Quebec Entrepreneur Program (QEP) is a program that grants qualified business owners and managers the opportunity to obtain permanent residence in Quebec, provided they can effectively create a new business or acquire and operate an existing business in the province of Quebec. 

 

Quebec Entrepreneur Program – 2 Streams

Stream 1: Start and operate a business with help from a support organization

You must settle in Québec to create and operate a business for which you have already received a service offer from 

• A business accelerator, or
• A business incubator, or 
• A university entrepreneurship center

You must present your business project in the form of a business plan, as well as a service offer.

 

Stream 2: Start or acquire and operate a business with the applicant’s own funds

You must settle in Québec to create or acquire and operate a business. It is an owner-funded and operated business. 

 

Other Factors to Consider

Your application will also be assessed on the basis of other factors and criteria including:

• your age;
• your level of education;
• your French and English language skills;
• your financial self-sufficiency;
• your visits to Québec; and
• your family in Québec.

 

Stream 1 Requirements

For Stream 1 applicants, apart from settling in Quebec, you must have obtained a service offer from one of the following support organizations. We also listed the definitions of each support organization. 

• Business accelerator: an organization with an establishment in Québec that offers support services to individuals whose business projects are designed to grow innovative businesses. In particular, it must provide a service for seeking financing.
• Business incubator: an organization with an establishment in Québec that offers coaching services to people whose business projects are designed to start innovative businesses.
• University entrepreneurship centre: an organization managed by an institution of higher learning incorporated under the laws of Québec or another province of Canada. It may also be an organization affiliated with such an institution that offers coaching services to entrepreneurs.

The service offer must include:

• The proposed support plan: This plan should consist of a list and description of the services that the organization intends to offer to facilitate your project.
• The operational plan: This plan must contain a detailed budget and schedule for carrying out the support activities offered to you.
• A description of the support organization’s expertise: The service proposal must demonstrate the organization’s skills and achievements related to your project. The organization must adhere to the Service Offer Writing Guide for Component 1 of the Entrepreneur Program (in French only). 

Then, applicants will also need to fulfill the following requirements:

• You must present your business project in the form of a business plan, as well as a service offer.
• Obtain an attestation of learning about democratic values and Quebec values.
• Obtain at least 41 points out of 85 points in the program’s selection grid. Your application will also be assessed on other factors, such as your age, education and language skills.
• You can carry out your project alone or with others, up to a maximum of 3 other foreign nationals who have submitted applications for permanent selection as entrepreneurs for the same project.

 

Stream 2 Requirements

In order to apply to this stream of the Quebec Entrepreneur Program, applicants should pay attention to the following requirements.

• You must have a net worth of at least CAD$900,000. This requirement can be shared with your spouse or common-law partner who is accompanying you to Quebec. 
• You must present your business project in the form of a business plan. 
• Applicant should own and control a portion of the equity in the business:
  • If you start a new business, you must own and control at least 25% of the equity.
  • If you acquire an existing business, you must own and control at least 51% of the equity.
• Demonstrate you are actively involved in managing and operating the business. 
• If you acquired an existing business, it should have been operating for a minimum of 5 years preceding your application. 
• Obtain an attestation of learning about democratic values and Quebec values.
• Obtain at least 51 points out of 95 points in the program’s selection grid. Your application will also be assessed on other factors, such as your age, education and language skills.
• Your business must not be involved in any of the following activities:
  • Payday loans, cheque cashing, or pawnbroking;
  • Real estate development or real estate or insurance brokerage; and
  • Production, distribution, or sale of sexually explicit products or services.