A Look At Channels For Immigrants Wanting To Start A Business

Since the demise of the federal Immigrant Investor and Entrepreneur Investor Programs, the available channels for immigrants wanting to invest in or start a business have narrowed. One avenue still available to business-minded immigrants is the Temporary Foreign Worker Program's ("TFWP") owner/operator Labour Market Impact Assessment ("LMIA") process. By utilizing the owner/operator LMIA stream, immigrants can receive a work permit and support their application for permanent residency through the Express Entry program. In short, this strategy involves:

• Finding an established business to buy or starting one's own business;
• Applying for an owner/operator LMIA and corresponding work permit;