The Newfoundland and Labrador Provincial Nominee Program seeks to recruit immigrants who have specialized occupational or entrepreneurial skills. Through an agreement with the Government of Canada, the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador may nominate immigrants, who can contribute to the economic and social goals of the province, for permanent resident status.
The categories of the Provincial Nominee Program are:
Occupational / Skilled Worker Category
The Provincial Nominee Program will be used to nominate persons who have specialized skills that are deemed as having a critical impact on the operations of an employer which are not otherwise obtainable in Canada. Applicants submitting an application in this category will be required to have a bona fide offer of paid employment from a Newfoundland and Labrador employer, which should fall within the strategic sector list. There is an onus on the employer to ensure that the applicant’s skills could not have been met locally and/or that the position was extremely difficult to fill, and that the skills have a critical impact on the local employer’s/organization’s operating.
The applicant may also be required to visit Newfoundland and Labrador for a pre-employment interview with the employer and the Department of Innovation, Trade and Rural Development .
Immigrant Entrepreneur Category
The Immigrant Entrepreneur Category is intended for prospective immigrants who propose to establish a new business or who propose to purchase all or part of an existing business that has supportable prospects for expansion in Newfoundland and Labrador and who intend to be self-employed in that business. Immigrant entrepreneurs who wish to apply in this category must meet the following criteria:
Eligible Business Activity (An active business refers to a business that generates revenues by selling goods and/or services at arm’s length to third parties).
Required Business Experience (minimum of five (5) years of senior management or direct entrepreneurial experience in a business similar to the one proposed.
Net Worth and Liquidity Requirements (a minimum net worth of CDN$450,000, including minimum liquid assets of CDN$350,000. Liquid assets include, for example: cash, demand deposits with a financial institution, term deposits, tax shelters convertible to cash, and readily marketable investments including publicly traded stocks and bonds).
Performance Agreement (Immigrant entrepreneurs must sign the Performance Agreement with the Provincial Nominee Application)
Exploratory Visit (to make at least one exploratory visit to Newfoundland and Labrador to gather additional research on his/her proposed business plan and to meet with appropriate business owners, industry associations, financial institutions, real estate agents, and other relevant cultural or community groups to assess adaptability and successful business and settlement prospects in the province).
Business Plan (to prepare and submit a detailed business plan outlining how the new enterprise is to be successfully established).
Pre-Assessment Phase — All immigrant entrepreneurs must submit the required Pre-Assessment documents BEFORE submitting a Provincial Nominee Application. This Pre-Assessment, accompanied by the immigrant entrepreneurs’ business plan, is required so that the Program Officers can determine whether or not the business plan is eligible and/or qualifies under the Provincial Nominee Program.
Immigrant Partner Category
The Immigrant Partner category is intended for prospective immigrants with business and/or entrepreneurial skills and expertise who wish to partner, in a limited manner, with other prospective immigrants (to a maximum of 3 additional immigrant partners) in establishing a new business to be located in Newfoundland and Labrador OR invest in an expanding existing Newfoundland and Labrador company. In both situations the immigrant partner must take an active role in the new or investee company.
Applicants who wish to submit an application in this category must meet the following criteria:
Investment/Equity Requirement (to make a minimum business investment of $200,000 in equity to establish an eligible new enterprise or purchase/invest in an eligible existing business within the northeast Avalon region (the greater St. John’s area) or $100,000 in equity outside the northeast Avalon region.
Good Faith Performance Deposit (the applicant is required to place $25,000 in trust with the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador. This deposit is fully refundable, with interest, one year after landing, provided that the immigrant partner can demonstrate to the satisfaction of the province that: the required minimum investment was made; the applicant is actively involved in the investee company; and, the immigrant partner and his/her family maintain a residence in theProvince).
Business Plan and /or Local Investee Company Proposal (to prepare and submit a business plan outlining how the new enterprise is to be successfully established, including ownership structure, overview of the management team, financial plan and marketing plan.
Each section below give detailed information on each aspect and is full of great advice for newcomers to Canada:
