Canadian government opens this visa category periodically, at their discretion.
The Canadian Immigrant Investor Venture Capital Visa Program started on 1 December 2010, but is not always available. The category is opened only when Canada's immigration department – Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) - deems that Canada is in need of foreign investors, and is closed once those needs have been met.
Eligibility: Net worth and investment
To be eligible for this visa category, applicants must:
Have personal net worth of at least $10 million CND, which must;
Have been acquired through legal business and/or investment, and;
Must not have been acquired through inheritance, and;
Must not be tied up in the value of your primary home (though other property owned can count towards net worth)
Be willing and able to invest at least $2 million CND into Canada's Immigrant Investor Venture Capital Fund for 15 years (see below for details of this fund).
Eligibility: Language skills
Applicants must have reasonable proficiency in English, French, or both languages. To prove this applicants must provide test results from:
The Canadian English Language Proficiency Index Program (CELPIP), OR;
The International English Language Testing System (IELTS), OR;
The Test d’évaluation de français (TEF)
Immigrant Investor Venture Capital Fund
Applicants must invest at least $2 million CND into Canada's Immigrant Investor Venture Capital Fund for around 15 years to be eligible for this visa. These investments are 'at-risk', meaning there is no guaranteed return.
However, unlike the previous rules for this visa, investors do now receive interest on their investment throughout the investment term – rather than only once the term has expired.
At Workpermit.com we understand that the word 'risk' is something investors never want to hear. If you would like to discuss your investment interests please contact us on 0344 991 9222 or at london@workpermit.com to talk to our in-house Canadian immigration lawyer, who can help you to ensure that your investment is a profitable one.
Personal net worth: due diligence report
In order to prove their personal net worth, applicants are required to obtain a due diligence report from one of the following organisations:
BDO USA, LLP
Deloitte Forensic Inc.
Ernst & Young Global Ltd
KPMG LLP
PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) LLP
Raymond Chabot Grant Thornton Consulting Inc.
Investment: facilitators and finance
In order to make their investment smoothly and quickly, investors may use one of Canada's approved investment facilitators. Though it is important to note that this is NOT a requirement.
These organisations can also help investors to finance their investment if they wish to do so.
Further information, help, and advice
Workpermit.com's team of specialists has over 25 years of experience in immigration services, and have helped thousands of people to study, work, and invest in Canada. All applications for Canadian visas are dealt with in-house by a member of the Law Society of Upper Canada.
For more information and advice on Canadian immigration law and Canadian visa applications please contact us on 0344 991 9222 or at london@workpermit.com
