A Step-by-Step Guide to OINP Entrepreneur Stream

• Applicants must also determine if their proposed business type may be ineligible under the OINP Entrepreneur Stream’s current rules.
• Prospective entrepreneurs and business people can find a list of ineligible types of businesses inside and outside the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) here.

• Applicants are required to submit their completed Expression of Interest (EOI) during Stage 1 of the OINP Entrepreneur Stream application.
• Prospective entrepreneurs and business people should note that this EOI is not an application for immigrating via this program. It expresses the applicant’s interest in participating in the Entrepreneur Stream.

Applicants must also determine if they meet the eligibility requirements for this program. These requirements are summarized below:

• Work Experience: Applicants must possess a minimum of 24 months of full-time work experience gained in the past 60 months. This experience must be as a business owner or a senior business manager. Applicants with experience in both the roles mentioned above must choose one when creating and submitting their EOI.
• Net Worth: Applicants must possess a minimum net worth of $800,000 CAD if their business will be in the GTA. This requirement is only $400,000 CAD for businesses outside the GTA. The net worth requirement for businesses in the Information and Communications Technology industry in any location is $400,000 CAD.
• Personal Investment Amount: Entrepreneurs and business owners must make a personal investment to establish and run their new business. This investment amount is $600,000 CAD if the business is located inside the GTA, $200,000 CAD if the business is located outside the GTA, and $200,000 CAD if the company is in the Information and Communications Technology industry.
• Involvement in the Business: The applicant is required to be involved with operating and managing the business on an ongoing basis.
• Business Equity Percentage: The applicant must control at least 33.3% of the equity in the business they are establishing or purchasing.
• Canadian Job Creation: The business must create two or more permanent full-time jobs for Canadian citizens or Canadian permanent residents if it is located inside the GTA. This requirement is reduced to one or more permanent full-time jobs if the business is outside the GTA or is in the Information and Communications Technology industry.
• Exploratory Visit: Applicants must make an exploratory visit to Ontario in the 12 months preceding their Expression of Interest registration.

Some of the general requirements for the proposed business include:

• That the business earns profits through active income and not passive income. The business must accomplish this via the sale of goods or services.
• The business must comply with federal, provincial, licensing, and regulatory requirements wherever applicable.
• There must be a minimum of one business location within Ontario at all times.
• Any third-party business investors must fall under Schedule I or Schedule II bank categories. Alternatively, they may be an institutional investor.
• A comprehensive business plan must accompany the business’s idea.

If applicants intend to purchase a business in Ontario, it must meet the following requirements:

• The business must have been in operation for a minimum of 60 months before being purchased.
• This operation must have been continuous and under the same ownership.
• The purchase should transfer 100% of the ownership to the applicant, business partners, and third-party investors.
• The business’s previous owners cannot be former OINP business stream participants. This definition includes individuals who have been nominated under the Opportunities Ontario Investor Component or the Entrepreneur Stream.
• The acquisition must preserve the business’s existing full-time permanent jobs and two new permanent jobs for Canadian citizens or Canadian permanent residents. Companies located in the GTA must also maintain the existing minimum wage and employment terms for existing staff at the establishment. This requirement is reduced to creating one new full-time permanent job if the business is outside the GTA or in the Information Communications and Technology industry.
• The business plan provided must prove that the applicant intends to grow their business. Applicants who intend to purchase and hold the acquired company are not eligible for the Entrepreneur Stream.
• Applicants must devote 10% or more of their personal investment to improving and growing Ontario’s business.

Applicants must also meet the following nomination requirements if they wish to be nominated after establishing or acquiring their business in Ontario:

• Language Requirement: Scoring CLB Level 4 or higher on a recognized language proficiency test.
• Residency Requirement: The applicant must reside in Ontario for 75% of the period during the business’s establishment.
• Active Management: The applicant must remain actively involved with managing day-to-day activities at the company.

Applicants can only move on to the next step if they understand the eligibility requirements mentioned above.

Applicants can “score” themselves based on their background and achievements in the following categories. A maximum score of 200 points can be awarded. Applicants must also prove that they meet each category’s points requirements.

