Starting a business in Canada

Currently, Canada has one of the highest levels of immigrants worldwide. Some immigrants are not well qualified for most jobs, so they have turned to self employment. Others prefer to be entrepreneurs and create opportunities.

Statistics show that 1 in every 3 Canadian businesses is owned by an immigrant because there are several business opportunities open to them. In this article, we will give you insights into how you can start a small business in Canada.

How Easy Is It To Start A Business In Canada?

Canadian immigrants succeed in business because they get support from the government. As an immigrant in Canada, It is easy to start a business if you inform yourself of the processes, plan carefully and follow the steps judiciously. Most of the businesses started by immigrants are meant to support other immigrants making it quite easy to start a business in Canada.

Do I need a business plan?

A business plan allows entrepreneurs to have an in-depth knowledge of their business project. Immigrants also need a workable business plan to apply for grants to start their businesses.

How Much Money Do You Need To Start A Business In Canada?

The amount of money you need to start a business in Canada differs according to the factors below:

1. Size of the business
2. Type of the business
3. Intended location
4. Goods and services for sale
5. Equipment and supplies. 

The cost for starting a business in Canada can range from below $1,000 to above $10,000. This is the reason you need a business plan. It will enable you to calculate the expenses your business will incur. 

There are six main costs that you’ll need to consider under your startup costs: office space, equipment, and furniture, inventory, legal and registration fees, marketing and insurance.

1. Office location

Getting the right office location is only possible after doing your research to know which location is suitable for your new business. In some places in Canada, the cost of one square foot ranges between $3 to $70 and above. This price depends on the location of the business if it’s a large city or a business area. If the cost of renting is above your budget, consider alternatives like working from home or sharing an office space with someone. In the meantime, you can save up for your office rent, taxes and other expenses.

2. Supplies and Equipment

Just like the others, the supplies and equipment needed depend on the type of business you plan to start. To create a budget, you have to know the cost of the equipment and supplies. The equipment and supplies you will need might cost $1,000 to $3,000.

3. Business registration

Business registration in most parts of Canada costs between $135 to $400. This is cheaper than the cost of incorporating. Other things that will require payment during registration are getting a license, permit and insurance.

4. Employees’ salary 

If you’re planning to take up a few employees, remember that their payroll comprises other allowances aside from their hourly wages.

They are:

• Benefits
• Employment Insurance
• Canada Pension Plan
• Taxes
• Commissions
• Overtime/ Vacation pay
• Bonuses

These vary according to location and industry, but be ready to set aside a big part of your budget.

5. Insurance

Canadian businesses pay from $500 above for insurance annually. The cost of this also depends on your office location and the insurance provider. 

Legal Requirements for an Immigrant to Start a Canadian Business

The legal requirement for an immigrant in Canada to start a business varies according to the business type and the province you want to set up your business. 

• Physical address for the business

Every registered business in Canada must have an office address. The registered address will be for keeping records and serving official documents, hence you must use an address that is easily accessible to you. After registration or incorporation, the physical address you chose for your business will be accessible to the public.

• Registering a business name 

In Canada, a business name doesn’t have to be a “name”. These are called numbered companies. So if you decide to not pick a name, then a name for it can be “686868 Ontario Inc.” But if you decide to use a name, you have to be certain that no other business is using the name, or something similar to prevent issues in the future. 

The following are steps on how to register a business name:

Picking the right name for your business: While there are no hard and fast rules to picking a business name, follow these criteria: Your business name has to be related to your business, that is your product or service. Keep it simple. If it’s long, then consider turning it into an acronym, something easy to remember. Ensure you choose a unique name that is not similar to anyone else, which you can discover if you carry out proper research. If your chosen name is already being used by someone else, then it is illegal for you to still use it. The law is that a business name must not be the same as an existing business name or similar to it. Even if it is possible to use such a name, it won’t fare well for your business as regards marketing and advertising.

One of the simplest ways to do business name research in Canada is by searching the internet for the intended name. You will find out if anyone is using it specifically or something similar. You can also check social media pages like Instagram, Facebook or LinkedIn to see if the name is being used and the country it is being used in.

Another way to research a business name is by searching for a national database. You can search the Canadian corporate names and trademarks database (NUANS). It will give a list of similar business or corporate names according to your province.

You can also search for a business name on Business registries. It gives you information on the official registries in various provinces in Canada and the corporations in these provinces.

It is also important to note that even if a business name and trademark is not being used in your province or territory, somewhere else, you should still pick something different because you might one day decide to expand into that territory.

The registration of a business name at the provincial and territorial stage does not mean you have an exclusive claim to that name at the federal level. 

After confirming the name, it is compulsory to register it with the Canadian government, but before doing this, decide which kind of business you want to start. Is it a sole proprietorship, a corporation, or a partnership?

If it’s a sole proprietorship using your legal name to operate your business, you might not need to do a business name registration. Otherwise, you might need to register your name as a corporate name or a trademark.

If your business is going to be a corporation, then you will have to register the name in your province or jurisdiction. To have exclusive use of the name, incorporate it federally. Meanwhile, a provincial or territorial corporation gives you the use of the name only in that territory.

Some businesses also decide to register an operating name aside from the legal business name, which is known as a trading name.

The government prohibits the use of any other name that is not registered aside from the legal name. There is a penalty attached to this act and the business owner will face legal consequences. This includes the addition of any word or the replacement of any words in the name of a business with another.

Excluding business name extensions, such as Ltd, Inc and Corp. Legally, there are no differences between these and you can pick whichever one you like.

