Quebec Investor Immigration Is Better Than US EB-5

15 May 2018

quebec-investor-immigrant-program

The Quebec Investor of Canada, as well as the EB-5 of USA, are two popular residence-by-investment immigration programs of the world.

Both these offer permanent residence in their countries to individuals of high net worth in exchange for a major investment.

We have conducted a review these programs. We have also compared the advantages and disadvantages for the candidates considering their immigration options.

Comparison:

	QIIP	U.S. EB-5
Investment threshold	CAD $1.2 million (government guaranteed)	$500,000 (CAD$643,237) or $1 million (CAD$1.29 million)
Net worth requirement	$2 million	None stated
Nature of investment	Passive investment over 5 years bearing no interest	Investment in at risk project creating at least 10 jobs. For $500,000 threshold, investment must be in low-employment area (regional centre)
Residence qualification	Immediate permanent residence	Immediate temporary residence, can apply for permanent after 2 years
Application window	The QIIP sets managed application periods, with the recent threshold set at 1,900 applications, including a maximum of 1,330 from China, Hong Kong and Macao. With families, the program welcomes 5,000 new permanent residents each year. The next application period is expected to open in Q3 2018.	The EB-5 issues a maximum of 10,000 visas per year to investors and their families. Upwards of 80% go to Chinese investors, with a large backlog creating a years-long waiting list for candidates from primary source countries.
Financing available?	Yes, formal financing schemes available	Program financing not permitted
Controversies	The main controversy surrounding the QIIP is that investors use it as a back door to Canada (Vancouver and Toronto). Despite attempts to make investors state their intention to reside in Quebec, once they have permanent residence status, they are free to move anywhere in Canada. The program has been blamed for inflating house prices in Vancouver and Toronto.	U.S. EB-5 projects have been beset with fraud, with several cases tied up in the U.S. legal system. Developers have also been accused of exploiting the system for determining the low employment area to invest into already thriving downtown areas.
Political climate	Canada’s political climate is stable and welcoming to new immigrants.	Under President Donald Trump, the U.S. has become protectionist, and the president is pushing an agenda of anti-immigration.
Program stability	The QIIP has just increased its investment and net worth thresholds for the first time in nearly a decade. The program is a well-established part of the Canadian immigration landscape.	The U.S. EB-5 program has not changed its investment thresholds since 1990 but is a continuous source of debate in U.S. politics. Lawmakers regularly call for the program to be scrapped, or for thresholds to be increased. With Donald Trump as president, the future of the program is uncertain.

Conclusion

The Quebec Immigrant Investor Program is sound and stable, investment and has a financing alternative in exchange of permanent residence immediately. Moreover, it is a popular financing option, and the investment is worth $325,000 (USD $260,000). There are a few controversies, but they do not become a threat to the prospect of the program. There are annual application limits, and the program has the benefit of good administration also. Moreover, it benefits the candidates as well as the economy of Quebec. Provincial representatives from British Columbia and Ontario wish to share the benefits depending on the number of QIIP candidates settling in their jurisdiction areas. There is a Processing delay of 44 months for Asian investors in issuing visas.

The US EB-5, gives a higher investment option but does not offer any stability and guarantee that is available in the QIIP. The program is operated by using temporary resolutions regularly. Additionally the threat that it can end is constant. There is a chance that the investment requirement will be increased in a big way. Furthermore the Processing time is also long based on the on nationality of the candidate. Some investors need to wait for a decade for the approval of applications.

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