OINP: Entrepreneur Stream Guide
- Overview
- Before you register an expression of interest
- Mandatory requirements
- General business requirements
- Ineligible types of businesses
- Use a representative to apply
- Expression of interest
- EOI registration instructions
- After you submit your EOI
- Review of Personal Net Worth (Third Party Verification Report)
- If you are invited to apply to the Entrepreneur Stream
- Supporting documents
- Cost to apply
- Submit an online application
- Attend a mandatory interview
- After you apply
- Sign a performance agreement
- Get a temporary work permit
- Establish your business
- Get nominated for permanent residence
- Monitoring after nomination
Overview
The Entrepreneur Stream is an immigration stream under the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP).
This stream is for entrepreneurs from outside of Canada interested in starting a new business or buying an existing business in Ontario.
It gives an entrepreneur (and up to one foreign national business partner) the opportunity to be nominated for permanent residence once their business has been established in Ontario.
If you are nominated, the next step will be to apply to the federal government through Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). They make the final decision on who becomes a permanent resident.
The Entrepreneur Stream application is a two-stage process.
Stage 1
- Register an expression of interest by email
- If invited, submit an online application
- You and your business partner (if applicable) attend a mandatory in-person interview at the OINP office in Toronto
- If your stage 1 application is successful, you must sign a performance agreement
Stage 2
- We issue a temporary work permit support letter so that you can apply to IRCC for a temporary work permit
- Establish your business – you have 20 months to implement your business plan and submit a final report
- If your business meets all requirements, we ask you for documentation to make sure you are eligible for nomination for permanent residence.
Before you register an expression of interest
- Make sure you meet the mandatory requirements
- Check the list of ineligible types of businesses
- Understand the expression of interest process
- Read the registration instructions
Mandatory requirements
To qualify under the Entrepreneur Stream, you must have a viable business that is likely to provide material economic benefit to the economy of Ontario as a whole or to the local Ontario economy where the business will be located. You and one business partner (if applicable) must both meet the eligibility requirements.
If you are invited to submit an application, you must provide supporting documentation to demonstrate you meet the requirements.
Please refer section 13 of Ontario Regulation 422/17 and the Entrepreneur Stream Application Guide for more details on each requirement.
1. Business experience
You must have at least 24 months of full-time business experience in the last 60 months.
Your experience must be as a business owner or as a senior manager (business management). As a business owner you must have had an active role in the business and owned at least one-third of the business. As a senior manager you must have had senior decision-making responsibilities in the business.
2. Net worth
If your proposed business will be located:
- within the Greater Toronto Area (City of Toronto and Durham, Halton, York and Peel regions) you must have a minimum net worth of 800,000 CDN.
- outside of the Greater Toronto Area you must have a minimum net worth of $400,000 CDN.
If your proposed business is in the information and communications technology/digital communications sector then regardless of location, you must have a minimum net worth of $400,000 CDN.
3. Personal investment funds and minimum equity
If your proposed business will be located:
- within the Greater Toronto Area, you must make a minimum personal investment of $600,000 CDN and control at least one-third of the equity in the business
- outside of the Greater Toronto Area, you must make a minimum personal investment of $200,000 CDN and control at least one-third of the equity in the business
If your proposed business is in the information and communications technology/digital communications sector then regardless of location, you must make a minimum personal investment of $200,000 CDN and control at least of one-third of the equity in the business.
The Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) welcomes foreign national entrepreneurs willing to invest in Ontario. Candidates who are invited to apply for permanent residency nomination under the Entrepreneur Stream would be considered, but not guaranteed for approval, and applications are assessed against the criteria as set out under section 13 of Ontario Regulation 422/17 (General), as further explained in the Application Guide: Entrepreneur Stream. The criteria include an applicant demonstrating that they meet minimum personal net worth and investment criteria. While passive investments, including mutual and/or pooled fund securities, are permissible for the purpose of satisfying the personal net worth criterion, they are not eligible for inclusion in an applicant’s minimum business investment amount.
4. Active involvement
You must be actively involved, on an ongoing basis, in the management of the business.
5. Capital investment purpose
The primary purpose of investing capital in the business must be to make a profit. It must not be to derive interest, dividends or capital gains.
6. Job creation
If the business will be located inside the Greater Toronto Area, you must create at least two permanent full-time jobs for Canadian citizens or permanent residents. If the business will be located outside the Greater Toronto Area or in the information and communications technology or digital communications sector, regardless of location, you must create at least one permanent full-time job for a Canadian citizen or permanent resident. Jobs must be created within the first 20 months of establishing or acquiring the business, must be filled continuously for at least 10 months and must be paid at the median wage level for the position.
7. Additional requirements if purchasing an existing business
If you plan to purchase an existing business:
- you must make at least one business-related visit to Ontario within 12 months from the date of registering an Expression of Interest
- the business being purchased must have been in continuous operation by the same owner(s) for the previous 60 months
- ownership of the business must be completely transferred to the applicant or any business partner
- you must use at least 10% of your personal investment towards improving or expanding the business in Ontario
- you must keep all permanent full-time employees that worked in the business prior to the transfer of ownership
General business requirements
In addition to meeting the minimum requirements listed above, you must also meet the general business requirements listed below.
1. Business purpose
The business purpose must be to make a profit from active income through the sale of goods and/or services.
2. Canadian and Ontario legal requirements
Your business must comply with all relevant federal, provincial or municipal legal, regulatory and licensing requirements. This includes compliance with Ontario’s labour and employment standards laws.
3. Permanent business
Your business must be permanent. Project-based and seasonal businesses are not eligible.
4. Business in Ontario
You must maintain a place of business in Ontario at all times.
