Canada Quebec Immigrant Investor Program (QIIP) and Start-Up Visa

Not at the federal level. The federal Immigrant Investor Program was terminated in 2014 and its venture-capital replacement ended in 2017. The only passive model left is the Quebec Immigrant Investor Program, which reopened on paper in 2024 but is widely treated as dormant and requires French, a high net worth, and real Quebec residency.

It was paused to new applicants on January 1, 2026. Applicants who already held a valid 2025 commitment certificate from a designated organization can still file for permanent residence until June 30, 2026. IRCC has signalled a redesigned high-impact pilot for later in 2026, but the terms have not been published.

There is no fixed personal investment. A designated venture capital fund must commit at least CAD 200,000, or a designated angel group at least CAD 75,000, to your business. A designated incubator route requires no cash commitment at all, though you still need to fund and run the company and show settlement funds.

The total exposure is CAD 1,200,000. Of that, CAD 1,000,000 is a five-year government-guaranteed investment refunded without interest, and CAD 200,000 is a non-refundable contribution. You also need a CAD 2,000,000 net worth and government processing fees of roughly CAD 17,000.

Yes. The reopened program requires spoken French at level 7 on the Quebec scale, roughly B2 (upper intermediate). This is a hard requirement and is the main reason the redesigned program has attracted very few applicants.

Not fast. The Start-Up Visa grants PR on approval but processing has exceeded four years. The QIIP issues a three-year work permit first, with PR following only after you meet residency and selection conditions. Neither is a quick second-residence solution.

Once you hold permanent residence, you can apply for citizenship after 1,095 days (three years) of physical presence within the previous five years, plus a language and knowledge test and tax filings. Days as a temporary resident before PR can count at half value, up to 365 days.

Yes, once you become a Canadian tax resident you are taxed on worldwide income. Top combined federal and provincial rates reach roughly 53 to 54 percent. There is no non-dom regime and no flat tax for newcomers, so this is a high-tax destination, not a tax-optimization play.

Yes. Canada permits dual and multiple citizenship, so naturalizing as a Canadian does not require you to renounce your existing nationality. Check whether your home country also allows it.

Technically open since January 1, 2024, but practically dormant. Leading investment-migration researchers have described the redesigned program as effectively dead in the water, and intake through authorized financial intermediaries has been minimal. Treat it as accessible only if you already speak French and plan to live in Quebec.

For founders, the Start-Up Visa (when reopened) or its 2026 successor pilot. Beyond that, several provincial nominee entrepreneur streams offer conditional work permits leading to PR and are often more practical than the dormant QIIP. None of these is a passive investment, all require running a business.

No. Buying property in Canada confers no immigration status, and foreign buyers have faced purchase bans and additional taxes in recent years. Real estate is an investment, not an immigration route.

If you are a genuine founder without a 2025 commitment certificate, you may have little choice but to wait, since new Start-Up Visa applications are paused. Watch for the pilot's published parameters before committing capital or signing with a designated organization, and verify everything against IRCC directly.