Guide to Manitoba Business Investor Visa Program

If you are an entrepreneur or business owner who is looking for avenues to settle in Canada, then the Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program has an Investor visa stream, which allows the province to nominate qualified business investors, entrepreneurs, and High Net worth Investors from all over the world to get permanent residency in the province by investing in a business in the province. The business could be already existing or a new business that is set up by the individual

[Read More: Business Visa Overview]

What is the Manitoba Business Investor Program?

The Manitoba Business Investor Program is also known as the Provincial Nominee Program for Entrepreneurs. It is a fast-track stream that allows you to set up a business and settle in Canada. The program allows you to

• Permanently settle in Canada along with your dependent family members
• Gain access to free healthcare for yourself and your family members
• Get free education access for your children below 18 years of age
• Get the opportunity for a better quality of life for yourself and your family
• Get tax benefits when you get permanent residency status

The selection process for the Manitoba PNP is through the point’s calculator, which helps to select candidates who can qualify for the program. If you can score at least 60 points out of 100, then you will be able to qualify for a nomination from the province of Manitoba.

Under this stream, Manitoba will recruit and nominate qualified business investors and entrepreneurs from around the world who intend to start or buy a business in Manitoba. There are two pathways under this stream

Entrepreneur Pathway for Manitoba Business Investor program

This pathway is open to business investors, within the first 24 months of their arrival in Canada. You will be able to apply for a nomination from the province to set up a new business or become a partner in an existing one through this stream

[Read More: Key Components To Migrate To Canada]

Eligibility Criteria for Entrepreneur Pathway

You will need to fulfill the following eligibility criteria, to qualify for applying through the Entrepreneur Pathway

• You will need to have at least three years of full-time work experience as a business owner or senior manager out of the last five years
• You will need to have a minimum CLB/NCLC of 5 for language proficiency in English and/or French
• You should have a high school diploma from or its international equivalent
• You should be able to invest at least 250,00 CAD if you plan to set up your business in the Manitoba Capital Region, or 150,000 CAD if you plan to set up your business outside the MCR.
• You should be able to make Investments in businesses that have been identified as qualifying by the Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program
• You should be able to create and maintain at least one j ob position for a local citizen or Permanent Resident in Manitoba
• You should be able to submit your business plan along with your application
• You may need to undertake a Business Research Visit, within one year of submission of the EOI
• You should have a minimum net worth of 500,000 CAD
• You will need to sign a Business Performance Agreement after your application has been approved.

Step by Step Process for Manitoba Entrepreneur Pathway

Step 1: Self-Assessment

In this step, you will be asked to complete a Self-Assessment Form, in which you will be providing information about your age, education, personal net worth, and business experience. You will be awarded points based on the following factors

• Age

You will be awarded points for your age, as per the criteria laid down in the following table

Age	Points
Less than 25	0
25 to 30	4
31 to 35	6
36 to 45	10
46	8
47	6
48	4
49	2

• Education Factors (Maximum 10 Points)

You will need to have obtained an educational qualification that is at least a Canadian high school certification or its equivalent. You can get points for your education as per the following criteria

Education	Points
Post -Secondary degree or diploma (two years program)	4
Post -Secondary degree or diploma (three-year program or longer)	6
Post graduate degree or equivalent	8
PhD or above	10

• Business Experience

Your business experience is one of the most important eligibility criteria for this visa. You should fulfill the following conditions to qualify to apply for the Entrepreneur pathway.

• You should have at least three years of experience as a business owner and/or senior manager within the immediately preceding five years.
• You should own at least one-third of the business that you are starting or where you are investing.

Age	Points
Years of experience as a business owner	Points
11 years or more	30
7 to 10 years	25
3 to 6 years	20
Years of experience as a senior manager	Points
7 years or more	10
3 to 6 years	5

• Official Language Proficiency

You will need to prove your language proficiency by providing results, from a recognized language testing organization. You can provide the test results from any of the following tests to qualify

• International English Language Testing System
• Canadian English Language Proficiency Index Program (CELPIP)
• Test devaluation de Francaise (TEF)

CLB/NLC	Points
5	10
6	15
7	20
8	25

• Investment

You should be able to show that you have a personal net worth of at least 500,000 CAD. You will be able to include all the assets and liabilities that are owned by you as well as any of your family members who will be traveling with you. You will be able to gain the following points based on your net worth

Net worth (in CAD)	Points
500000 to 1 million	5
1 million to 1.5 million	6
1.5 million to 2 million	7
2 million to 2.5 million	8
2.5 million to 3 million	9
More than 3 million	10

• Business Investment Criteria

You should be able to invest at least 200,000 CAD in order to qualify. You will be awarded points for your investment, according to the criteria given in the table below.

Investment Amount (in CAD)	Points
Investment Amount (in CAD)	Points
200,000- 499,999	10
500,000-899,000	12
900,000 or more	15

In addition to the points awarded above, you will also get 5 points for the economic priorities of your business. Economic priorities will be evaluated based on whether or not your proposed business will be able to use resources, such as plant and machinery, materials, and labour from the province, as well as its potential to generate profit and generate growth for Manitoba’s economy

• Business Research Visit Criteria

You will be able to gain 20 points if you make a business research visit to the province of Manitoba. The business visit is a vital part of your business plan, as it enables you to conduct in-depth research on site for your potential business. If you visit the province for five days consecutively, then you can gain 10 points. If you spend at least 10 consecutive days doing business research in the region, then you can get 20 points.

