IN THIS GUIDE · Ask the seller the questions that decide whether a Sainte-Catherine-de-la-Jacques-Cartier buyer's purchase can support E-2
Start with the E-2 eligibility and application overview
Questions for the seller before the offer is signed
Hypothetical example: a couple from Sainte-Catherine-de-la-Jacques-Cartier who have run a small outfitting store propose to buy a canoe-and-campground business in New Hampshire, funded by the sale of their Québec house and a line of credit secured against a rental duplex they will keep. Ask the seller for three years of tax returns, the payroll register, the lease or deed, and a list of any licences that transfer with the sale. Those documents establish that the enterprise is real and operating, and they anchor the substantiality analysis, which compares the investment with the actual cost of this specific business.
Questions for the lender about what secures the loan
Borrowed funds can count as investment when the investor is personally liable and the loan is not secured by the assets of the enterprise being bought. A line of credit secured on the Québec duplex fits that description; seller financing secured on the campground itself does not count toward the investment in the same way. Obtain the loan agreement and the security documents and read exactly what is pledged. A term sheet that says personal loan is not enough; the registered security is what the consular officer will consider.
Questions for the escrow agent about irrevocability
Funds sitting in the buyer's account are not committed. Funds placed in escrow with release conditioned only on visa issuance can be treated as committed, because the buyer cannot walk away with them, but the escrow terms must actually say that. Ask who drafts the escrow agreement, what happens on refusal, and whether any portion is refundable for reasons other than visa refusal. An escrow that returns the money if the buyer changes their mind is a deposit, not an investment.
Questions for yourself about control and marginality
Both spouses may own shares, but the applicant must develop and direct the business, and Canadian citizenship of the owners of at least half the enterprise is required. A business that will only ever pay the family's living expenses is marginal; show the capacity to hire seasonal staff and to generate income beyond the household. Canadian citizens need an E visa from a consulate, so plan for the consular interview rather than a border application.
Sources reviewed 2026-09-07. This guide covers a preparation focus; it is not an individual eligibility assessment.