The entrepreneur streams of most provincial nominee programs require the clients to demonstrate their ability to successfully implement the proposed business plans on the strength of their entrepreneurial experience and legitimate/qualified investment, leading to the creation of valuable jobs for Canadian citizens or permanent residents, while at the same time demonstrating the potential benefit which would flow to the chosen province or territory.
Though the knowledge of the local market, industry, and competition plays a major role in the success of a business, the outcome of these applications depends largely on factors like business exploratory visits, successful demonstration of relevant business experience, effective business concept and/or business plan, demonstration of legitimate sources of investment and net worth, language proficiency, and on the interview of the applicant.
These cases require extensive work and investment by the clients in business research, planning, exploratory visits, net-worth verification, and government processing fees, in addition to the legal fees. Despite the effective representation by the lawyer, many clients feel it overwhelming when they reach the interview stage, as lawyers are not permitted to attend the interview. The client is on his own, mostly overwhelmed by the interview process which may last up to two hours. The clients, many of them not native English or French speakers, report it as a formidable experience and are sometimes astounded by the atmosphere of the interview, which is not always very collaborative.
As representatives, there are a few important aspects of the process which we should keep in mind when advising clients on PNP entrepreneurial programs.
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