Human Capital Factors (up to 80 points)

• Business Experience: Experience in either business ownership or business senior management role. A maximum of 25 points can be awarded in this area.
• Past Specific Experience: Additional points may be awarded for specific past business ownership or senior management experience. A total of 35 points can be scored in this area.
• Education Level: Applicants are awarded points for post-secondary education. A total of 10 points can be awarded in this area.
• Language Proficiency: Applicants can score 5 points if they score CLB 4 on a recognized test. They can score 10 points if they score CLB 5 or higher.

Investment Factors

• Net Worth: Applicants may be awarded up to 15 points if they possess a high net worth. Note that applicants with a net worth less than $800,000 CAD are not eligible for the program.
• Investment Amount: Applicants may be awarded up to 25 points if they make a significant personal investment.
• Business-Related Visit: Applicants are awarded 6 points for making a business-related visit in the year preceding their EOI registration.

This section contains awards scores based on the proposed business plan information. Prospective applicants will need to score a minimum of 37 points out of the maximum 74 points in this area to qualify for the EOI selection pool. The maximum number of points in each subcategory under the business concept is as follows:

Business Model

The business model describes how the business will create revenue and earn profits. Applicants are encouraged to provide a detailed business description that includes the following information:

• The business model and strategy will allow the business to succeed in Ontario.
• A description of the products or services the business is offering.
• How the business plan will lead to revenue generation and profits.
• The applicant’s role in making the business succeed. This includes information on the applicant’s past experience and other relevant background details.
• An explanation of why the business will be managed as a partnership.
• Applicants purchasing an existing business must describe why they chose it and how they intend to expand it.

Applicants can receive up to 15 points for providing sufficient information on the business model as discussed above. They can receive an additional 15 points for providing information on market research and how it indicates their business will succeed in Ontario.

Applicants can receive up to 10 points by demonstrating how their business will benefit Ontario’s economy. This can include descriptions of new products or services, adopting new technology, or increasing research and development.

Applicants can receive up to 10 points by providing a detailed breakdown of how they intend to allocate capital investments to expand the business.

Business Location

Points are also awarded for the proposed business’s location in specific Census Metropolitan Areas (CMA).

• CMA population of 175,000 or more: 0 points
• CMA population between 100,000 and 175,000: 5 points
• Locations with a population under 100,000: 10 points

Job Creation

• Points are awarded for the number of jobs the business creates.
• Additional points are also given for the job’s skill level.
• Up to 7 points are awarded if the company makes five or more full-time permanent positions.
• Up to 7 additional points are awarded if the jobs created fall under NOC 0, A, or B skill levels.

Once applicants have tallied up their scores in each area mentioned above, they can register for their EOI online. Applicants are not required to provide supporting documents when they initially submit their EOI. They will be asked to provide these documents after receiving an invitation to apply.

Applicants must hire a qualified vendor to review their personal net worth and funds before submitting their application with the OINP. The OINP must approve this vendor before using its services.

Applicants are required to pay a processing fee of $3,500 CAD before submitting their application. They must complete this payment electronically via MasterCard, MasterCard Debit, Visa, or Visa Debit. Note that these processing fees are non-refundable once the OINP has begun processing the application.

Applicants must gather relevant documents that help them prove their claims during the self-scoring phase. These documents must also include a notarized or certified translation.

Once the preceding steps are completed, applicants can complete and submit their applications online. The Invitation to Apply email that applicants received earlier will contain information on the website for submitting this application.

If the OINP believes the application was completed accurately, they will invite the applicant for an in-person interview at their office in Ontario. This interview will help allow the applicant to provide more information about their business plan and their qualifications.

After entering Ontario, entrepreneurs will have up to 20 months to implement their business plan and meet the terms and conditions mentioned in their Performance Agreement.

This also includes ensuring the full-time permanent jobs they have created are filled for a minimum of 10 months continuously till the day they submit their Final Report.

OINP officers will monitor the business and visit the facility to ensure the owner is complying with the Performance Agreement objectives. Owners will also need to provide quarterly reports updating OINP on their process.

Business owners are required to submit their Final Report with the OINP 18 to 20 months after arriving in Ontario. An OINP officer will provide business owners with a template for this report.

This Final Report must demonstrate that the business owner has fulfilled the terms and conditions mentioned in the Performance Agreement. The OINP will then evaluate this report and ask for additional information if it is needed.