Ontario (OINP) Entrepreneur Stream
It gives an entrepreneur (and up to one business partner) the opportunity to be nominated for permanent residence once their business has been established in Ontario.
The Entrepreneur Stream application is a two-stage process.
Stage 1
1. Register an online expression of interest
2. If invited, submit an online application
3. You and your business partner (if applicable) attend a mandatory in-person interview at the OINP office in Toronto
4. If your stage 1 application is successful, you must sign a performance agreement
Stage 2
1. We issue a temporary work permit support letter so that you can apply to IRCC for a temporary work permit
2. Establish your business – you have 20 months to implement your business plan and submit a final report
3. If your business meets all requirements, we ask you for documentation to make sure you are eligible for nomination for permanent residence.
Mandatory requirements
1. Business experience
You must have at least 36 months of full-time business experience in the last 60 months.
Your experience must be as a business owner or as a senior manager (business management). As a business owner, you must have had an active role in the business and owned at least one-third of the business. As a senior manager, you must have had senior decision-making responsibilities in the business.
2. Net worth
If your proposed business will be located:
• within the Greater Toronto Area (City of Toronto and Durham, Halton, York, and Peel regions) you must have a minimum net worth of $1,500,000 CDN.
• outside of the Greater Toronto Area, you must have a minimum net worth of $800,000 CDN.
3. Personal investment funds and minimum equity
If your proposed business will be located:
• within the Greater Toronto Area, you must make a minimum personal investment of $1,000,000 CDN and control at least one-third of the equity in the business
• outside of the Greater Toronto Area, you must make a minimum personal investment of $500,000 CDN and control at least one-third of the equity in the business
4. Active involvement
You must be actively involved, on an ongoing basis, in the management of the business.
5. Capital investment purpose
The primary purpose of investing capital in the business must be to make a profit. It must not be to derive interest, dividends or capital gains.
6. Job creation
You must create at least two permanent full-time jobs for Canadian citizens or permanent residents within the first 20 months of establishing or acquiring the business and they must be paid at the median wage level for the position.
Expression of interest
An expression of interest (EOI) is the first step. It is not an application. There is no fee to register an EOI.
An EOI is a self-declared points-based system. If you are eligible, you are placed in a selection pool and you get a score based on the information you provide.
• the maximum available score is 170 points
• there is no minimum score
EOIs are ranked against each other. Whether you will be issued an invitation to apply is based on your score, which is evaluated against the other scores of the submitted EOIs. Top-scoring candidates are invited to apply.
Cost to apply
The application fee is $3,500 for you and $3,500 for your business partner (if applicable). This fee covers the cost of processing your application.
Attend a mandatory interview
Once we have assessed your application, you will be notified by email whether your application is complete. If it is complete and appears to meet program criteria, you and your business partner (if applicable) will be required to attend an in-person interview at our office in Toronto.
The purpose of the interview is to get a better understanding of your business plan and your past experience.
After you apply
• if your stage 1 application is successful you will be asked to sign a performance agreement
The performance agreement will outline the commitments that must be met in order to be nominated for permanent residence. The document will include, but may not be limited to:
• a description of your business
• investment amounts and timelines
• number and types of jobs to be created for Canadian citizens or permanent residents
• mandatory business milestones and achievements
• timeframes for commitments
Get a temporary work permit
After you sign the performance agreement, we will issue a letter of confirmation enabling you and your business partner (if applicable) to apply to Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) for a temporary work permit.
This letter constitutes Ontario’s support for you and your family to move to Ontario to start the business.
IRCC is responsible for issuing all work permits in Canada.
Establish your business
1. Arrive in Ontario
You must arrive in Ontario with your valid temporary work permit within 12 months from the date you received your letter of confirmation from the OINP.
2. Build your business
Once you get to Ontario, you have 20 months from the date you arrive to implement your business and meet all commitments under your performance agreement.
You must ensure that the required permanent full-time jobs are continuously filled for at least 10 months, up to the day you submit your final report.
3. Submit a final report
You must submit your final report to us between 18 and 20 months after you arrive in Ontario.
Get nominated for permanent residence
After we confirm that your new business has met the commitments outlined in the performance agreement, we will ask you for supporting documentation
If you are nominated
If your application for nomination is successful you will receive a Letter of Nomination and an OINP Certificate of Nomination.
Your next step is to apply within six months for permanent residence to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada.
You will need to include your Letter of Nomination and the OINP Certificate of Nomination.