• Undergoing incorporation, if needed

If you decide to make your business a corporation, you will need to get your articles of incorporation either through provincial or federal incorporation. Then get a federal business number and income tax account from the Canada Revenue Agency.

You must also register your business as an extra-provincial/territorial corporation in other Canadian districts where you plan to do business. Sometimes, you can get your business number, tax accounts, and provincial registrations as part of the incorporation process.

• Applying for a business number

A business number is a special nine-digit number that is used to identify businesses and is unique to a particular business. In Canada, you need a business number to carry out certain business processes such as payroll, federal taxes, hiring employees, importation and export.

Business owners can also get a business number through a Canada revenue agency program account (CRA). The agency will give them two letters and a four-digit code combined with a business number, to be used only for special business processes.

You only need a business number if you incorporate your business or join a CRA program account. During registration, there is a range of different rules and regulations for different CRA programs.

Below are some common business protocols and the CRA program accounts that handle them:

• Goods and services tax, for businesses that collect GST/HST
• Payroll deductions (RP), for businesses that pay employees
• Corporation income tax (RC) for businesses that are incorporated
• Import-export (RM), for businesses that import, sell goods or services abroad

The following are ways in which you can get a business number:

• register through Business Registration Online
• register for CRA program accounts ( GST/HST, Import-export and payroll deductions)
• Federal incorporation 

• Applying for business permits and licences

As a new business owner in Canada, you must have the licences and the permits to avoid penalisation.

A permit is any document showing compliance with certain laws, while a licence is proof that you’re allowed to operate your business in some areas.

There are different permits, and licences needed by companies. They depend on the industry of a business, city/town and province. To operate a small business, you must have a licence to operate, which you can get at a certain fee. While a business running from home might need a home occupation permit. 

A yoga studio in Calgary might need an Alberta Sign Application, a Business Name Registration and a Canadian Business Registration, a Calgary Sign Permit, a Calgary Development Permit and a Commercial School Licence.

Getting a permit or licence depends on the business location or industry, and the cost also varies. Check Industry Canada’s BizPal to know which licences and permits you’ll need. 

• Paying governmental fees associated with the business

There are fees that the government demands from those who plan to start a business in Canada, like tax rates and insurance. Some of these are to be paid at the onset, some are continuous, while others have a fixed price. It is important to get all the information you need based on the province you live in.

Do You Need To Hire A Business Consultant to start a business in Canada?

Immigrants ought to hire a business consultant when starting a business in Canada. Business consultants are professionals who offer you advice and guidance for a fee. They are relatively knowledgeable about the industry they specialise in. It is beneficial for you to hire one because you are unfamiliar with the process involved in starting a business in an unfamiliar country. Business consultants help you save costs. Although you are paying for their services, they help you avoid wasting funds and cut costs in your business. Despite the benefits of hiring a business consultant when starting your business as an immigrant in Canada, you must be careful not to hire the wrong one. You can get a recommendation from other business owners and verify the consultant’s experience before hiring them.

Best Places in Canada for an Immigrant to Start a Business

• Alberta

One of the best places for immigrants to start a business in Canada is Alberta. Alberta has the lowest corporate tax in Canada and no tax on provincial sales. Presently, Alberta leads the country at the rate of small business creation.

The province has created a program called The Immigrant Entrepreneur Program, offered by The Business Link, to provide some services to immigrants to help them start their businesses easily.

This program includes training and resources to aid in addressing the needs that the immigrants starting a business in Alberta may have.

The Immigrant Entrepreneur program also comprises one-on-one coaching support to entrepreneurs, informative resources, referral and network building, while giving immigrants who want to start a business training, through guide books and informative resources.

It also gives immigrant business startups in Alberta a sum of $336,000 as a grant for two years.

Another program for immigrant entrepreneurs in Canada is the Community Futures Network of Alberta (CFNA). This program allows small businesses to develop by offering the following services:

• Business plan writing
• Marketing plan strategy

• Business mentoring
• One on one coaching support 

• British Columbia

Immigrants may start a business in British Columbia like a partnership, a corporation, or a sole proprietorship. As long as you fulfil the requirements, you can easily start a business. Some of these requirements are having a physical address, having a work permit, submitting a tax return, applying to the investment Canada act and so on.

• Manitoba

Every year, about 15,000 immigrants come to Manitoba and the outcome has been positive for them. Manitoba has a low cost of living, which is favourable for new immigrants in Canada to start a business. That is why 76 percent of the immigrants own their own homes within five years of moving into Manitoba and they settle there.

Manitoba offers an opportunity for experienced workers to migrate into their province and become entrepreneurs using the Business Investor Stream. This is a program that allows Manitoba to recruit entrepreneurs from all around the world to start or purchase a business in the province of Manitoba within the first year of their arrival on a temporary work permit. This opportunity is with no cash deposit on the government. All you need to do is notify them of your intention to apply and the immigration office will invite you to apply if you’re suitably qualified.

• New Brunswick

In the whole of Canada, New Brunswick has some of the most promising business opportunities. Businesses in this province are usually successful because it has a low operating cost in Canada.

New Brunswick also offers immigrants who want to start a business some programs to help them along this fresh path. 

One of these is the Opportunities New Brunswick, a resource for the start-up business in New Brunswick. Their website contains information about costs and incentives in starting a business and the experiences of those who have succeeded in their business.

Another one is Bizpal, which is an online service for entrepreneurs who need information on permits and licenses for their business from the three levels of government.

