Am I Ready?
Before you begin making plans for your business, ensure you are legally eligible to do so. If you do not currently have a permit to live and work in Canada, you will need to acquire one via the Investors, Entrepreneurs and Self Employed Persons stream. For more information, click here.
Take advantage of the tools offered in the following links to help determine whether or not you are ready to be open for business:
- The Connections Guide: An Immigrants Guide to Starting a Business in Nova Scotia – This online guide contains a self-assessment section that will evaluate your experience, knowledge and skills to determine if you are ready for entrepreneurship in Canada.
- Canada Business – Canada Business asks the question “Is entrepreneurship right for you?”, and provides users with another great self-assessment tool to answer this important question. This site also contains a useful small business survival document outlining your odds of success and tips to keep your new business afloat. If you are interested in taking the franchise route or purchasing an existing business, this network also contains checklists for this type of venture.
- Immigration Settlement and Integration Services (ISIS) – There are many resources, tools, and workshops available at ISIS that can help determine if you are ready to start a new business.
- Business Development Bank of Canada – This organization has compiled materials on their site to help determine whether you are prepared to embark in a new business initiative outside of urban areas. This site also has a self-assessment tool, and handy business plan tips and templates.
Additional recommended resources:
