The Facts of the Case

Our Client, an experienced manager from Nigeria with proven success in managing his own franchise store, contacted us to advise him on possible business immigration options to Canada. The Client had a budget of between CAD $250,000 and CAD $350,000. His main business immigration priorities were:

• the Client wanted to start a business in a high client traffic area; 
• the Canadian business had to be able to utilize his Nigerian business network;
• considering that the Client had proven leadership qualities and management experience, his role in the Canadian business had to allow him to use those skills and rely on his experience to develop the business;
• the Canadian business had to have an option to open more locations in the future if the possibility increases; and
• the Client wanted his family to come to Canada with him from the beginning.

Our business immigration lawyers conducted comprehensive research of possible business opportunities and presented it to the Client. The Client considered all of the options in our proposal and chose to purchase a full-service tire and vehicle maintenance shop in Hamilton, Ontario. Such investment would allow the Client to immigrate to Canada through the C11 Work Permit pathway with his family.

The Timeline of the Case

We helped the Client to incorporate the Canadian company on December 3, 2020.

Shortly after, on December 23, 2020, the Client signed the Letter of Intent to purchase the business and made the required deposit on the purchase.

The application was submitted on March 18, 2021. Due to the Nairobi/Abuja Visa office’s slow responsiveness, we requested to transfer our Client’s file to CPC Edmonton for urgent processing. Because of the prolonged delay in processing, the Client missed essential business training in Canada which had to be delayed.

The application was approved on November 18, 2021. The Client received a work permit, his spouse received an open work permit, and their 3 children received visitor permits.

Key Takeaways from the Case

When you are considering business immigration you can either extend your existing foreign business to Canada, start a brand new business in Canada, or buy an existing business in Canada. Although every option is viable and largely depends on your circumstances, buying an established business has several advantages: 

• Reducing start-up time, reducing loss and risks;
• Access to immediate cash flow;
• The brand and service are already established;
• Access to the existing clientele;
• Inheriting experience from previous owner, managers, and staff;
• Forecasting its growth based on its financial history;

In our Client’s case, this was the best option since he could not only benefit from the above but could also utilize his Nigerian business network to gain even more revenue from this specific business.

The other lesson we learned from this case is that handling a client’s immigration matter during a pandemic requires an extra amount of patience and perseverance from both the client and his immigration lawyer. We truly appreciate that our Client trusted our expertise and was generous in being patient during the process!

Why You Should Choose Sobirovs as Advisors for Your Business Immigration to Canada

At Sobirovs, we go further than just business immigration. We want you and your business to succeed in Canada. Thus, we do not only rely on our extensive legal experience, but also on our vast knowledge of the Canadian business sector. We tailor your business immigration strategy, which may involve the purchase of a business, specifically to you and your skills and experience.

Our business immigration lawyers have proven business immigration options that will work for you and your business. We are here to make this life-changing process as hassle-free for you as possible. While you take care of your business and your family, we take care of your business immigration needs!

Take these 3 steps to learn more about your business immigration possibilities and let’s team up to achieve your goals:

• Step 1: Check your eligibility for business immigration programs using our Free Instant Assessment tool.
• Step 2: Check our fees using our Fee Calculator. Don’t worry if the fees estimated by the Fee Calculator seem too high. We can give you a discount if your case is strong.
• Step 3: Book a 1-hour Strategy Meeting with our senior business immigration lawyer to discuss your immigration case in more detail. If we take you as our next client after this meeting, the fee you paid for the meeting will be applied towards our legal retainer.