The Canadian Federal Immigrant Investor Program

Chaos in the economy is a mega-problem that will require a thousand effective solutions, some of which already exist and can be expanded. One good idea put into use by Citizenship and Immigration Canada is soliciting investment from new immigrants. All countries these days will be looking to their respective governments to inject money into crucial business sectors. Canada is no different in attempting to stimulate its economy via government spending; naturally the government will be looking for low-cost capital to fund things like infrastructure projects. This is where Canadian immigration can provide a source of investment capital.

Individuals and managerial or entrepreneurial experience can qualify for a Canadian Permanent Resident Visa by investing CAD $400,000 with the Canadian government at zero interest for five years, under what is called the "Federal Immigrant Investor Program" (FIIP). It is one of three different categories of Canadian Business Class Immigration. They are Investor, Entrepreneur and Self-Employed Persons.


Immigrants with a high net worth (in excess of $800,000 CAD) can expedite entry into Canada by investing $400,000 at zero interest with the Federal Immigrant Investment Program (FIIP) in return for a Permanent Resident Visa. The FIIP was developed by Citizenship and Immigration Canada to promote economic development by allowing well qualified business people to fast track their applications, reducing the processing time to around 16 to 18 months. Canada gets to use the Immigrant Investor's money for five years with no interest. There is no risk to the immigrant investors; after five years they receive the full investment back.

Less than 1% of potential immigrants to Canada apply for this program, possibly because they have to be invited to participate. They have to qualify so those who have revealed their net worth in the required amounts would be approached. There are normally about 7,000 Immigrant Investor applicants in queue in the FIIP awaiting assessment at any one time, all of whom are ready and eager to make their required $400,000 investment. They are simply waiting for their immigration processing to be completed. This translates to $2.8 billion in available capital that can be put to use in the funding of infrastructure projects.

Besides speeding up immigrant visa applications, there are other benefits to entering under the FIIP. Unlike the entrepreneur program where your business is monitored and reviewed by the Federal government, you are free to settle anywhere in Canada, take any job, go to school, or just enjoy life if your money supply allows it. None of the investor categories have language, education or business experience requirements. The Immigrant Investor and immediate family members gain Canadian Permanent Residency, and in return Canada develops access to an inexpensive pool of capital to help fund its stimulus spending.

Canada has the world's soundest banking system according to a survey by the respected World Economic Forum. Thanks to an economic system with institutions that most American politicians might brand as -socialist-, Canada will do much better than other Western nations to restore economic order. In fact many economists predict that Canada will be the first advanced country to come out of this worldwide economic crisis. Canada has a diversified economy with a low debt burden, flexible labor markets and proper fiscal management going back for more many years. Canadian banks have not needed the government bailouts that have become a necessity in the US and many European countries.

As far as immigration is concerned, Canada is a favored destination and consistently ranks as one of the top countries in the world for overall quality of life. And despite, or perhaps because of, the current global economic environment, many successful entrepreneurs and managers around the world are considering Canada as their destination of choice to begin a new life for themselves and their families.

Toronto writer Pat Boardman presents these personal observations in respect to legal firms such as somekeyword who provide advice and representation for those applying for visas to work and reside in the U.S. or Canada.

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