Manitoba Business Investor Stream (BIS) earlier known as Manitoba Provincial Nomination Program for Business (MPNP-B) is a platform provided by the provincial government of Manitoba to attract experienced entrepreneurs who want to establish, purchase a business, or a farm in Manitoba.
The Business Investor Stream (BIS) has two pathways
• The Entrepreneur Pathway – for applicants who want to establish or purchase a business in Manitoba.
• The Farm Investor Pathway – for applicants who want to establish a farm business in the rural area of Manitoba.
The Entrepreneur Pathway
The new entrepreneur pathway replaces the previous Manitoba Provincial Nomination Program for Business (MPNP-B).
Minimum Requirements
Business Experience – At least three-year full-time work experience in the last five-year either as a business owner or at senior management level. A business owner would be given more points in comparison to a senior management employee.
Business Ownership – Must have ownership of at least 33 1/3 percent.
Language Proficiency -At least CLB /NCLC 5
Education -Minimum Canadian High School certificate equivalent.
Investment -Minimum investment of $250,000 if the business is situated in Manitoba Capital Region and a minimum investment of $150,000 if the business is situated outside the Manitoba Capital Region. Investment should be made in the eligible business as defined by the MPNP.
Job Creation -Create at least one job for a Canadian citizen or permanent resident in Manitoba. Job created should not include jobs of the owner and/or their relatives.
Business Research Visit -Must be conducted within one year before the submission of Expression of Interest (EOI)
Net Worth -At least $500,000. An authorized third-party service provider should verify the net worth of the applicant.
Business Performance Agreement -Applicant must sign the agreement.
Note -Applicants are no longer required to submit a deposit of $100,000 to the government of Manitoba
Procedure
1. Self Assessment -Applicants must assess if they meet the minimum eligibility criteria for the entrepreneur pathway. Applicant must fill the self-assessment form which assesses an applicant on certain parameters like education, age, experience, language proficiency, net worth, proposed investment, business research, and adaptability. Upon completion, the applicants receive a score out of 150 based on their profile.
2. Business Concept Research -Applicant must complete a Business Concept Research. This research should explain the business opportunity in Manitoba, the viability of the business opportunity, intended investment, marketing strategy, risk management, resource planning, etc. The research should also demonstrate how this business is going to help the economy of Manitoba. Applicants are encouraged to visit Manitoba and attend business seminars.
3. Expression of Interest -Applicant after completing the business concept research needs to submit an expression of interest along with a Business Concept Form, Self Assessment Form, and Code of Conduct for Immigration Representative (if applicable). The MPNP will inform applicants through emails about the approval of the application.
4. Complete Application – If the applicant’s business concept is approved and meets the minimum criteria, the applicant will receive a Letter of Advice to Apply (LAA). The applicant has 120 days to submit all the required documents electronically to the MPNP. Applicant must also send a third-party verification report of the net worth and an extensive business plan. There is also a non-refundable application processing fee of $2500 that an applicant needs to pay.
5. Assessment -MPNP verifies the information provided by the applicant. An applicant may be called for an in-person interview. MPNP will send a Procedural Fairness Letter if the assessment raises concerns. The Procedural Fairness Letter allows an applicant to address those concerns.
The applicant also needs to sign a Business Performance Agreement. It will serve as a contract between the applicant and MPNP. Once the signed BPA is received, MPNP issues a Letter of Support to the applicant. With a letter of Support, an applicant needs to apply for a Temporary Work Permit (TWP) at Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).
6. Establishing Business -The entrepreneur will provide regular updates to MNPN about the business performance. MNPN may monitor the activities of the business to verify its compliance with the Business Performance Agreement.
7. Nomination – An entrepreneur who has successfully met the terms and conditions of the BPA will get a Provincial Nomination Certificate from Manitoba. An entrepreneur with Provincial Nomination Certificate then needs to apply at IRCC for a Canadian permanent residency.
Farm Investor Pathway (FIP)
Earlier known as Farm Strategic Recruitment Initiative is for entrepreneurs with proven farm business experience, having a capacity to invest, and a desire to start and operate a farm in the rural areas of Manitoba.
Minimum Requirements
Farm Business Experience – should have at least three-year of farm ownership and experience. All the supporting documents should be verifiable
Language Proficiency – Language capability in either French or English will be considered as an additional skill. If an applicant invited for an interview, then the medium of the interview will be either English or French.
Investment -Minimum investment of $300,000 Investment should be made in eligible tangible assets as defined by the MPNP. Applicant must provide a farm business plan.
Farm Business Activities – Applicant is required to live on the farm and should actively participate in the farming operations. A farm business should have an ongoing and recurring business activity in rural Manitoba
Business Research Visit - Must be conducted within one year before the submission of Expression of Interest (EOI)
Farm Business Research Visit -Applicant must conduct a Farm Business Research in Manitoba.
Net Worth – At least $500,000 A designated third-party verifier should verify the net worth of the applicant. The designated third-party verifiers are Grant Thornton LLP and MNP LLP.
Procedure
1. Farm Business Research – Applicant first needs to make sure that he/she meets the eligibility criteria. Those who meet the criteria must conduct a farm research visit. It is a mandatory step. A farm research visit helps an applicant in assessing the vital information like cost of the farmland, cost of living, livestock cost, production cost, etc.
2. Submission of Interest Guidelines and Farm Business Concept Forms – Interest Guidelines form is a document where the applicant provides self-assessment details like farm business experience, education, net worth, language proficiency, etc.
An applicant is also required to complete the Farm Business Concept form. Applicant must also submit a code of conduct for Immigration Representative. Applicants who pass this step will be given a Letter of Advice to Apply (LAA).
3. Farm Investor Pathway Application – Applicant must submit a complete Farm Investor Pathway application within 120 days of the receipt of an LAA. Applicant must provide all the required documents and pay a non-refundable application fee. A third-party verification report of the net worth of the applicant is required by the MPNP.
4. Assessment of the Application – The assessment process may include an in-person interview of the applicant to discuss the business plan. The applicant also needs to sign a Deposit Agreement which contains the terms and conditions presented by the MPNP. The applicant also needs to deposit $75,000. The amount is refundable once the terms of the contracts are met.
5. Canadian Permanent Residence – When MPNP receives the signed Deposit Agreement, a nomination letter will be issued, upon which the applicant can apply for Canadian permanent residence to IRCC.
6. Establishing a Farm Business – The MPNP will monitor the business performance. The applicant is required to provide a progress report regularly to MPNP. Once the MPNP is satisfied that the applicant has met the terms and conditions of the agreement, the deposited sum of $75000 will be returned to the applicant.