How to Start a Business in Canada from India

The Ultimate Guide for Business Immigration from India to Canada

In this article, we will showcase the most popular options entrepreneurs from India use to start their businesses in Canada. Indian entrepreneurs, business owners, and self-employed individuals have a number of options to come to Canada under Canada’s various business immigration programs. We will share our suggestions and tips on improving your chances of success in your immigration application from India and how to start a business in Canada. You will also find some of our successful cases where we helped Indian entrepreneurs immigrate to Canada.

Business Immigration Options from India

Here are some business immigration options that business owners and entrepreneurs from India use to arrive and settle in Canada:

Intra-Company Transfer (ICT) – established businesses from India that are looking to expand to Canada can use this option to move their companies and teams to Canada. Indian nationals arriving in Canada on ICT work permits have several pathways to permanent residency in Canada after 1 year of employment in Canada.
Entrepreneur Work Permits (C11) – available for entrepreneurs, high net-worth individuals, and experienced managers in India who want to invest in a business in Canada or start their own business in Canada. Individual entrepreneurs holding this type of work permit can transition to permanent residence after 1 year of running their businesses in Canada.
Start-Up Visa (SUV) – up to 5 founders of the start-up can immigrate to Canada on a permanent basis, considering that they meet the requirements. This program allows foreign entrepreneurs to gain permanent residency once they receive SUV approval. However, the program has rigorous requirements and is very selective of who can qualify.
Provincial Nominee Programs (PNP) – Canadian provinces also offer good pathways for Indian entrepreneurs to invest, work and settle permanently in a specific province in Canada. The most popular PNP programs among Indian entrepreneurs remain the Entrepreneur streams of Ontario PNP and British Columbia PNP.
Owner-Operator LMIA Program – although this program was historically very popular among entrepreneurs and investors from India, it was cancelled by the government of Canada in April 2021. Now, investors and entrepreneurs from India can use the regular LMIA pathway or, even better, achieve the same results by using the Entrepreneur Work Permit option (above).

Pro Tips for Application Preparation

Here are some tips that we have for entrepreneurs from India submitting business immigration applications through the Canadian Visa Offices in New Delhi & Bangalore:

Include Extensive Financial Documentation

The officers in the New Delhi/Bangalore Visa Office are particularly attentive when it comes to the assessment of the financial capacity of entrepreneurs and business owners. Therefore, make sure to include evidence of sufficient liquid funds available to you to support your business enterprise in Canada. Financial capacity can be established by personal and corporate bank statements, stocks/shares that you hold, saving account statements, tax returns etc. Very often, the Visa Officers would like to see that business owners have set aside the full amount of business investment funds, plus some additional funds to cover operations costs or unexpected expenses. For example, if you are buying a business for $150,000, it is always recommended to show $250,000 in liquid funds to satisfy the officer of your financial capacity. We also recommend entrepreneurs to include evidence of personal and non-liquid assets with their business immigration applications.

Include Evidence About Relevant Experience

Another important aspect that Visa Officers scrutinize with any business immigration application from India is whether entrepreneurs are able to perform the work they intend to do in Canada. Thus, it is very important for investors and business owners from India to include ample of evidence documenting their relevant education, managerial and industry experience and transferrable skills. We suggest including reference letters, evidence of business ownership, certificates for additional training or courses that you took and any other relevant documentation to demonstrate that you possess the necessary skills and experience to undertake this new role in Canada.

Include Evidence of Commitment

Many entrepreneurs and investors are usually reluctant to take risks without solid assurances that their immigration application will go through. It is understandable. Who wants to invest into a business and later learn that he/she cannot come to Canada to manage it? However, to be successful in business immigration applications, entrepreneurs should demonstrate commitment towards the execution of the business plan. Unfortunately, registering a company and submitting a business plan might not satisfy the officer about your genuine intentions to establish and operate a business in Canada. There must be evidence of putting your money at risk and taking steps to execute your business vision. For example, actions like buying a business, funding your business in Canada, entering into a commercial lease agreement, hiring a first employee, buying equipment etc. can satisfy the Visa Officer that you are committed to your business vision and have started executing your business plan.

