Nova scotia Business Investor Program

To be eligible under this program, the applicant must demonstrate that s/he intends to live in the province of Nova Scotia. It must be noted that the requirements listed hereinafter and/or the selection criteria are subject to change from time to time. We therefore ask that you contact our office to obtain the most current information and/or to take advantage of our free half hour initial consultation tailored to your specific circumstances. As of our last check-up, however, among other requirements, the following criteria must be satisfied:

• The applicant must possess a minimum of two years of management experience in the last five years immediately before the application or present evidence of ownership and operation of a business;
• The applicant must present evidence of legally accumulated net worth equal to $300,000 (Canadian);
• The applicant must make a non-refundable economic contribution of approximately $130,000;
• The applicant must possess basic ability to communicate in English or French;
• The applicant must have a minimum of grade 12 education or equivalent; and
• The applicant must not be younger than 25 years old or older than 60.

One of the most commonly asked questions is “what happens to the 130k economic contribution if my application is rejected?” As you might have already guessed, in the event that the application is refused, your economic contribution will be returned to you without deduction or interest.

The application process begins by submitting an application for a Nominee Certificate to the Nova Scotia government. After being issued the Nominee Certificate, the applicant must then send his/her immigration application to the Canadian High Commission or Consulate responsible for his/her country.

Once the applicant arrives in Canada, s/he will be given the choice of choosing, from a pre-determined list of companies approved by the government of Nova Scotia, which company he wants to work for. This employment is for a period of six months, in a mid- management position, and the applicant will be paid a salary of $20,000. The rationale is that by providing an initial period of secured employment, the applicant will have a better chance of successfully establishing him/herself in the province of Nova Scotia.

It should be noted that processing times under this program vary according to the individual applicant’s circumstances; but they are significantly shorter than other immigration programs. To obtain further information or to take advantage of our free half hour initial consultation, please contact our offices at (416) 365-9473