# Small Business Visa E2



## thifs (Apr 5, 2016)

Hi, does anybody knows if my wife (italian) could open a small business in Canada and get the E2 visa openning a small business there? I am asking this because in the USA things works like this when you are italian. 
thank you !


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## Auld Yin (Mar 10, 2009)

She would need to be a landed immigrant or a citizen of Canada.


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## colchar (Oct 25, 2011)

thifs said:


> Hi, does anybody knows if my wife (italian) could open a small business in Canada and get the E2 visa openning a small business there? I am asking this because in the USA things works like this when you are italian.
> thank you !



Being Italian has nothing to do with it, any nationality can do that under US rules. But Canadian rules are different.


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## thifs (Apr 5, 2016)

colchar said:


> Being Italian has nothing to do with it, any nationality can do that under US rules. But Canadian rules are different.


Not for Brazilians, because Brazil is not on the List of countries of the Trade Treaty and Italy is. . An Italian can open a small Business in USA and live there. For Brazilians you have to fell a lot of conditions, as investment and number of employees.

and this is my question: can a Italian do the same in Canada ?


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## WestCoastCanadianGirl (Mar 17, 2012)

thifs said:


> Not for Brazilians, because Brazil is not on the List of countries of the Trade Treaty and Italy is. . An Italian can open a small Business in USA and live there. For Brazilians you have to fell a lot of conditions, as investment and number of employees.
> 
> and this is my question: can a Italian do the same in Canada ?


NO. 

The E2 visa does not exist in Canada, it is a USA based visa and the USA does not dictate Canadian immigration policy.

There are Business Immigration Visas but the government of Canada doesn't just hand them out to anyone who applies - one must qualify for the visa.

Having Italian citizenship has no bearing on whether or not the visa is granted... Canada is NOT a part of the European Union thus any advantages that EU membership might afford your wife _within the EU_ do not apply to countries that do not belong to the EU... if did extend to Canada, I wouldn't have had to pay €5700 to immigrate to the UK to be with my husband.


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## EVHB (Feb 11, 2008)

thifs said:


> Not for Brazilians, because Brazil is not on the List of countries of the Trade Treaty and Italy is. . An Italian can open a small Business in USA and live there. For Brazilians you have to fell a lot of conditions, as investment and number of employees.


Off topic, but the US E2 visa has the same rules for Brazilians as it has for Europeans. Substantial investment, majority of funds needs to be in your hands, generate enough money to sustain your family, provide employment for Americans, etc.

If you are your wife can get landed immigrant status (permanent resident) in Canada one way or another, the other partner can open a business (big or small) without any special requirements. (except the regular business licences etc, as they also apply to Canadians)


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## colchar (Oct 25, 2011)

thifs said:


> Not for Brazilians, because Brazil is not on the List of countries of the Trade Treaty and Italy is. . An Italian can open a small Business in USA and live there. For Brazilians you have to fell a lot of conditions, as investment and number of employees.




Italians have conditions too.

You seem to think they have some sort of special status. They do not.

And as was mentioned, you brought up the E2 visa for Canada which is pointless since that is an American visa, not a Canadian one. US immigration rules and Canadian immigration rules have nothing to do with each other.


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