Canada Business–New Brunswick: This is a partnership between the federal government and the province of New Brunswick to help everyone who wants to start a business to improve their start-up and growth rates by giving them access to relevant information.

Small Business Investor Tax Credit program offers small businesses a source of capital by enhancing their access to equity financing and it facilitates investment by New Brunswick residents in small businesses.

• Newfoundland and Labrador

Newfoundland and Labrador are among the fast-growing provinces in Canada and it has over 17,000 small businesses. Statistics even show that these businesses hire about 40 percent of the population in this province. 

The Newfoundland & Labrador government particularly supports entrepreneurship. So there are a lot of funding programs made available for immigrants who want to start a business in Newfoundland & Labrador to take advantage of.

• Northwest Territories

The Northwest Territories has one of the lowest tax rates and quick-growing GDP in Canada. Recently, they had success in the sectors of Fishery, Agriculture, and Manufacturing. Therefore, any immigrant who wants to start a business in the Northwest Territories can consider going into either of these sectors.

The Northwest Territories also has the lowest rate of unemployment in Canada. This is because the province recognizes the importance of investing in businesses and has created various programs for starting businesses as an incentive to prospective business owners.

• Nova Scotia

Nova Scotia has about 30,000 businesses, in industries such as mining, fishing, and agriculture. It has a low cost of living, along with a growing economy which increases its potential as a great place to start a business.

As one of the Atlantic provinces in Canada, Nova Scotia had a great need for innovative immigrants to start businesses.

Statistics have shown that the immigrants in Nova Scotia who start businesses are likely to still be open after 2 years. There is also a wide range of programs and incentives made available by the government to support people in starting their businesses.

• Ontario

Currently, Ontario has over 389,000 small businesses with a well-educated community. This can assure you of qualified workers for your new business.

Ontario also has a very low business cost, so immigrants can pay less for the corporate tax and spend less on things such as housing and healthcare.

• Prince Edward Island

Prince Edward Island is a province in Canada with substantial business and economic potential. It is a good place for immigrants to start new businesses because of their ageing population, so they turned to immigrants and foreign entrepreneurs to help them build their economy.

The government realises how important new businesses are, so they offer many initiatives to support new businesses such as the Ignition Fund, to help entrepreneurs who want to start a new business in their province.

With such resources and the relaxed atmosphere available in this province, your business is certain to prosper.

• Saskatchewan

Saskatchewan is in the middle of Canada, a two days’ journey from the United States. Because of its complete transport infrastructure, the province is suitable for the manufacturing and distribution industries. 

Saskatchewan has the least provincial tax in the country of Canada and it also has a vast reserve of resources in forestry, agriculture, mining and energy sectors, providing immigrant businesses with the opportunity of enjoying low operating costs. 

Getting employees also won’t be a problem because Saskatchewan has the third-largest number of youth workers in Canada, unlike other parts of the country with an ageing workforce. Such young and active employees are a good addition to ensuring that any business thrives in Saskatchewan.

• Yukon

Yukon is a unique part of Northern America. Most communities in Yukon have a connection to nature. Immigrants who start a business in Yukon will have access to abundant resources alongside a province that’s still new as regards business.

The primary sectors of business in Yukon are technology, forestry, mining, oil, gas and tourism. Hence, immigrants can launch their businesses in either of these industries.

How can immigrants start a business in Canada?

Immigrants who intend to start a business in Canada must have a work permit or permanent residency or be business immigrants.

• Planning the business: This involves the development of business ideas, researching, and creating a business model.
• Writing a business plan: A business plan is a document that defines your business, its goals and objectives, your target market, and your financial expenses. A business plan is important because, as an immigrant in another country with limited funds, the success of your business depends on the plans you make after doing careful research.
• Business registration: Before going ahead with this, you will need to have the location of your office ready and your business name.
• Choosing a business structure: There are different business structures, choose one that conforms to your business goals and the type of tax law you prefer.

Canada has three types of structures for businesses;

Sole proprietorship 

A sole proprietorship is a business that is owned by one person. This is the simplest type of business structure, where you decide and take responsibility for them. You can choose to operate under your name, register a business name, or do both.

As a sole proprietor, you will need personal income tax and business income tax based on the net income yielded by your business. Sole proprietors are also required to register for GST (goods and services tax) and HST (harmonised sales tax) if you are providing taxable supplies in Canada.

Partnership 

A partnership is when two or more persons or corporations come together to do a trade or a business. Here, both partners contribute the funds, resources, skills, labour and property to promote the business and in return, each of the partners is qualified to have a share of the profits or losses incurred in their business venture. A partnership is also easy to begin. Although a spoken agreement can be enough to form a partnership, it is best to have a signed agreement containing all the rules that will control the partnership. 

Corporation

Incorporation is a business structure that allows the business to have a different legal entity from the shareholders, unlike the other business structures.

Below are the steps involved in incorporation: 

• Choose your corporation’s name or a number and register it.
• Create articles of incorporation to determine the structure of your corporation.
• Pay the incorporation fees.
• Pick a location or an address for the business head office, where the government can send legal documents for you to receive. 
• Ensure that your office has the right size, layout and overall appearance because it will have a great impact on your business 
• Know your budget before picking out a location, either for renting or for ownership, so that you don’t get stranded. Your business plan can help you know how to make the right decision.
• Find out the business permits and licences you will need. You can get this information from Bizpal. It helps you to know the permits and licenses that your business requires, based on your business industry, location, and activities.
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Can I get PR if I buy a business or start a business in Canada?