• Adaptability Factors Criteria

You will be able to gain points for adaptability if you are able to demonstrate that you have strong ties to the province of Manitoba. Points will be awarded as per the criteria set out in the table below.

Adaptability factor criteria	Points
Applicant's spouse /common-law partner has CLB /NCLC 5 or above	10
Applicant's spouse or a common-law partner has CLB /NCLC 5 or above in Canada’s Second Official Language	10
Applicant has a close relative currently residing in Manitoba for more than one year.	5
Applicant has a child who has been enrolled in an approved Manitoba educational institution for at least six months prior to the date of the EOI submission and is enrolled full-time in academic, professional, or vocational training.	5
The applicant's accompanying spouse/common-law partner has completed at least one year of full-time study at a Manitoba post-secondary educational institution.	5

Step 2: Visit Manitoba and Research your Proposed Business Plan

In this step, you will have to submit a completed business concept, in which you will need to provide the following details

• Description of your proposed business in Manitoba
• Description of the research that you conducted to identify your proposed business
• Description of your personal information which will allow you to develop your business opportunity.
• Description of your financial status and potential to make your intended investment
• Description of your marketing strategy and plan to deal with competition
• Description of requirements of critical resources
• Description of proposed timelines for implementation
• Description of the risk factors that your proposed business may face and strategies to mitigate the same
• Description of the business potential to contribute to the economic growth of the province

[Read More: Manitoba PNP Invites 1140 Applicants On The Latest Draw]

Step 3: Submit an Expression of Interest (EOI)

In this step, you will need to submit your Expression of Interest along with the following documents

• Your Business Concept Form
• Your Self-Assessment Form; and
• Code of Conduct for Immigration Representatives, if applicable for you.

If selected based on the criteria laid out above, then you will receive a Letter of Advice to Apply, from the province.

Step 4: Submit a Complete Application

If you fulfill the basic requirements and your business plan is accepted, you will be issued an official Letter of Advice to Apply (LAA). You will have 120 days from LAA receipt to submit a completed electronic application package, to the program, along with a non-refundable processing fee of 2500 CAD.

Step 5: Assessment of Your Application

In this step, your application will be assessed, and you may need to appear for an in-person interview. You will also need to sign a Business Performance Agreement (BPA), which will work as a contractual agreement between the applicant and the MPNP.

Step 6: Operate a Business in Manitoba

You will need to operate a business in Manitoba and provide regular updates about the performance of your business.

Step 7: Receive an MPNP nomination

You will obtain a provincial nomination certificate from the Government of Manitoba. The entrepreneur may apply to IRCC for Canadian permanent resident status using this nomination certificate.

Farm Investor Pathway

The farm investor pathway is open to individuals who have demonstrated experience in running a farm business and have sufficient capital at their disposal to invest, in a farm in rural Manitoba

Eligibility Criteria for Farm Investor Pathway

• You should have at least three years of experience in owning and/or operating a farm
• You should be able to prove your proficiency in English and/or French
• You should be able to invest a minimum amount of 300,000 in a farming business in rural Manitoba,
• You will need to provide a farm business plan as part of your application
• You will need to travel to the province to complete a Farm Business Research Visit.
• Your farming business will need to conduct ongoing business activities in the province and you will need to be actively engaged in running the business
• You will need to have a net worth of at least 500000 CAD

Step by Step Guide for Application to Manitoba Farm Investor Pathway

The Farm Investor Pathway (FIP) replaces the MPNP's previous Farm Strategic Initiative. When applying to the program, farm investors, like entrepreneurs, must complete seven steps. The application process, however, differs from that of the Entrepreneur Pathway.

Potential candidates must, among other things, meet the following Farm Investor Pathway qualifying requirements:

• have a minimum verifiable personal net worth of CAD 500,000;
• have a minimum of three years (3) farm ownership, as well as experience in managing farm operations supported by verifiable documents; and
• show versatility, particularly in terms of practical farming skills, technical knowledge, and experience in technologically based farming operations that will directly transfer to Manitoba's current core farm producing business

Step 1: Explore and Research Farm Business in Manitoba

Once you have made sure that you have met all the eligibility criteria, you will need to begin your application process by visiting Manitoba, and conducting research for your proposed farming business, as a part of the research you will need to collect information on all the relevant details for your farm such as cost of farmland, cost of growing crops or raising livestock

Step 2: Completion of Interest Guidelines and Farm Business Concept forms

Once you have completed your Farm Business Visit, then you will need to submit the Business Forms and Interest Guidelines where you will provide details of your background and business acumen for starting a farm business

Step 3: Submission of Interest Guidelines and Farm Business Concept forms

In this step, you will need to submit a completed Farm Business Concept Form along with the Code of Conduct for Immigration

Step 4: Submission of a Farm Investor Pathway application

In this step, you will need to submit a completed Farm Investor Pathway, application 120 days after you have received your LAA. You will need to provide all the documents required along with a non-refundable application fee.

Step 5: Assessment of a Farm Investor Pathway application

In this step, your application will be assessed by an MPNP representative and you may need to attend an in-person interview

Step 6: Obtain Canadian Permanent Residence

In this step, you will be issued, a nomination certificate by the MPNP and will be able to submit your final application for a PR visa to the IRCC.

Step 7: Establish a Farm Business in Manitoba

In this last and final step, you will need to provide the MPNP with regular progress reports of how your business is running.

Top FAQs Asked by Indians Who Invest in Manitoba