Bringing in $15 Billion Through Immigration: A Call to Revive Investor Programs

By ImmiSight Blog | Based on an article by Dominic Therrien, Immigration Lawyer and Lecturer at Université de Montréal and Queen’s University

In the midst of a historic commercial crisis affecting Canada’s economy and public finances, immigration lawyer Dominic Therrien argues in La Presse that the country has a fast, cost-effective way to inject billions into its economy: reviving investor immigration programs.

Historically, Canada operated both federal and Quebec-specific immigration streams for investor-class immigrants. In exchange for significant financial contributions, these programs granted permanent residency and attracted billions in capital. However, the federal program was shut down in 2014, and Quebec's version has been largely stalled due to tightened language requirements—receiving fewer than ten applications annually, according to Mr. Therrien.

Despite the pause, the infrastructure and experienced staff needed to process these applications remain in place. Mr. Therrien proposes a pragmatic solution: a five-year pilot project with the following elements:

- Annual cap: 6,000 investor applications (split equally between federal and Quebec programs), totaling 30,000 over five years.

- Processing fee: $20,000 per application.

- Non-refundable contribution: $500,000 to the government (federal or Quebec).

- Language requirement: Basic official language training (minimum 45 hours) for applicants not already fluent.

- Background checks: Clean criminal record and proof of legal source of funds.

With over 400,000 immigrants arriving in Canada each year, adding 6,000 investors would have a minimal impact on immigration levels but a significant economic benefit. The proposal could generate over $15 billion in combined fees and contributions without needing to create new infrastructure.

Mr. Therrien urges federal candidates like Mark Carney and Pierre Poilievre to consider this straightforward, impactful approach as part of their campaign platforms.

Source: La Presse, April 21, 2025 – “Aller chercher 15 milliards avec l’immigration” by Dominic Therrien.
Note: Mr. Therrien is a respected immigration lawyer and close collaborator of ImmiSight.