How safe is the Quebec investment fund for a Canadian investor visa?

As the founder of the immigration by investment section of the Quebec law association AHQ, as a former Director of AHQ, and as a Quebec lawyer who has made a 20-year career with the Quebec Immigrant Investor Program, there is nothing I would love more than to say great things about this program. Since the program was suspended in 2019, a lot of people have "announced the great news that QIIP is coming back," but it is wishful thinking to create a hype. The reality is hard to accept: the program as we all knew it is dead, and already replaced. There are now much better options, cheaper, faster, easier and for more benefits. It is very hard to admit for many people in the immigration industry who have failed to adapt, but reality is what it is, and simply put: there is no such thing as a Quebec Immigrant Investor Program anymore.

The Quebec Immigrant Investor Program (QIIP) mandates a 1.2 million Canadian dollar investment into a government-managed fund, with the requirement to sustain this investment for five years. It's noteworthy that the fund's historical performance and security are generally perceived as robust and dependable, primarily because it is overseen by the Quebec government. Furthermore, it's worth mentioning that there exists a financing alternative for this investment.

The funds are guaranteed by the government of Quebec, however, it is virtually never (indeed likely absolutely never) the case that people pay the full investment and await repayment after 5 years. Rather, people typically pay a one-time lump sum to a finance company, and that is the end - no further expense for the applicant, or repayment to the applicant. Though it depends on the finance company, and it may change with the new program, it is probably in the neighbourhood of $350,000. This actually frees up the balance of your funds. Note as well that though it is called an 'investment', this is not really like other investments for the purpose of making money. This is a payment for the purpose of securing Canadian status. Note some other issues though: firstly, you must show an intent to reside in Quebec. Secondly, you must have appropriate business experience, and a minimum net worth (likely $2M). But most notably, there is a quota, which fills within 1 day when opened. If your case is not at the front of the line, it likely will not be considered. (This is how it was in the past - maybe they will change it more to a 'draw' system as they have with other immigration programs, where everyone puts their name in a system, and then they choose who is considered - so less of a rush [but still not guaranteed to be chosen].) There may be other methods of immigrating to Canada, which we can review (and of course, we don't know the possibilities or lack thereof until we review).

Yes, your investment is fully guaranteed by the government of Quebec. It is a government approved fund. Compared with many other residency by investment options, QIIP is one of the most secure ones. There are some finance options with the financial intermediary and you can decide after reviewing them with your representative.

It is very safe since it's backed by the Quebec government. This is a program they started in 1986.