Manitoba Entrepreneur Pathway Soft Launch
Business Investor Stream Interim Process
The Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program (MPNP) has launched an interim process for applying to the Business Investor Stream Entrepreneur Pathway.
BIS has two pathways: the Entrepreneur Pathway and the Farm Investor Pathway. The following steps are for applying through the Business Entrepreneur Pathway. The Farm Investor Pathway is outlined separately.
ENTREPRENEUR PATHWAY
The renewed Entrepreneur Pathway replaces the previous MPNP-B stream. It allows Manitoba to recruit and nominate qualified business people from around the world who have the intent and ability to move to Manitoba and establish, purchase a business or become partners in an existing business within the first 24 months of arrival in Canada on a temporary work permit. Applicants are no longer required to submit a deposit of $100,000 to the Manitoba Government.
| Business Investor Stream – Entrepreneur Pathway | |
| Criterion | Minimum Requirement |
| Business Experience | Minimum of three years of full-time work experience in the past five years either as an active business owner or working in a senior management role of a successful business. Business owners are given higher points in comparison to senior managers.
Business owners must have at least 33 1/3% ownership to qualify for points. |
| Official Languages Proficiency | Minimum CLB/NCLC 5 |
| Education | Minimum Canadian high school certificate equivalent |
| Age | No minimum or maximum age; however, ranking points are allocated to candidates 25 to 49 years of age. |
| Business Investment | The minimum investment is $250,000 for businesses situated in the Manitoba Capital Region. The minimum investment is $150,000 if a business is situated outside of the Manitoba Capital Region.
Business Investment must be made in an eligible business as defined by the MPNP. The proposed business must create or maintain at least one job for a Canadian Citizen or a Permanent Resident in Manitoba (excluding owners of the business and/or their close relatives). |
| Business Research Visit | A Business Plan is required and is an integral part of the application. A business research visit allows the applicant to conduct extensive research on their future business investment or proposal. The Business Research Visit must be conducted no more than one year prior to the submission of your EOI. |
| Adaptability | Points will be allocated to you if:
|
| Net Worth | Minimum of $500,000Your personal net worth will be verified by a third-party supplier approved by the MPNP. A verification report, along with the application, must be submitted to the MPNP within 120 days of receiving your LAA. |
| Business Performance Agreement | After an application is approved, a Business Performance Agreement (BPA) must be signed prior to the MPNP issuing you a letter of support for applying for a work permit. |
Process Overview
Step 1 –Self-assessment
Determine that you meet the minimum criteria of the Entrepreneur Pathway: business experience, official language proficiency, education, age, and net worth
Step 2 –Explore and Research your Business Concept
The exploratory and research steps of the process can start immediately. While internet-based research may be a useful way to start, an in-person exploratory visit is essential for you to do sufficient business research to support your plan and application.□You are also encouraged to participate in business seminars offered by the ImmigrationPrograms Branch of the Immigration and Economic Opportunities Division. Based on your research and the outcome of your self-assessment, you may consider submitting a Business Concept to the MPNP.
Step 3 –Submit your Expression of Interest
Once you have completed your research on the Manitoba market, you can submit the following:
- Your Business Concept Form,
- Your Self-Assessment Form
Step 4 –Submit your Full Application
If you are selected to continue to the next step, the MPNP will send you an official Letter of Advice to Apply (LAA). The first part of completing your MPNP application requires you to choose one of two designated Third-Party service providers. You have 120 days from the time you receive an aLAA from the MPNP to submit a complete application package to the MPNP, including an non-refundable application processing fee of $2,500 CAD.
Step 5 –ApplicationAssessment
The MPNP will conduct a thorough assessment of your complete application MPNP will invite you to an interview to discuss your Business Plan and other aspects of your application, as required. □If the assessment identifies concerns with your application, the MPNP will send you a Procedural Fairness Letter (PFL), which you are required to respond to by the specified deadline. If your response does not resolve all the concerns indicated in the PFL your application will be refused by the MPNP.□If your application meets all of the requirements of the MPNP, you will receive a notice with approval in principle. As part of the approval process, you must sign a Business Performance Agreement (BPA), which will serve as a contractual agreement between you and the MPNP. □After you sign the BPA, the MPNP will provide you with a Letter of Support to be included in your application for a Temporary Work Permit to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).
Step 6 –Operate your Business and Meet your BPAConditions
After you have reported to the MPNP as required, MPNP immigration officers are available to answer any questions that you may have about your BPA and the MPNP nomination requirements specified within your BPA, you are required to provide regular progress reports to the MPNP.
Post-approval Business Establishment Support
At any time after your arrival in Manitoba, you may schedule appointments with the Business Consulting Unit (BCU) of the Immigration and Economic Opportunities Division. Business Consulting Officers of the BCU:· assist you with information, feedback, and guidance to help you establish your business successfully in Manitoba.· refer you to a range of other business and settlement supports depending on your specific needs.
Step 7 –Receive your Nomination by the MPNP
When the MPNP has verified that you have successfully completed the terms and conditions of the BPA, the MPNP will issue you a Certificate of Nomination, which will also be shared with IRCC. □The MPNP will also provide you with instructions to submit an application for a Permanent Resident Visa to IRCC.
FARM INVESTOR PATHWAY
The renewed Farm Investor Pathway (FIP) replaces the previous Farm Strategic Recruitment Initiative. The Pathway is for individuals with proven farm business experience, sufficient available capital to invest, and who intend to establish and operate a farm operation in rural Manitoba.