To start a business in Canada, you must either be a business immigrant, a permanent resident, or a citizen. You can not become a permanent resident by starting or buying a business.

If you have a work permit, you can apply for permanent residency if you meet the following requirements:

• You need to have a year of work experience in Canada
• You must have gotten this experience using legal means and legal permits.
• You must meet all the language requirements.
• You don’t plan on living in Quebec.

For a business owner with a work permit to be eligible for permanent residency, the business must have been operating for a while and must be active.

• You must sell your goods and services to real customers.
• You must have all your necessary licences and permits.
• You must have at least one employee who is a Canadian citizen and is not your relation.
• Your language score must be at least 7 CLB.
• You must have been educated, at least high school level.
• You must have a police clearance.
• You must have no known medical issues.

Top 5 business ideas in Canada with low investment

Below are some businesses you can start in Canada with little or no investment and they are quite profitable if you do it right.

• Be a brand influencer

Brand influencers are people who brands pay to use social media and their huge following to influence people to buy the products of the brand. Brand influencers do not earn money immediately. They begin until their followers and engagements increase, then brands call them for a collaboration.

In Canada, many companies are currently using influencers to advertise their brands because they’re cheaper and more straightforward. Top brand influencers earn up to $40,000 per annum. While beginner influencers earn at least $30,000 annually. The highest-earning brand influencers in Canada are paid around $80,000 per year.

There are side benefits aside from the payments, such as a steady supply of free products or services from the brands, as well as other incentives.

How to be a brand influencer in Canada

Brand influencers in Canada need nothing aside from a social media account with a high number of followers. They also do not need any certification, courses, or internships. All they need is a few skills such as creativity, graphic design, people skills, etc.

• Pick your niche

A niche is a topic you know, like beauty, health, sports and so on. To be an influencer, you must pick a niche and learn all about it, preferably one that you have an interest in.

• Choose a social medium

Most influencers focus on one social medium. Their choice is usually based on Interest. Those who enjoy making videos and editing them can try YouTube, while others who enjoy taking pictures and connecting with people can try Instagram.

• Work on your social media presence 

Connect with popular Canadian brands that you like or that you use their products and engage their pages frequently. Learn the techniques of using social media and try to work on yours by creating quality and engaging content. The more you create posts and engage with others, the sooner you arrive at your brand influencing destination.

• Search for brands

Once you get at least 3000 followers, you can start searching for companies that might take you as their brand influencer. It is advisable to search for newer companies too, as they will be more than willing to accept you as a newbie.

• Starting a YouTube Channel or a Blog to share information

Under businesses that need low investment, YouTube channels and blogs have a few things in common. Monetization of either of these methods depends on the traffic you’re getting, so you need to create quality content at a steady pace.

88% of Canadians who use YouTube as a full-time job have made a living from earning over $100,000.

Methods of earning money on YouTube and blogs

• Google Adsense

Here, you can earn thousands of dollars per month. All you need to do is have above 1000 subscribers. Blogs use Google Adsense too except there’s no specific amount of traffic you need to have, just meet all the requirements.

• Affiliate marketing 

You can earn at least $2 per sale to thousands of viewers. Do careful research about companies you can market for because some pay higher than others.

• Personal products/services

Personal products and services can be sold at any price the seller wants, but usually from as low as $10. Sellers can make a lot of sales through regular advertising on the YouTube channel or blog.

• Online course

Online courses can be sold for at least $10 to thousands of interested learners. You can make a course and post snippets on YouTube while selling it on platforms like Teachable. For blogs, it can be a digital course or live sessions with your subscribers.

• Become an SEO specialist for business

An SEO specialist is someone whose job is to increase the traffic of a website by a variety of strategic methods.

It is a role that requires unique skills like analytics, web development, and digital marketing strategy. SEO means search engine optimization, which means making a website more visible on search engines. The average salary for an SEO specialist in Canada is around $50,000 annually, but it is based on various factors. Keep in mind that you might need to do some courses on this to be suitably qualified.

• Become a digital marketer

A digital marketer is someone who uses digital methods to reach the public about a brand’s influence in their lives. Digital Marketing is marketing using digital platforms from websites to social media and others. Today, there is a need for almost every brand to reach people digitally because the world has gone digital.

How to become a digital marketer

• Decide on a speciality

There are different aspects of digital marketing, so you can decide to specialise in one or more to narrow your niche.

• Get training

To become a digital marketer, you need to be trained and have a certificate. Some companies require digital marketers to have a degree in marketing or communication, while others accept an online certificate.

• Get some experience 

Most companies want proof that you know what you’re doing so you can do an internship even if it’s unpaid to gain experience.

• Build your portfolio on your blog or website 

A portfolio displays the work you have done on your blog or website. This will show people you’re proficient.

• Set your price 

It’s best to research about the right price you can charge these companies. This depends on your skills and location.

• Start selling

Start selling your services by sending out applications and proposals to different companies. This can take a while, so just keep trying.

• Be a voice-over artist

A voice-over artist records vocals for various projects such as education, business and entertainment. These artists use their vocal skills to act as any character or for narration, then a sound engineer records and edits these renditions.

Voice over artists earn around $45 hourly by taking on freelance jobs while some work full time for a particular employer. Voice over artists are paid more in metropolitan communities such as Ontario, Alberta because there are many studios there that are looking for Voice artists. 

