Ontario holds second round of entrepreneur immigration invitations of 2019

The Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program issued invitations to 22 entrepreneur candidates in the second invitation round of 2019 held April 5. 

The minimum score for this invitation round was 112. 

Ontario's Entrepreneur Stream is designed to attract foreign nationals who can establish a new business in Ontario or purchase an existing one. 

The Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) Entrepreneur Stream is available to an individual applicant (and one business partner) who meet the minimum eligibility requirements of the stream. To begin the process of applying, international entrepreneurs must review and ensure they meet the mandatory requirements of the program. The proposed or existing business must not be listed as an ineligible business by the OINP.

Invited candidates who are approved under the OINP Entrepreneur Stream can obtain a Temporary Work Permit support letter from the OINP — based on a signed performance agreement — to establish their business in Ontario. 

How the OINP Entrepreneur Stream works

The OINP Entrepreneur stream functions on a self-declared points-based Expression of Interest (EOI) system. This means when interested individuals submit an expression of interest in applying to the program, they receive a score out of a maximum 170 points. EOI points are awarded based on three categories: Experience factors, Investment factors and Human Capital factors. 

The minimum personal investment requirement for the OINP Entrepreneur Stream varies based on the location of the proposed business*:

• If a business is located within the Greater Toronto Area, the applicant must make a minimum personal investment of $1,000,000 CAD and control at least one-third of the equity in the business.
• If a business is located outside the Greater Toronto Area, the applicant must make a minimum personal investment of $500,000 CAD and control at least one-third of the equity in the business.

* Businesses in the information and communications technology/digital communications sector must make a $500,000 CAD investment despite the location and the applicant must control at least one-third of the equity in the business.

Submitted EOI profiles are ranked against each other. Periodically, the OINP invites top-scoring entrepreneur candidates to submit a complete application to the program. Ontario Entrepreneur EOIs remain active for 12 months before they are removed from the Entrepreneur Stream selection pool.