Looking for a steadily top-rated country ranked among the best in the world in terms of quality of life, education, civil liberties, government transparency and economic freedom? Canada is not only a stable contender in all those categories, it is also diverse and rich in society, history and nature. For many it is the country that for years shaped the immigrant investor map.
Canada is one of the most popular destinations for investor immigrants wishing to relocate. It consistently ranks high on major comparative surveys of industrialized nations. Other of the country’s key benefits include the following:
The Quebec Immigrant Investor Program was established in 1986. Throughout its history, the program has undergone significant changes in investment thresholds, transitioning from CA$400,000 to CA$800,000 and eventually to CA$1.2 million. In 2024 it was relaunched with new qualification and investment requirements. The program is designed to allow business people and their families to enter the province of Quebec as permanent residents on an unconditional basis. In return, funding made available through the program helps provide subsidies in support of small and medium businesses in Quebec. The program has undergone significant transformation in the past couple of years, addressing the application process.
To qualify for residency or citizenship, applicants must fulfill the investment requirements below in addition to meeting the following criteria:
As of January 2024, the financial contribution required to quality for the Quebec Immigrant Investor Program has been split into two parts – a donation and a term investment, totalling CA$ 1,200,000.
Investors are now required to make a non-refundable financial contribution of CA$ 200,000 to Investissement Québec – Immigrants Investisseurs Inc.
There are different ways to make the required investment in order to qualify for the Quebec Immigrant Investor Program. Investors can either deposit the full amount (Full Investment), or Finance the required amount (Financed Investment) from a chartered Canadian bank.
Full Investment
Applicants choosing this option must invest CA$1,000,000 in a government-guaranteed investment and hold it for a period of five years. At the end of this period, the guaranteed full amount is returned to the investor without accrued interest. The program provides for full investment or financing through authorized financial institutions. Arton Investments is such a financial institution duly recognized by the Ministère de l’Immigration, de la Francisation et de l’Intégration (MIFI) and Investissement Quebec (IQ). Additionally, investors will also need to make a mandatory non-refundable donation of CA$200,000 to Investissement Quebec.
Financed Investment
Under this option investors pay a reduced amount that is used to finance a CA$1,000,000 closed 62-month term loan from a chartered bank. This loan is initiated and repaid at no further cost and without additional guarantees from the applicant.
Investors and their family members who have lived in Canada for three out of the four years (1,095 days) preceding the application, have adequate knowledge of English and/or French, have no criminal record, and have acquired knowledge of the rights and responsibilities of citizenship, as well as an understanding of Canada’s history, values, institutions and symbols are eligible to apply for citizenship.
Updated yearly, the Arton Index is an overall assessment and comparative benchmark of the country and its investment program.
35,362,905
Population Growth: 0.74%
46,200 USD
GDP (per capita)
GDP (purchasing power parity)
1.674 trillion USD
171
Visa free countries
LOCATION
Northern North America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean on the east, North Pacific Ocean on the west, and the Arctic Ocean on the north, north of the conterminous US
CAPITAL
Ottawa
DIFFERENCE
UTC-5
TOTAL AREA
9,984,670 sq. km.
AGE DEMOGRAPHICS
0-14: 15.44%, 15-24: 12.12%, 25-54: 40.32%, 55-64: 13.94%, 65+: 18.18%
LANGUAGE
English (official): 58.7%, French (official): 22%, Punjabi: 1.4%, Italian: 1.3%, Spanish: 1.3%, German: 1.3%, Cantonese: 1.2%, Tagalog: 1.2%, Arabic: 1.1%, Other: 10.5%
RELIGIONS
Catholic: 39% (includes Roman Catholic: 38.8%, Other Catholic: 0.2%), Protestant: 20.3% (includes United Church: 6.1%, Anglican: 5%, Baptist: 1.9%, Lutheran: 1.5%, Pentecostal: 1.5%, Presbyterian: 1.4%, Other Protestant: 2.9%), Orthodox: 1.6%, Other Christian: 6.3%, Muslim: 3.2%, Hindu: 1.5%, Sikh: 1.4%, Buddhist: 1.1%, Jewish: 1%, Other: 0.6%, None: 23.9%
GOVERNMENT TYPE
Federal parliamentary democracy (Parliament of Canada) under a constitutional monarchy and Commonwealth realm
CURRENCY
Canadian dollar (CAD)
EXCHANGE RATE
1 USD = 1.331 CAD (2014)