How to get Voice-over acting jobs

• Create a portfolio
• Search on social media
• Build a voice acting website or profile
• Check audition sites for jobs
• Get an agent 

Small business ideas for immigrants in Canada

Below are some inexpensive and small business ideas for Immigrants in Canada:

• Start a local Boutique

• Start an Indian boutique in Canada

Many Indians who are immigrants in Canada love to wear their traditional Indian attire. Therefore, starting a local Indian boutique would be a good way to earn money in Canada. Ensure you have an endless stock of attractive Indian fabrics and clothing on display to catch the attention of passersby and your returning customers. You can also share your boutique clothes on social media to advertise your new business.

To grow your business, be quick to make friends with fellow Indians and use any opportunity you get to advertise your business.

• Start an African boutique in Canada

Africans who are immigrants in Canada can also start a clothing line boutique. Many people of African descent in a foreign country like Canada would love to wear something with a traditional touch that reminds them of their roots and gives them a connection to their culture, even though they’re far away from home. Your African boutique can also intrigue native Canadians because of its vast array of vibrant colours.

• Start a local Restaurant

• Start an Asian/Indian Restaurant

All over the world, food has always been a profitable business, and Canada is a good place to start an Indian restaurant as an Indian immigrant because most Indians in Canada need a place to eat their native foods and snacks.

A restaurant that serves a variety of Indian and Asian foods, drinks and sweets with a homely decor would draw people both immigrants and native Canadians alike. Your Asian/Indian restaurant will be a success as long as you know how to prepare native meals and delicacies. If not, employ someone who can cook above-average Indian or Asian foods.  

• Start an African Restaurant

African or Nigerian immigrants in Canada can start a restaurant where African delicacies are served. It is a profitable business for Africans looking to make money in Canada. There are a lot of Africans looking for affordable restaurants where they can get homemade meals and drinks. Since Africa has a diverse culture, you can employ cooks of other African nationalities to prepare other African meals. So that your African restaurant will draw people of various African nationalities.

• Start a Nanny Agency Business

In a country like Canada where most people work 9-5 jobs, a Nanny agency business will succeed because many parents need someone trustworthy to watch over their kids while they’re at work or otherwise engaged. Immigrants in Canada with a personable character, a good background without criminal records, can start a nanny agency business. The more requests you get, the more hands you’d need so you might have to employ other people to assist you. Just ensure that they’re persons you know and trust deeply to avoid getting into any troubles with parents, which can be disastrous for your stay in Canada.

• Start an Asian Food Hub (Grocery Store)

A food hub or a Grocery store is a store that has a supply of food items and spices. Most Asian immigrants love to cook their native meals at home to enjoy with their families and friends. Therefore, starting an Asian Food hub or grocery store close to Asian communities in Canada would bring high traffic to your grocery store. 

If you plan to start this business, you can rent a house around fellow Asians to build a personal relationship with them, which is crucial to your grocery store business. Also, research how to buy fresh Asian food items so that you won’t lose your new customers due to out of stock items. 

• Start an African Food Hub (Grocery Store)

Immigrants from Africa need grocery stores that sell African food items because they’d rather cook African meals at home. As an African immigrant, look for a community where there are a lot of Africans to open your African food hub business, so you’ll have many Africans coming to your grocery store. 

• Start a Coffee Shop Business

Canadians are one of the top ten highest coffee drinkers worldwide. People in Canada always search for the nearest coffee store where they can stop and sit to get a drink of coffee. As an immigrant, you can easily start your coffee shop business without spending too much money because coffee is quite inexpensive. But you’ll need funds to buy the equipment needed and to rent a shop in a suitable location. You can learn how to make excellent coffee for your customers or employ someone proficient at coffee making. As time goes on, you can upgrade your coffee store and offer other things to attract more customers, like snacks, healthy drinks, cool spots to relax, homely decor and so on. 

• Start a Home Remodelling Business

Home remodelling is renovating a home by improving some parts of the interior or exterior. As an immigrant in Canada, you can start a home remodelling business if you are strong enough to do heavy work and you have the skills needed, like building, painting, plumbing and others. Home remodelling businesses can be profitable for immigrants because they can set their rates and get paid without third parties. The business does not require a high startup cost except to buy the tools needed for the work. 

• Start a Digital Marketing Services

Digital marketing is any advertising that is done through digital channels like social media, mobile apps, search engines, websites and emails, to help brands promote their goods and services to their customers or the public who are making use of these channels too.

It is one of the cheapest businesses you can start as an immigrant in Canada because it is internet-based, so you can operate it from your house. In a modern country with a lot of companies like Canada, there is a high level of digital marketers. Digital marketing covers a lot of skills, so you can specialise in one that’s easy for you as a beginner. Although digital marketing needs qualifications, you can pay for an affordable digital marketing course online.

• Start a Dog Training (Grooming) Business

Another business with low start-up costs for immigrants in Canada is the dog training and pet caring business. This business is for people who love pets like dogs and enjoy being around them. It is a promising business because most households in Canada have dogs and cats, so you can train their dogs or walk them during the day when their owners aren’t available. 

The dog training business would be a good fit for you if you have experience with dogs. Although you might need to learn how to train different breeds of dogs to improve yourself.

• Start a Unisex Salon

As an immigrant in Canada, you can start a unisex salon business or a salon business for people of your nationality only. Everyone wants to have well-groomed hair, either male or female, so opening a unisex salon will guarantee that you will have plenty of customers.

