You do not necessarily need to hire an immigration lawyer/consultant to immigrate to Canada, but it is crucial to use the expertise of professionals who have a wealth of knowledge and experience with immigration law. In addition, immigration programs and policies are constantly subject to frequent changes, and keeping immigration information up to date is critical, especially when you plan to immigrate to Canada soon. Therefore, it is recommended that you seek the help of experienced immigration lawyers/consultants/legal advisers whenever necessary.

This question is not easy to answer because it depends on many factors, including the type of immigration program, the location where you apply, the priority of the program from the point of view of the federal or provincial governments, and so on. However, approximately, this process may take between one and three years from the date the application is submitted. For example, an entrepreneur who applies under a PNP Entrepreneurship Program is eligible for a provincial nomination after fulfilling the terms of the performance agreement (up to two years). Taking into account this time and when the applicant receives his/her permanent residence through the Federal government, it may easily take three years or even more.

There are two main factors when an immigration application is assessed in Canada by federal and provincial governments: Eligibility and Admissibility. Depending on how well the applicant is aligned with eligibility requirements, if an applicant fails to convince the officer that he/she has met these qualifications criteria, there is always risk for refusal. When it comes to Admissibility, the onus is on applicant to show he/she is not inadmissible to Canada and there is no violation of Immigration Act (IRPA) S. 38-42. Therefore, it is highly likely if the applicant has not met qualifications regarding eligibility and admissibility, the application may be rejected.

If you have graduated from an authorized designated learning institution (DLI) in Canada which can offer post graduate work permit (PGWP) eligible programs, you can apply for PGWP after graduation. The length of PGWP can be valid up to three years depending on the program length. The program must be at least 8 months. In some PNP programs, graduates are eligible to receive PNP nomination without a job offer within specific period of time after graduation provided that students are graduated from designated institutions by PNP. However, most of graduates are required to obtain required amount of work experience (usually in the same field of study) after graduation. Either way, graduates can receive enough points in Federal Express Entry pool to receive ITA towards their permanent resident applications.  

Yes, Almost all Canadian provinces have been authorized by IRCC to select eligible immigrants under their own PNP Provincial Nomination Programs.

A business plan is a written document that describes in detail how a business—usually a startup—defines its objectives and how it is to go about achieving its goals. A business plan lays out a written roadmap for the firm from marketing, financial, and operational standpoints.

Business plans are important documents used to attract investment before a company has established a proven track record. They are also a good way for companies to keep themselves on target going forward.

Although they’re especially useful for new businesses, every company should have a business plan. Ideally, the plan is reviewed and updated periodically to see if goals have been met or have changed and evolved. Sometimes, a new business plan is created for an established business that has decided to move in a new direction.

Concerning business immigration applications, business plan is a super important document that is submitted along with other requirements.

Business Owner/Operator has been a federal initiative (policy) under temporary foreign worker program (TFW) since 2014. Unlike PNP Entrepreneur programs, under Owner Operator, there is neither the need to show the net worth nor the source of fund. The applicant can purchase and run the business anywhere in Canada (except Quebec) and contrary to PNP investor programs, no performance agreement is required and processing time is much faster as well. However, for owner operator, funds must be committed before filing LMIA, i.e. could include a significant deposit and mandatory payments over time whereas PNP investment can be done within the time fame given to applicant to run the business according to the performance agreement contract.

• If you have an innovative idea that can create a business which is innovative and can compete on global scale, you are the right fit for Start Up Visa. 
• If the investment comes from a designated Canadian venture capital fund, you must secure a minimum investment of $200,000.
• If the investment comes from a designated Canadian angel investor group, you must secure a minimum investment of $75,000.
• You don’t need to secure a financial investment from a business incubator. You must be accepted into a Canadian business incubator program.