Hakam Immigration Services · Vancouver, BC

Business
Immigration

Start, buy, or run a business in Canada the right way. We help entrepreneurs, founders, and business owners understand which Canadian business immigration pathways are realistic for them, before they invest time, money, or a single application fee.

Book a Business Immigration ConsultationSee Your Options ↓
✓ BC Entrepreneur Stream✓ Provincial Streams✓ Entrepreneur Work Permit✓ Intra-Company Transfers
Starting a business?Provincial streams are open.
Running a company abroad?Transfer options exist.
Heard about the Start-up Visa?It is currently paused.
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Business Immigration Overview

Business immigration is about
the right structure, not the biggest cheque.

Canada offers several ways for entrepreneurs and business owners to live and work here, some leading to permanent residence and others to temporary work permits. They differ widely in who qualifies, what you must show, and how long the process takes.

The programs also change often. Federal programs have been paused or closed, intake is capped or limited, and provinces set their own rules. A route that worked for a friend two years ago may no longer exist, so the first step is always to confirm what is actually available today.

Your business plan, ownership structure, funding source, language ability, and your role in the company all matter. Weak preparation is one of the most common reasons business immigration applications fail.

At Hakam Immigration Services, we help you compare realistic options, build a credible plan, and avoid expensive dead ends. We tell you plainly when a route is not a good fit.

!

Buying a business does not automatically mean a visa.

No Canadian program grants permanent residence simply because you invest in or purchase a business. Most pathways require active involvement, a viable plan, genuine ties to the business, and a program that is currently accepting applicants.

Before you commit funds, have your pathway reviewed. Signing a purchase agreement or paying a deposit before you know your immigration route is one of the costliest mistakes we see.

Pathways

Which business route
fits your situation?

Book a Business Immigration Consultation →

Each route below has its own eligibility rules and current availability. We review these with you during your consultation and confirm what is open before you plan around it.

Provincial · Active

BC PNP Entrepreneur Immigration

British Columbia invites entrepreneurs through its Base and Regional streams, plus a Strategic Projects stream for foreign companies. Candidates are selected from a registration pool through periodic draws, so a strong profile still has to be competitive. Typical net worth and investment requirements are higher for the Base stream and lower for Regional communities.

Provincial · Active

Other Provincial Streams

Alberta, Manitoba, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Labrador, New Brunswick, PEI, Yukon, and the Northwest Territories run their own business or entrepreneur streams. Each sets its own net worth, investment, ownership, and business-performance rules, and several include graduate-entrepreneur options.

Work Permit · Active

Entrepreneur Work Permit (Significant Benefit)

An LMIA-exempt work permit for owners who will run their own Canadian business. Officers generally expect majority ownership, a viable and near-operational business, enough funds, and a clear significant benefit to Canada. It is often used as a first step before a provincial nomination.

Work Permit · Active

Intra-Company Transferees

For executives, senior managers, and specialized-knowledge employees of a company abroad who are transferred to a related Canadian business. The foreign and Canadian entities must have a qualifying relationship, and a new Canadian operation is generally permitted only a shorter initial stay.

Quebec · Separate System

Quebec Business Programs

Quebec selects its own investors, entrepreneurs, and self-employed workers under separate rules, which include French-language requirements. These are not covered by federal or other provincial streams, so they need a Quebec-specific assessment.

Paused or Closed

Start-up Visa and Other Federal Programs

The federal Start-up Visa is paused and not accepting new applications. IRCC has announced a replacement pilot for entrepreneurs, but it has not been launched. The Self-Employed Persons Program is also paused, and the federal investor programs are no longer open.

Last reviewed October 2026. Program status, intake, and requirements change often. We confirm the current position with IRCC or the relevant province before you plan around any route.

Choosing a direction

Permanent residence
or a work permit first?

With the federal Start-up Visa paused, most business owners today begin with a work permit and work toward a provincial nomination. Which route fits depends on your profile, timeline, and how much risk you are comfortable carrying.