To start a unisex salon business, you should have skills in hair making, grooming, and cutting. Then you should prepare to employ people who are skilled in those areas too to assist you. But you’ll need to have some money to buy hair equipment, hair products, rent a space, decorate and furnish the salon to make it homely and comfortable for everyone. 

If you don’t have enough funds for that you can do a home service salon where you go to people’s homes to do their hair or any other service they need, doing this can help you gather enough money if you still want to rent a space to start your salon business.

• Start a Laundromat Business

The laundry business is a business of necessity. People have no choice but to launder their clothes. You can start your laundry business with no special skill or experience. If possible, get a friend or two to join you to have more hands in the work. The laundry business requires hard work and patience, which are superb skills to have normally as an immigrant in Canada. 

There is also the Laundromat business, which involves you creating a laundry facility where people can launder their clothes themselves and pay you for the use of your laundry equipment. This business involves having the funds to buy whatever equipment is necessary for laundry and to rent a space for use as your laundromat. Although it is quite profitable, it still needs a bit of investment to start up.

• Start a Travelling Agency

Canada is one of the most famous destinations for tourists worldwide. Therefore, a travelling agency will make for a good business venture for immigrants in Canada. As à travelling agency, you can offer other services related to travel such as tourism, Visa booking, buying flight tickets, hotel room reservations amongst others. 

You can also work as a local tourist for starters, but ensure you get the right permits for either of these services. You can also collaborate with other service providers that your travelling agency business needs.

• Start a Grocery Home Delivery Business

Grocery home delivery is a device you offer to people who want to shop for groceries and have them delivered to their homes by you. 

A grocery home delivery business is straightforward for immigrants in Canada because it has little or no challenges or starts up funds. All you need is the ability to shop or source for the groceries your clients need and deliver them to their homes in a short time. When you can do this, your clients will pay you for your services. Hence, all you need for start-up costs is a reliable means of transportation to help you move around during the shopping and delivery process. 

• Start a Payday Loan Business

A payday loan business is a business where you provide quick loans with interest to people who need them for a brief period, usually before their next payday. The payday loan business is getting popular in Canada and you can take advantage of it as an immigrant in Canada.

Many people get stranded before their paycheck comes and they need money to fix one or more urgent needs before the end of the week or month, when you provide them with this money at a fixed interest rate you save them the trouble of going to the bank or any other place to request for a loan. If you have made friends with other immigrants in Canada and you have some money saved up, you can start this business on a small scale with your new friends and acquaintances as your first customers.

• Start a Private Security Company

A private security company is a business that aims to provide security for paying clients, set up to protect either lives or properties. The country of Canada has specific requirements about starting a private security business, but If you can meet these requirements, then the government will give you the clearance to start your own private security company in Canada. You should also get employees to assist you in this security-based business. It is a business that might not cost too many asides from the equipment for security and getting any governmental permit or licence.

• Start a Handyman (Plumbing) Service

The handyman business is for those with technical skills such as plumbing, painting, carpentry, electrical skills amongst others. The handyman business is for immigrants who have those skills and can do some repair work around this house. It is better to have these skills already or be willing to learn some of them that will help you accept more jobs from your clients. As an immigrant in Canada, you can start this business by working for family and friends that know you, who will then refer you to other people if you do an outstanding job for them.

• Start a Landscaping and Lawn Care Business

The landscaping and lawn care business can be a simple business to start for immigrants in Canada who already have some lawn care equipment and the experience to do the job. It is a business that requires patience and hard work before you can make a lot of money from it, so don’t go into it if you don’t have such qualities. You can also open this business if you just need a side hustle to support any other job you have and it is easy to start with just word-of-mouth advertisement. All your clients need to know is the assurance that you’ll do a wonderful job.

• Start a Greenhouse Commercial Farming Business

Starting a greenhouse commercial farming business is advisable if you have experience with farming and agriculture. Canada is part of the developed countries of the world and an excellent platform to start and run a greenhouse commercial farming business. So as an immigrant to Canada, if you are looking towards starting a business, then you should look towards leveraging the greenhouse commercial farming technology.

Greenhouses are closed spaces used to cultivate various crops under controlled conditions, unlike a normal farm. Immigrants in Canada can start this business by cultivating normal crops, fruits and vegetables or those that are specific to some regions like your home country, then reselling it to grocery stores owned by immigrants.

This business will require a high cost of start-up funds to buy the equipment needed and to set up the greenhouse, but if you can do those and start successfully, your greenhouse commercial business will strive.

• Start a Housekeeping Agency Business

A fairly simple and inexpensive business to do in Canada as an immigrant is the housekeeping business, which can later become an agency. With a high working-class population, Canadians need housekeepers to take care of their homes and other daily household chores.

You don’t need any special skill to do most of these chores, such as cooking, cleaning, mowing, dishwashing and others, nor do you need to rent a space or buy anything to start the housekeeping business. If you have a high number of clients, you can recruit people to work with you acting as a housekeeping agency for these.

• Start a Real Estate Agency Business

In every country, there are always people who need a place to stay or open their businesses and Canada is no different. Immigrants in Canada can join the bandwagon of the profitable real estate agency Business and connect buyers with sellers while getting paid a sum for Commission.

The real estate business is also good if you advertise yourself by making acquaintances with other immigrants in Canada who can recommend you to their friends who are immigrants looking for accommodation and a place to rent or buy. 

• Start a Property Maintenance and Renovation Business

Landowners and homeowners do not want their properties to decline into a state of disrepair, so they are always on the lookout for people who can manage their properties by providing maintenance and renovation services. You as an immigrant can do this business only on the account that you understand housing and tenancy policies and you can follow these set protocols while doing business with landlords and tenants.

