STAGE 1

• Expression of Interest by email and if invited submit an online application within 90 days. After that, you and your business partner attend a mandatory interview
• If your application is successful, you must sign a performance agreement

STAGE 2

• We issue a temporary work permit letter then apply, work permit to IRCC
• 20 months from the arrival date in Ontario to implement a business plan and submit final report
• If business meets all the requirements, documentation is required by you to make sure of your eligibility for permanent residence

[email protected]

MANDATORY REQUIREMENT STAGE 1

• Business Experience: 24 months in the last 60 months as a Business Owner or Senior Manager

• ** INVESTMENT FUNDS: 

1. You must control at least one-third of the equity in the business
2. 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 Canadian and control at least of one-third of the equity in the business
3. Passive investment, mutual and fund securities can be counted in net worth but not in investment amount

• ** JOB CREATION: Must be continuously filled for at least 10 months prior to submitting the final report and should be existing at the time of final report and nomination

• 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

• ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS IF PURCHASING AN EXISTING BUSINESS:

1. You must make at least one business-related visit to Ontario within 12 months from the date of registering an expression of interest
2. the business being purchased must have been in continuous operation by the same owner(s) for the previous 60 months (proof of ownership and either a letter of intent to purchase the business or sale agreement is required)
3. ownership of the business must be completely transferred to the applicant or any business partner
4. the previous owner(s) cannot retain any shares of the business
5. you must use at least 10% of your personal investment towards improving or expanding the business in Ontario
6. you must keep all permanent, full-time jobs in the business prior to the transfer of ownership
7. the proposed business must not have been previously owned/operated by current or former OINP business stream nominees, including anyone who has received a certificate of nomination under the Entrepreneur Stream or the Opportunities Ontario Investor Component

• General Business Requirements: Apart from above requirements, business should maintain income, maintain a place of business in Ontario all time, must be operated on permanent basis, (project based and/or seasonal based business are not allowed), lastly, qualifying third-party investors must be a Schedule I or Schedule II bank or an institutional investor
• Ineligible Types of Business:

1. automated car wash business
2. holding companies
3. laundromats
4. pawnbrokers
5. payday loan and related businesses
6. scrap metal recycling
7. tire recycling
8. a business involved in producing, distributing or selling pornography or sexually explicit products or services, or providing sexually oriented services
9. businesses which have been previously owned or operated by a current or former OINP Entrepreneur Stream nominee or a nominee under the former investor component of the Opportunities Ontario program

** If your proposed business will be located in the Greater Toronto Area,     the following types are also ineligible:

1. existing franchises in Ontario (new foreign franchises expanding into Ontario are permitted)
2. gas stations
3. bed and breakfasts

MANDATORY REQUIREMENTS STAGE 2

• Language: CLB 4 
• Residency: You must be physically living in Ontario for 75% of the time during which you are establishing your business. Also, you must receive a temporary work permit and arrive in Ontario within 12 months of receiving approval at Stage 1 and inform the program of your arrival within seven days. Lastly, you must make sure that you are complying with all the commitments in the performance agreement which are based on information provided in your EOI and business plan and must be actively involved in the day-to-day management activities of your business.

EXPRESSION OF INTEREST SCORING

• Human Capital Factor: Maximum 80 Points
• Business Experience for Business Ownership and for Senior Manager (business manager): 

• Past Specific Experience: Additional Points upto 35 points can be claimed if your experience is eligible in regards to being in a High Growth Business that experienced a minimum of 20% increase in revenue in two consecutive years prior to the date of your EOI registration, in an Export-Trade Business that exports at least 20% of total goods/services to a foreignmarket each year within last two years prior to the date of your EOI registration, and for Transferable skills related to direct experience and/or experience in related industries within the last 5 years prior to the date of your EOI registration, only if the experience was gained within the last 60 months. The possible points for the past specific experience are:

• Level of Education Scoring: Maximum 10 Points

• Official Language Ability: Maximum 10 Points

• Investment Factors: Maximum Points 46 Points which includes Net Worth points of 15 points and for Investment Amount points of 25 points, Business-related visits 6 points

SCORING FOR PERSONAL NET WORTH IF YOUR PROPOSED BUSINESS WILL BE LOCATED WITHIN THE GTA

SCORING FOR PERSONAL NET WORTH IF YOUR PROPOSED BUSINESS WILL BE LOCATED OUTSIDE THE GTA OR IF IT WILL BE IN THE ICT/DIGITAL COMMUNICATIONS SECTOR (REGARDLESS OF LOCATION)

SCORING FOR YOUR INVESTMENT AMOUNT IF YOUR PROPOSED BUSINESS WILL BE LOCATED WITHIN THE GTA

SCORING FOR YOUR INVESTMENT AMOUNT IF YOUR PROPOSED BUSINESS WILL BE LOCATED OUTSIDE THE GTA OR IF IT WILL BE IN THE ICT/DIGITAL COMMUNICATIONS SECTOR (REGARDLESS OF LOCATION)

• Business-related Visits: Maximum 6 Points

• Business Concept Factors: Maximum 74 Points

• Business Model: Maximum 15 Points

• Market Research: Maximum 15 Points

• Significant Economic Benefit and Key Sector: Maximum 10 Points

• Investment Allocation: Maximum 10 Points

• Business Location: Maximum 10 Points

• Job Creation: Maximum 7 Points

• ** Lastly, you may also claim additional points based on the National Occupational Classification (NOC) 0, NOC A or NOC B jobs your proposed business will create for Canadian citizens or permanent residents. Please include a NOC designation for each new job created. There is no mandatory requirement for this factor to be considered for the Entrepreneur Stream.

• COSTS TO APPLY:  The application fee is $3,500 for you and $3,500 for your business partner (if applicable). This fee covers the cost of processing your application.