Long-term goal

Permanent Residence Routes

  • Provincial entrepreneur streams, including BC
  • Often requires running the business on a work permit before nomination
  • Business plan, net worth, and funds are closely reviewed
  • Nominations depend on meeting agreed business commitments
  • Quebec has its own separate programs
Faster start

Temporary Work Permit Routes

  • Intra-company transfer and entrepreneur work permits
  • Lets you work in or run the business in Canada
  • Needs a real, operating business with a clear role for you
  • Does not itself lead to permanent residence
  • Should be paired with a longer-term PR plan

How it works

How a business immigration
file comes together.

Every pathway is different, but strong business immigration files follow the same logic: confirm the route, prove the business is real, then show you are the right person to run it.

1

Strategy Consultation

We review your background, business idea or existing company, funding, and goals, then narrow down the routes that are genuinely open to you.

2

Confirm Current Program Rules

We check what is accepting applications today, including intake limits, minimum requirements, and province-specific conditions.

3

Build the Business Case

We work with you on the business plan, ownership structure, and supporting evidence of your experience, funds, and role in the company.

4

Secure Required Support

Where needed, this includes provincial registration and nomination steps, work permit support letters, or employer and company documents.

5

Prepare and Submit the Application

We organize your documents and prepare a complete, consistent application so it holds up to officer review.

6

Plan Your Next Steps

We help you plan the move, your status while waiting, and the path from a temporary permit to permanent residence where relevant.

How we help

Honest guidance before
you invest in anything.

Hakam Immigration Services is a boutique, expert-led practice. We are a licensed RCIC firm, so you work directly with a regulated consultant, not a call centre.

Pathway Assessment

We compare your realistic options and tell you which routes are open, which are not, and why.

Profile and Eligibility Review

We assess your experience, education, language ability, funds, and business background against current requirements.

Business Plan Alignment

We help make sure your plan, ownership, and role are consistent with what your chosen program expects to see.

Document Preparation

We organize your evidence and supporting documents so your application is complete and professionally presented.

Application Support

We guide you through the application process and help you respond to requests from the program or IRCC.

Long-Term Planning

We look beyond approval to your status, your family, and the path to permanent residence.

Important: Business immigration outcomes depend on current program rules, your individual circumstances, and the decision of the immigration authority. No consultant can guarantee approval, and we never will.

Common questions

Business Immigration
answered.

Hakam Immigration Services helps entrepreneurs and business owners understand their options clearly, so decisions are made on facts rather than rumours.

Can I get permanent residence by investing in or buying a business in Canada?
Not automatically. Canada has no program that grants permanent residence for a purchase alone, and the federal investor programs are no longer open. Today, the main permanent residence routes for business owners are provincial entrepreneur streams, which generally require a viable business, active involvement, and meeting agreed commitments with the province.
Is the Start-up Visa still open?
No. IRCC stopped accepting new Start-up Visa applications, and the program is currently paused. IRCC has said a new targeted pilot for immigrant entrepreneurs will replace it, but at the time of our last review it had not been launched and no eligibility details were published. Applications already received continue to be processed. Check IRCC for the latest position before relying on this route.
Do provinces have their own business immigration programs?
Yes. Several provinces run entrepreneur streams with their own investment, ownership, and business-plan requirements. These vary a lot from one province to another and can be paused or revised, so we verify the current stream details with you.
How much money do I need to invest?
It depends on the program. Provincial streams and federal programs set different minimum requirements, and some also expect you to show a source of funds. We confirm the current figures for your chosen route during your consultation rather than quoting numbers that may be out of date.
Can I come to Canada on a work permit first and apply for PR later?
In many cases, yes. Some work permit routes, such as intra-company transfers or entrepreneur work permits, let you work in or operate a business in Canada first. They do not guarantee permanent residence, so it is worth planning a longer-term pathway from the start.
How long does the process take?
Timelines vary widely between programs and change over time. Preparation of the business plan and supporting evidence often takes longer than the application itself. We review realistic timing with you instead of promising a fixed date.
Will you tell me if my business idea is not a good fit?
Yes. We would rather say so at the start than let you invest in an application that is unlikely to succeed. If a different route is a better match, we will tell you.

Thinking about building your future in Canada?

Book a Business Immigration Consultation with Hakam Immigration Services to review your background, your business plan, your funding, and the pathways that are realistic for you.

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