WIMA Residence Program Brief

Canada Residence by Investment

A policy-focused overview of Canada's investor residence landscape, including the current Quebec investor pathway, permanent residence obligations, and the suspended federal start-up route.

Program Status Review Requirements

Primary Investor Route Quebec Investor

Net Worth CAD 2,000,000

Capital Commitment CAD 1,000,000 + 200,000

PR Obligation 730 days / 5 years

Citizenship Path 1,095 days / 5 years

Policy Status

Canada's investor residence position must be presented with current route availability.

Canada does not operate a broad passive federal investor visa. The current investor residence analysis should distinguish between the Quebec investor route and the paused federal start-up route.

Current Investor Route

Quebec Investor Immigration Program

This pathway is designed for experienced high-net-worth investors who intend to settle in Quebec. It starts with provincial selection, work permit residence in Quebec, and later permanent residence processing.

Requires an investment agreement through an authorized financial intermediary.
Requires a five-year CAD 1,000,000 term investment and CAD 200,000 financial contribution when requested.
Requires a Quebec stay of at least 12 months within two years after work permit issuance.

Paused / Legacy Route

Federal Start-up Visa Program

The federal start-up route is paused as of January 1, 2026. It is not a normal new-application route unless the applicant has a valid 2025 commitment certificate and submits by June 30, 2026.

Legacy eligibility depends on a valid 2025 commitment certificate.
The business must be innovative and supported through an approved start-up support channel.
Applicants must meet language, settlement funds, and qualifying business requirements.

Updated policy view: June 2026. WIMA should treat the federal start-up route as closed to ordinary new applications and should verify all deadlines before client reliance.

Program Overview

A Canadian residence strategy for qualified investors must separate selection, work authorization, and permanent residence.

The Quebec investor route is not a simple immediate permanent residence filing. It involves investor selection criteria, a work permit stage, a Quebec physical stay requirement, and later permanent residence processing.

Investor Selection

The applicant must show lawful capital, management experience, qualifying education, spoken French ability, and an approved investment structure.

Quebec Residence Stage

After a notice of intention to select, the applicant applies for a work permit and must complete a defined Quebec stay before final provincial selection.

Permanent Residence

Once selected, the family proceeds to federal permanent residence processing and must continue to satisfy admissibility and residence obligations.

Residence Benefits

Permanent residence can support settlement, education, business access, and long-term citizenship planning.

Benefits must be communicated as residence rights and immigration outcomes, not as guaranteed tax, business, healthcare, or passport outcomes.

Settlement

Live, Work, and Study

Permanent residents may live, work, and study in Canada, subject to program conditions, provincial settlement intent, and continuing PR obligations.

Family

Family Planning

A residence strategy may include eligible family members, with each person subject to identity, admissibility, medical, and documentation review.

Citizenship

Pathway to Citizenship

Citizenship planning generally requires at least 1,095 days of physical presence in Canada during the five-year eligibility period.

Requirements

The investor file must evidence wealth, experience, language, investment compliance, and settlement intent.

Canadian investor residence files should be prepared for provincial selection review and federal admissibility review. WIMA should avoid presenting capital thresholds as the only criterion.

Investment Agreement	The applicant must enter into an investment agreement with an authorized financial intermediary responsible for making the investment and financial contribution on the applicant's behalf.
Net Worth	Minimum net worth is CAD 2,000,000. The lawful origin and accrual of assets must be demonstrated, including relevant spouse or partner assets where included.
Management Experience	At least two years of management experience acquired within the five years before application submission.
Education	At least a qualification equivalent to a Quebec secondary school diploma or an accepted vocational, specialization, or college-level credential.
French Language	Spoken French knowledge must correspond at least to level 7 on the Quebec scale, supported by accepted test results or accepted diplomas.
Investment and Contribution	When requested, a five-year CAD 1,000,000 term investment and CAD 200,000 financial contribution must be made within the stated period. The CAD 1,000,000 investment is reimbursed without interest at the end of the term.
Quebec Stay	Within two years after work permit issuance, the family must demonstrate at least 12 months of stay in Quebec. At least six months must be completed by the principal applicant.
PR Maintenance	To maintain permanent resident status, a permanent resident must generally be in Canada for at least 730 days during the last five years.

Procedure

A staged file from investor screening to permanent residence planning.

A professional file should include policy screening, financial evidence, language evidence, investment documentation, stay planning, and PR compliance planning.

Confirm route availability, family composition, settlement intent, and investor profile.
Prepare wealth, source-of-funds, management experience, education, and French-language evidence.
Enter into the required investment agreement and file the provincial selection application.
After review, complete the required investment and financial contribution when requested.
Receive notice of intention to select and apply for the Quebec work permit within the required period.
Complete the Quebec stay requirement and submit proof of stay.
Proceed with selection certificate and federal permanent residence processing, including admissibility review.

Timelines vary materially. Processing should not be stated as guaranteed, and the suspended federal start-up route should not be presented as broadly available.

Professional Note

Canada investor residence advice requires current-policy verification before client reliance.

Immigration policy, intake rules, language requirements, work permit rules, and residence obligations can change. WIMA communications should remain conservative, precise, and documented.

Verify

Route Availability

Check whether the applicant is using the current Quebec route or a legacy federal start-up file before preparing public-facing guidance.

Document

Funds and Experience

Source-of-funds analysis, lawful asset accumulation, and management experience evidence should be organized before submission.

Disclose

Residence Conditions

Stay requirements, PR obligations, and citizenship physical presence rules should be explained separately and not merged into a single investment promise.