Best Business in Canada for Indians Under Business Immigration Programs

Various businesses could be considered the best for Indian residents who want to come to Canada under the existing business immigration programs. For instance, India has very strong IT, Professional Services, and Trade sectors. As their businesses grow, it is not surprising that driven, forward-thinking, and ambitious professionals from these sectors choose Canada as their next business destination.

1 – Informational Technology

Software development companies and IT consulting companies benefit from Canada’s welcoming and business-friendly environment. For that reason, India’s National Association of Software and Services Companies (Nasscom) has an ongoing strategic partnership with the Government of Canada. Nasscom views Canada as one of the best countries for Indian IT business expansion.

2 – Professional Services

The Canadian Professional Services sector is known worldwide for its HR consulting and finance sectors. HR consulting companies are experiencing an enormous increase in business opportunities due shift of the workforce to non-traditional work environments. The ever-thriving Canadian finance sector is attracting many Indian entrepreneurs and professionals.

3 – Trades

Many Indo-Canadian businesses benefit from India’s strong importation relationship with Canada. Ongoing negotiations for a Free Trade Agreement signify this partnership. Trading activity between the two countries is truly astounding. Indian imports in Canada reached 4.8 billion in 2021. Here is a quick snapshot:

Medical supplies – $432 million
Jewelry and precious metals – $441 million
Apparel – $166 million

Our Experience & Statistics for SMEs & Investors Entering Canada from India

We have been advising many companies, entrepreneurs, start-ups and investors from India on Canadian business immigration options. Below is a quick summary of facts that we have witnessed throughout the years:

Average Investment Budget: Between $150K – $300K
Average Approval Rate: 95%
Most Common Destinations: British Columbia, Ontario, Alberta
Average Processing Times: 2 – 3 months

Types of business:

Franchised businesses (retail, marketing, food industry and professional services)
Trade (jewelry, textile, medical supplies, ethnic food, etc.)
Food & hospitality (restaurant business)
Professional services (recruitment and HR consulting, financial services etc.)
IT services & consulting

Top reasons for rejection:

Availability of funds (insufficiency of available funds)
Viability of business

Success Stories from India to Canada

We have helped numerous clients to successfully business immigrate to Canada. Below are some of our recent Indian client stories, and you can find all of our successful cases in our success stories section.

You need to follow numerous steps to start a business in Canada. They are listed below. However, there is no need to worry because when you work with Sobirovs, we take care of all of this and more!

Step 1 – Develop a business idea. Do you already have a service or a product? What is your target audience? Are you solving a specific problem in the market? You need to know the foundational elements of what business you are going into.

Step 2 – Seek mentorship and networking. Any business can benefit from new connections and valuable advice. Remember, the more information you have to base your business decisions on, the more likely you will succeed.

Step 3 – Create a business plan. You must research and develop a viable business, which will not only allow your business to succeed but also be compliant with business immigration if you are a foreign entrepreneur.

Step 4 – Seek investors. This step can take place at any point in the growth of your business, but sometimes ventures need a little bit more capital to get either started or to innovate their processes.

Step 5 – Register and incorporate your business. These formalities must be taken care of right from the beginning. You should know which business structure your company should have because it can play a significant role down the road once the business matures.

Step 6 – Obtain permits and licenses. Depending on your business, you may need to get government approval in the form of permits or licenses. Failure to do so, in many cases, can result in the shutting down of your business.

Step 7 – Open a bank account and apply for a business credit card. Your business will need a separate bank account in order to keep the finances separate and keep track of business expenses. Additionally, having a business credit card will help you build a credit history for your business and even get reward points!

Step 8 – Launch your business. It takes a lot to set up a business, but once the foundation is in place, it is time to hit the ground running!

Step 9 – Analyze and reflect. Any successful businessperson must always have a desire for learning. In business, it takes the form of learning from mistakes or successes and analyzing situations that can allow your business to grow even further.