Can You Get Canada PR by Investment?

IRPA s.12(2) sets the test for every economic program: the ability to become economically established in Canada. A payment alone does not meet that test.

IRPR s.108(1) names five business classes. They are the Quebec investor class, the Quebec entrepreneur class, the start-up business class, the self-employed persons class and the Quebec self-employed persons class. An officer issues a visa in these classes only if the applicant and family also meet the general rules in IRPR s.70(1).

IRPR s.89 closes the door on paper deals. A start-up or self-employed applicant fails the requirements when they rest on transactions made “primarily for the purpose of acquiring a status or privilege” under the Act.

Quebec picks its own business immigrants. Under IRPR s.90, a Quebec investor must intend to live in Quebec and be named in a Quebec Selection Certificate (CSQ). IRCC’s page for Quebec business immigration says: “You need to apply to the Quebec government and get a Certificat de selection du Québec before you apply for permanent residence”.

Quebec’s conditions page, updated on November 9, 2026, sets these conditions in its own words:

• Net worth: you “must have a net worth of at least CAD $2,000,000”.
• Investment: “your financial intermediary must make a five-year term investment of CDN $1,000,000 and make a financial contribution of CDN $200,000”.
• Management: “You must have at least two years of management experience.”
• French: “You must have a knowledge of spoken French corresponding minimally to level 7”.
• A stay in Quebec of at least 12 months, within two years after the work permit is issued.

Quebec’s page on applying says: “You may submit an application at any time”. It adds: “There is no maximum number of applications to be received”. The CSQ is only the first half, and the investor must then apply to the Government of Canada, which “is responsible for deciding whether to grant you permanent residence”.

Quebec also runs programs for entrepreneurs and self-employed workers (IRPR s.97 and s.101). Its entrepreneur page describes three paths: an innovative business, a business startup and a takeover.

This guide did not check their intake status. Our guide on Quebec immigration explains how Quebec selection works.

An offer that promises PR in return for an investment should raise a flag. IRCC decides every file, and the law sets the classes. IRCC also warns: “You are responsible for all the information in your application, even if a representative completes it for you”.

Only certain people may charge for immigration advice under IRPA s.91. They are lawyers, Quebec notaries, law society paralegals and members of the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants. Our guide on immigration lawyers vs RCICs shows how to check one.