Business Immigration

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Canada welcomes successful business people who are seeking new opportunities and challenges. The Business Immigration Program is designed to encourage and facilitate the admission of these individuals. Both the federal and provincial/territorial governments welcome business immigrants and offer services to help immigrants start a business and settle in Canada. 

The C11 work permit stands out from most other Canadian work permits because it’s highly flexible and LMIA-exempt. Most employer-specific work permits require an LMIA, which is time-consuming, costly, and restrictive.

Eligibility Requirements

 Here are the C11 Work Permit eligibility criteria:

• Business Ownership / Control
  You must own or intend to own a significant portion of a Canadian business (typically at least 50%) and actively manage it. 
• Significant Benefit to Canada
  Your business should provide economic, social, or cultural benefits (e.g., job creation, innovation, regional development). 
• Genuine Business Plan
  A clear, realistic, and well-documented business plan showing viability and growth potential. 
• Active Involvement
  You must play an active, ongoing role in managing the business (not a passive investor). 
• Financial Capacity
  Ability to invest in and support the business, plus sustain yourself in Canada.

Benefits

• No LMIA requirement
• No Minimum Investment
• Pathway to Permanent Residency after gaining Canadian work experience
• Open work permit for your spouse
• Free education & healthcare benefits for your family 

How we Help

 We guide entrepreneurs step-by-step: 

• Assessing your eligibility 
• Refining your business concept
• Business deal structuring support
• Application Filing & Follow-ups 
• Post-Approval Guidance 

The Rural Entrepreneur Stream is an economic immigration program. Entrepreneurs who want to start a business or buy an existing business in a rural Alberta community can submit an Expression of Interest to apply for a work permit and settle in the province of Alberta.

This stream operates in partnership between the Alberta Advantage Immigration Program (AAIP) and approved participating rural communities. Candidates interested in a specific rural Alberta community connect with the community contact person to discuss their business proposal and schedule an exploratory visit. 

Upon receiving your Business Application Approval Letter and your work permit, you must actively own and operate an eligible business in a rural Alberta community for at least 12 months. If your Final Report for Provincial Nomination is approved, you can apply for Canadian permanent residence to IRCC.

Eligibility Requirements

Here are the Rural Entrepreneur Stream's eligibility criteria:

• Work experience
  Either a 3 years of experience as an active business owner/manager or a minimum of 4 years of experience as a senior manager within the past 10 years.
• Education
  Completion of minimum of high school equivalent to Canadian standard with an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA)
• Net Worth
  Minimum net worth of CA$300,000. All assets must be candidate’s own personal holdings or spouse’s or common-law partner’s.
• Community Support Letter
  Candidates must have a Community Support Letter from a participating rural Alberta community.
• Business investment
  Min investment of CA$100,000 from candidate’s own and/or spouse equity. Higher levels of investment will be awarded more points.

How we Help

We provide full service from work permit to permanent residency - including:

• Business Plan - A comprehensive, investor grade business plan  
• Feasibility Study - Rigorous market and operational analysis that validates the business concept  
• Pitch Deck Creation - A polished, presentation-ready pitch deck designed for the community meeting 
• Community Liaison and Exploratory Visit - We coordinate the exploratory visit, manage all community correspondence, and assist with the EOI filing.

At ZAV Canada Immigration Services, we assist high-potential, skilled entrepreneurs immigrate to Canada under C11, Rural Entrepreneur Stream, and other work permit programs.  

Interested in any of the above? Contact Us