1. Start a Temporary workers recruitment Agency Business

You’re an immigrant in Canada and you know other immigrants in Canada who are looking for jobs. The easiest business to do is to start a temporary workers recruitment agency where you can recruit workers to occupy temporary positions in various organisations and companies. Although you might need to understand HR, you can easily focus on one aspect of the job industry and connect companies with the workers registered under you, then get paid for doing this. In some places, these companies will pay you the total workers’ monthly salary by the company from which you remove your agency commission and pay the rest to the workers under your agency. 

• Start an Interior Decoration Business

If you enjoy art, designs and decorations, then this business is for you. There are always people who want to improve their home decor, so you won’t lack jobs. Interior decoration is not limited to homes, people need for events and business facilities too. As an immigrant in Canada, you can start your own interior decoration business and get contracts from people who want to change the decor of their homes or business before moving in or change the decor of a place after a long time has passed.

• Start an Educational Consultancy Business

Every year, hundreds of students migrate to Canada to continue their higher education. Many of these students do not understand the Canadian educational system and other specifics that are required of them. An educational consultancy is a good fit for you as an immigrant in Canada if you have this well-sought knowledge and probably an educational background. You can become an educational consultant and get paid for guiding international students on their courses and other information they might need.

You can also offer other services such as process work-study permits for the international students and other needs they might have.

• Start an Event Planning

Immigrants in Canada can become event planners for any event hosted by other immigrants of a common nationality, such as marriages, birthdays, and anniversaries.

You can offer them the opportunity to use a traditional theme for the event, which would be a very welcome idea. You can succeed in this business I’d you’re organised and you have an aesthetic eye. To make your business a success, you can also take advantage of social media to advertise your business to people and tell your friends to help you do likewise.

• Start a Car Rental Business

The car rental business is very promising in Canada. An immigrant in Canada can start a car rental business either independently or by applying on any can service online. There is a high demand for car rentals in big provinces in Canada, from office workers to tourists and even those who are on brief business trips. To succeed in the car rental business, get several cars on hand and have a good advertising strategy. The car rental business also needs to set leading and duration policies in place to serve as security for your cars.

• Start a Taxi/Cab Services Company

Taxi service is a business in Canada that is currently thriving for most immigrants. In fact, above 65 percent of cab drivers in Canada are immigrants. Therefore, you as an immigrant in Canada can start a Cab service business too, especially in the big cities in Canada where there will be a great need for taxis or cabs services.

• Start a General Contracting Company

General contracting companies are companies that recruit contractors for hire for people who need contractors for jobs such as construction, building and other related skills. Starting a general contracting company promises to bring in profits for you, especially if you, as an immigrant, recruit other immigrants in Canada to work as contractors in your new company. 

• Start a 3D Printing Services

A 3D printing service is another promising business that an immigrant in Canada can start. It involves constructing physical objects using computer-aided design and technology. The need for 3D printers in Canada is currently on the increase and you can start offering this service if you have the basic skills.

• Start an Immigration Consulting Services

Someone who has a background in law or immigration can start an immigration consulting business. As an immigrant in Canada, you should know that most immigrants have limited knowledge of immigration and other related aspects. You can put your knowledge to good use by starting an immigration consulting service where you guide current immigrants in Canada and prospective ones on how to go about the process or provide any other advice they might need. 

• Start an Automobile Repair Garage

Automobile repair garage is a business for immigrants in Canada with mechanical skills. If this is you, then know that it is a highly profitable business. Like all machines, cars develop faults daily due to wear and tear or a lack of maintenance. All you need to do is rent a space for your workshop and tell friends to bring their cars for repair. If you’re very skilled at your work, your customers will recommend you to others.

• Start a Paintball Game Centre

One of the most lucrative industries in the world is recreation and leisure. As an immigrant in Canada, you can tap into this industry by starting a paintball game centre. Although it is a business that will require a lot of money for the startup, if you can lift off the business from level zero, then you will make profits.

• Start a Yoga and Pilates Studio Business

Yoga is currently a famous business worldwide because of its physical and mental health benefits. If you are an immigrant in Canada with Yoga knowledge, you can open a Yoga and Pilates studies and start offering Yoga classes and training. You will need to be certified and have a licence for you to be a Yoga trainer as an immigrant in Canada. The yoga business is a growing one worldwide and those who have the skills should take advantage of this opportunity to earn money from it.

• Start an Aerial Drone Photography Company

Around the world, aerial drone photography is gaining popularity. Aerial photography through drones is capturing or inspecting places that might otherwise be inaccessible by flying drones. An immigrant in Canada who wants to start this business must be sure to find out the cost of quality drones and any other equipment you will need to start this business.

• Start a Non–Emergency Medical Transportation Company

A Non-Emergency Medical transportation company provides air or land transport for patients who need medical care. A popular example of these are ambulances and medical vehicles, which are used to transport patients to or from hospitals or other medical centres. To succeed in this business as an immigrant in Canada, you will need to have saved startup funds to buy the vehicles and other vital equipment for these medical transportation services.

• Start an Animation Studio

An animation studio is a business managed by a graphics designer, an animator, or anyone with graphics skills. You can start this business as an immigrant in Canada from your home without investing too much in startup capital. Animation and graphic designs are two skills that are highly sought in the world today and you can use them as a side hustle, quitting no job you might have currently.

