Distinguishing between the selection and the admission of businesspeople

Immigration comes under the shared jurisdiction of the Gouvernement du Québec and the Government of Canada. To immigrate to Québec, candidates and their families must meet both the selection AND the admission requirements.

Selection

Québec is responsible for the selection of business immigrants who wish to settle in its territory.

Québec’s exclusive power over selection is guided by criteria it has determined in light of its immigration objectives. To be selected, a candidate must meet the requirements of one of three immigration programs for businesspeople (entrepreneur, investor, self-employed worker) by submitting an Application for a Selection Certificate and passing a selection interview.

If selected, candidates will receive a Certificat de sélection du Québec (CSQ - Québec selection certificate), the official immigration document issued by the Gouvernement du Québec.

Admission

Canada is responsible for the admission of business immigrants on its territory.

The Government of Canada admits to Québec only those business applicants that Québec has selected.

To be admitted, candidates must submit an application for permanent residence. They, and their family members as well, must also pass the required medical examination and security checks.

An application for permanent residence is not accepted if an applicant’s health or that of a family member (who may or may not be accompanying the applicant) presents a health or public safety risk or may result in an excessive burden on health and social services in Canada, even if the candidate has received a CSQ.

On arrival, the applicant is granted permanent resident status, which confers the same rights as those enjoyed by all Canadian citizens, except the right to vote and the right to obtain a Canadian passport. After three years of permanent residency, a candidate may claim these rights by applying for Canadian citizenship.

To learn more L’immigration au Québec : Partage des responsabilités Québec-Canada (PDF, 230 Kb)

Useful link

• Citizenship and Immigration Canada