🇨🇦 Canada · Investment
Foreign investment rules, incentives, investment promotion agencies, and restricted sectors.
Quick answer
Canada welcomes foreign investment through Invest in Canada, but significant acquisitions are reviewed for 'net benefit' and national security under the Investment Canada Act. There are no exchange controls, so capital and profits move freely; incentives include the SR&ED tax credit and provincial programs.
Invest in Canada is the federal investment-promotion agency; significant foreign acquisitions are reviewed under the Investment Canada Act for net benefit and national security.
- Invest in Canada provides free, confidential support to global investors.
- Large acquisitions of Canadian businesses may require net-benefit review under the Investment Canada Act.
- All foreign investments are subject to a national-security review screen.
Step-by-step
- 1
Check the investment regime
Invest in Canada promotes and facilitates FDI; most investment is welcome without pre-approval.
- 2
Check Investment Canada Act review
Acquisitions above thresholds face a net-benefit review, and any investment can face a national-security review.
- 3
Choose your vehicle and register
Incorporate federally or provincially and register for a CRA business number and tax accounts.
- 4
Access incentives and programs
Use the SR&ED R&D tax credit and federal/provincial grants and incentives for eligible sectors.
- 5
Handle capital and repatriation
There are no exchange controls, so you can bring in capital and repatriate dividends and profits freely.
- 6
Meet reporting and protections
File any required Investment Canada Act notifications and ongoing corporate/tax filings; treaties provide investor protection.
Checklist
- Invest in Canada facilitation
- Investment Canada Act (net-benefit + security review)
- Federal/provincial incorporation + CRA number
- SR&ED credit + federal/provincial programs
- No exchange controls (free repatriation)
- ICA notifications + corporate/tax filings
- Investment-treaty (FIPA) protection
- CTA to .com/.ai for AI-assisted planning
Official authorities
- Invest in Canada
Federal investment-promotion agency.
- Investment Canada Act (ISED)
Net-benefit and national-security review.
Frequently asked questions
When is an investment reviewed in Canada?
Acquisitions of Canadian businesses above value thresholds get a net-benefit review, and any investment can be reviewed on national-security grounds.
What is SR&ED?
The Scientific Research and Experimental Development tax incentive — a refundable/creditable benefit for qualifying R&D carried out in Canada.
Can I repatriate profits from Canada?
Yes — Canada has no exchange controls, so dividends and capital can be sent abroad freely (withholding tax may apply to dividends).
Official-information aggregation, not legal advice. Always verify on the authority's own site.
Government portals
- Government of Canada — Canada's federal service portal — immigration, taxes, benefits, and travel info
- Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada — Express Entry, Provincial Nominee Program, work/study permits, and PR card applications
- Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) — T1 personal tax returns, corporate taxes, GST/HST, and benefit applications (CCB)