NLPNP International Graduate Entrepreneur in Newfoundland and Labrador

The Newfoundland and Labrador International Graduate Entrepreneur Stream may be the route to Canadian permanent residence for candidates who studied at Memorial University in Newfoundland and Labrador or the College of the North Atlantic as an international student and who have started or purchased a local business and maintained its day-to-day operation for at least 1 continuous year.

The International Graduate Entrepreneur Stream is a sub-category of theNewfoundland and Labrador Provincial Nominee Program (NLPNP).

International Entrepreneur Stream requirements

To be eligible, an individual must:

• Be at least 21 years old
• Provide a business continuation plan with supporting financial documents verified by an accredited third-party professional service (the candidate is entirely responsible for paying the costs of obtaining these documents)
• Have completed a degree or certificate after at least 2 years of full-time, in-person study at Memorial University or the College of the North Atlantic, with the degree or certificate completed within 2 years of submitting the expression of interest
• Hold aHold a valid Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP)
• Wish to settle permanently in Newfoundland and Labrador while owning and actively managing a local business with the potential to generate significant economic benefit for Newfoundland and Labrador
• Have at least 1 year of continuous experience managing and owning the current business (minimum 33.3% ownership)
• Demonstrate the ability to create at least one full-time equivalent job for the local population (permanent residents and Canadian citizens)
• Demonstrate that the business is a for-profit entity whose primary purpose is to earn a profit through the sale of goods and/or services
• Score at least 7 under theCanadian Language Benchmark (CLB)in speaking, listening, reading and writing in English or French
• Complete an expression of interest online
• Receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA) from the Office of Immigration and Multiculturalism (OIM)

International Entrepreneur Stream candidates who intend to support regional economic development or to focus on industries or sectors in high demand (for example, agriculture, aquaculture, technology, natural resources) receive priority consideration.

Additional criteria for the International Entrepreneur Stream

There are 2 streams within the International Graduate Entrepreneur Stream: starting a new business and purchasing an existing business. Each stream has its own criteria in addition to those set out above.

Starting a new business

When starting a business, international entrepreneurs must create a minimum of one year-round full-time equivalent job opportunity for a Canadian citizen or permanent resident in Newfoundland and Labrador. This position must:

• Be in addition to any position held by the approved candidate. For the avoidance of doubt, jobs created for or held by a dependant or relative of the candidate are not eligible
• Be related and directly connected to the candidate’s business
• Meet the prevailing wage in the province

Purchasing an existing business

Where an international entrepreneur candidate purchases an existing business in Newfoundland and Labrador, all of the following apply:

• The business must have been operated continuously by the current owner for the previous five years
• The candidate must provide evidence that reasonable efforts were made to determine the fair market value of the business
• The business must be actively trading and not in bankruptcy
• The candidate must offer employment on similar terms and conditions to existing employees, including maintaining existing wages and working conditions

Who is not eligible

The following are not eligible for the International Entrepreneur Stream:

• Individuals living unlawfully in their country of residence;
• Those who have been issued a removal order byImmigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC)or the Canada Border Services Agency
• Those who are inadmissible to Canada
• Passive investors (individuals who intend to invest in a business in Newfoundland and Labrador with very limited or no involvement in the day-to-day management of the business)
• Individuals with no legal status (not eligible to apply until their status is restored)

Ineligible businesses

The following businesses are not eligible for the International Entrepreneur Stream:

• Businesses operated remotely (from another Canadian jurisdiction or from another country)
• Property rental, investment and leasing operations
• Construction/development/real estate brokerage, insurance brokerage or business brokerage; unless the candidate can demonstrate that their business in one of these fields brings compelling benefit to the province
• Professional services or self-employed operators requiring licensing or certification
• Payday lending, cheque cashing, currency exchange and cash machines
• Pawnbroking
• Taxi companies
• Home-based businesses; unless the candidate can demonstrate that their business will bring compelling benefit to the province
• Businesses involved in producing, distributing or selling pornographic or sexually explicit products or services
• Not-for-profit businesses
• Investment in a business operated primarily to earn passive investment income
• Businesses operated primarily to earn investment income such as interest, dividends or capital gains
• Businesses that pay employees on a commission-only basis
• Any type of business whose association could bring the Office of Immigration and Multiculturalism (OIM), the NLPNP or the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador into disrepute

The application process

International Entrepreneur Stream individuals who meet the eligibility requirements may submit an expression of interest (EOI) while that system is accepting new submissions. Check whether the EOI is open athere.

After submitting an EOI, if an Invitation to Apply (ITA) is received, complete the application form and include all the supporting documents.

Costs

There is a provincial application fee of CAD 250 for the Newfoundland International Graduate Entrepreneur Stream (for the principal candidate and each partner involved). The provincial application fee may change without prior notice. There may be costs associated with obtaining and preparing the documents required for this stream (for example: educational credentials, language testing, translation, audit services, and so on).

International Entrepreneur Stream candidates are responsible for all costs relating to travel to Newfoundland and Labrador for the exploratory visit and the in-person interview.