It is expected that successful applicants of the FIP will establish a farm business in rural Manitoba producing primary products that are consistent with the province’s current farm industry. The type of operation and investment must correlate with Provincial statistics and be relevant to Manitoba’s farm industry. Agri-business operations not producing primary products may qualify under the Entrepreneur Pathway.
| Business Investor Stream – Farm Investor Pathway | |
| Criterion | Minimum Requirement |
| Farm Business Experience | Minimum of three years of farm ownership and operation experience supported by verifiable documents. |
| Official Languages Proficiency | The Farm Investor Pathway (FIP) recognizes language capabilities in either of Canada’s two official languages are an important adaptability skill that will accelerate your ability to become economically established in rural Manitoba. If you are invited to attend an FIP interview, you will be required to conduct the interview in either French or English. |
| Farm Business Investment | At least $300,000. You are expected to establish a farming business in rural Manitoba. Farm business investments must be ineligible tangible assets as defined by the MPNP.
A farm business plan is required and is an integral part of the application. Investments into a farm business operated primarily for the purposes of deriving passive investment income or speculative purposes are not eligible. |
| Farm Business Research Visit | You must conduct a Farm Business Research Visit to Manitoba. |
| Farm Business Activities | A farm business entity should have ongoing and recurring business activities in rural Manitoba. You are required to live on the farm and actively participate in the management of the farm business on an ongoing basis from within Manitoba.
The farm business must be inactive primary agriculture production and economically viable. The MPNP requires you to conduct value-added farm business activities in Manitoba. Purely speculative activities or the use of third-party farm managers are not eligible under the MPNP. |
| Economic Establishment Adaptability | You must demonstrate adaptability, specifically relating to practical farming skills, technical knowledge, and experience in technological-based farming practices that will transfer directly to Manitoba’s current primary farm production industry. |
| Net Worth | At least $500,000The MPNP may request for verification of your net worth and financial information by a designated third-party service provider.
If requested, the verification report, along with your application, must be submitted to the MPNP within 120 days of receiving your Invitation to Apply. |
Manitoba Farm Investor Pathway Guidelines Kit
The Manitoba Farm Investor Pathway Guidelines Kit outlines the eligibility requirements and processes for the Farm Investor Pathway (FIP).
Interest Process Overview
1. Explore and research Farm Business in Manitoba.
Conduct a Farm Business Research Visit to Manitoba. Based on your research findings and your self-assessment of the FIP eligibility criteria, you may consider submitting your interest Guidelines and Farm Business ConceptFormsto the FIP.
2. Complete the interest Guidelines and Farm Business Concept forms.
Use the Interest Guidelines and Farm Business Concept forms to describe how you meet the minimum FIP eligibility criteria.
3. Submit your forms to the MPNP.
The MPNP will screen your Interest Guidelines and Farm Business Concept forms to determine your suitability for the FIP. If the MPNP determines that suitability and the potentiality of a long-term economic contribution to rural Manitoba could be achieved, the MPNP will invite you to attend a personal interview with a Business Immigration Officer (BIO).
Receive a Letter of Advice to Apply
If the outcome of the interview with a BIO determines your practical farming skills, technical knowledge, and experience in technological-based farming practices are immediately transferable to rural Manitoba and that a long-term economic contribution to rural Manitoba can be achieved through your nomination, the MPNPwill inform you by an official letter. The official letter will include a Letter of Advice to Apply(LAA)to the FIP.
Nomination Application Process Overview
As an applicant, you must make a commitment to reside in rural Manitoba with your dependents, to operate a farm business in rural Manitoba, and to assume an active managerial role in that farm business. An MPNP Program Officer must be convinced of an applicant’s commitment to live in rural Manitoba and conduct farm primary production in rural Manitoba before recommending nomination.
4. Submit your FIP Nomination Application
If you receive a Letter of Advice to Apply (LAA), you must submit your completed FIP Nomination Application within 120 days from the LAAissuance date. Applications received after 120 days will be returned unprocessed. Your completed application must include copies of all required documents and the CAD $2,500 Application Fees. The $2,500 fee must be paid in Canadian Dollars to the Manitoba Development Corporation.
5. Assessment of your FIP Nomination Application
Once a complete FIP Nomination Application has been received, a confirmation letter will be provided. The FIP Nomination Application will be assessed according to FIP and MPNP criteria. The MPNP will conduct a thorough assessment of your complete application when it is received, including your Farm Business Plan and designated third-party report (if requested) verifying your net worth and source of funds. The MPNP will invite you for an interview to discuss your Farm Business Plan and other aspects of your application, as required.
Complete a Deposit Agreement If you are approved for the nomination, you will be instructed to sign a Deposit Agreement and send a deposit of CAD$75,000 to the Manitoba Development Corporation.
6. Apply for Permanent Residence
Upon receipt of a signed Deposit Agreement and deposit of CAD$75,000, you will be instructed to submit your original Permanent Resident application to the Central Intake Office (CIO) in Sydney, Nova Scotia, Canada. The MPNP will send a Nomination Certificate directly to that office indicating that you have been nominated by the MPNP. Upon further screening, the CIO will forward the application to a designated Canadian Visa Office abroad that will provide instructions on medical examinations and security clearances and, upon favorable results, issue the Permanent Residence Visa.
7. Establish your farm business in Manitoba
You are required to report to the MPNP Offices within 30 days of your landing as a Permanent Resident to provide your new contact information to the MPNP (address, telephone, email).