• Start a Used Cars Dealership

The used car dealership is another decent business resort for an immigrant in Canada to start and make massive earnings on. The used car dealership business is about selling cars that buyers have used. Car dealers also look for sellers who wish to trade their cars at a satisfactory price and they resell them at a rate that can give them profit.

• Start Vegetable Farming

A vegetable farming business is a good business for an immigrant in Canada. Some vegetables that are commonly eaten and easy to cultivate are cucumbers, Spinach, cabbage, pepper, cabbage, tomatoes, pumpkin and broccoli. If you decide to start a crop cultivation business, then your best option is vegetable farming. Although you have to keep in mind that vegetable parish is easy, have a good storage system. If possible, you can meet with people who will buy it even before they’re ready for harvest, so you won’t incur a loss.

• Start a Furniture Manufacturing Business

As an immigrant in Canada who possesses carpentry skills, you can start a furniture-making business especially if you have experience in making quality household furniture such as dining furniture sets, sofa tables, coffee tables, bookshelves, chairs, sofas, cabinets, and office furniture. If you are very ingenious in your furniture making work, people will come to appreciate your designs and patronise you more. 

• Website Designer

A web design business is a business for immigrants in Canada who possess tech skills. You can easily start this business because it requires no little or no startup cost and it is usually home-based. Website designers earn over $70,000 annually. Hence, you’re certain to earn well from this business if you’re very skilled at it.

• Start a Waste Management business

The Waste Management business is a promising business that is available to immigrants living in Canada. The waste management business has different categories, such as nuclear waste disposal, electronic waste disposal, medical waste disposal and a few others. Before you start a waste management business, you must do your research and pick a category that you think will suit you best.

• Buy a franchise business

Most immigrants in Canada who can afford it buy a franchise business. A franchise is operating a business that the owner has moved up from the beginning phase so you don’t have to start from scratch. This is usually for a specified period. Buying a franchise business in Canada has a lot of intricacies and you have to learn all about it before deciding to buy a franchise business.

• Food truck business

The food truck business is a fast-growing business in Canada from which countless people have made huge profits over the years. You can start a food truck business as an immigrant in Canada and also make profits, but it is a business that needs a substantial amount of money to startup so you need to save up and do other necessary research before starting your food truck business.

Can I secure loans for my small business idea as an immigrant?

Immigrants in Canada may have access to loans to find their new business and entrepreneurship. Government programs such as Futurpreneur Canada, New Canadian Entrepreneur loan and a few others currently offer loans and grants to find the businesses of immigrants in Canada as long as they qualify for it.

Small manufacturing business ideas in Canada

One of the thriving businesses in Canada presently is the Manufacturing industry, which deals with the production of goods, equipment, tools and chemicals for other industries nationwide.

Below is a list of a few small manufacturing businesses you can try:

• Textile production
• Art and crafts
• Candy making
• Aromatic oil production
• Shoe and bag making
• Wig making
• Soap production
• Air freshener production
• Jewellery making
• Organic fertiliser production

What business to start with 100k in Canada

Below are some businesses you can start with 100k in Canada:

• Laundry Business

The laundry business is a business you can start with 100k in Canada. You will use a larger part of your capital to rent or purchase the equipment that you will need to operate the business. It is also imperative that you take out time to learn how to operate this equipment and learn any other skills you will need in cloth laundry. If you have an interest in this business, do your research on the total expenses that starting this business will incur before you invest in it. 

• Food Delivery 

Another business that you can start with 100k in Canada is the Food delivery business. It involves you delivering food to your customers’ location. People place orders for food daily, either from their homes or their offices, so you can be sure that you’ll have a steady flow of customers. Your 100k capital can buy the delivery cycles or any other preferred form of transportation and also employ people who will deliver the meals to the intended location.

• Open a Salon (Unisex)

A Unisex salon is one business you can start with 100k in Canada. Most of your capital will go into renting the place you will use as your salon, the interior decor and buying all the equipment vital for the salon business. You will also need to employ skilled hairdressers and barbers to work in your salon.

What business to start with 50k in Canada

Below are some businesses you can start with 50k dollars in Canada:

• Mobile Car Wash business 

A mobile car wash business is a car washing and detailing business where you bring your services to the customer’s location. It is a business you can start with 50k in Canada. To start a mobile car wash business, you need funds to buy your car washing equipment, a van for transportation, get a permit or licence, insurance and business registration. Although the mobile car wash business depends on the number of customers, you can earn from $20,000 to $70,000 annually.

• Mobile Coffee Business

The coffee market is highly profitable, and it keeps growing. To rake in profit from the coffee business, you need to have a shop that can be expensive. But a mobile coffee business is one you can start with 50k in Canada, using a kiosk instead of renting a shop. You can split your capital of 50k between acquiring the kiosk, the coffee grinder, cups and other equipment, insurance, licence and a few others. If you’re able to start the mobile coffee business in a suitable location, then you can earn around $100,000 every year.

• Janitorial business

The Janitorial business is another profitable business that you can start with 50k in Canada. This business focuses on cleaning commercial and industrial buildings, so you will need many hands on the job. The 50k capital can buy cleaning equipment you will need, like floor washers, and others, insurance and licensing, employees’ salary and so on. If you get a steady stream of customers, then you can earn $100,000 monthly on an average.

Final Thoughts

There are many small businesses that immigrants in Canada can start with certainty that these businesses will thrive despite the unfamiliarity of surroundings, as long as you make your research carefully to prevent running into roadblocks and incurring losses.