Immigrant entrepreneurship is one of Canada’s most consistent economic multipliers. Many immigrant-owned companies are small, often employing fewer than 10 people, yet together they support a workforce larger than most people realize. In 2020 alone, immigrant-owned businesses employed roughly 810,000 people, showing how strongly newcomer-led firms contribute to everyday stability in local economies.
For readers exploring Canada’s business landscape as part of a broader relocation plan, Canadian Visa Expert often points out that work and opportunity are not just found in large corporations. They are also built by entrepreneurs who open shops, run logistics fleets, launch consulting practices, and expand service companies that hire locally and pay into the system.
A quiet engine of jobs, wages, and revenue
Immigrant-owned businesses grew rapidly in the decade leading up to 2020. The number of immigrant-owned incorporated firms rose from about 247,000 in 2010 to about 474,000 by 2020, accounting for more than half of the net new incorporated businesses created over that period. Unincorporated immigrant-owned businesses also expanded sharply, rising from around 180,000 to roughly 342,000.
Even when firms stay small, their combined footprint is major. Between 2010 and 2020, employment climbed from about 597,000 to about 810,000. Wage payments reported on T4s rose from roughly $20 billion to nearly $35 billion. Total annual revenues more than doubled, increasing from about $93 billion to about $218 billion. Those numbers underline a simple point: micro-firms can be macro-important when they exist at scale across the country.
The geography matches settlement patterns. Ontario hosts more than half of immigrant-owned businesses, followed by British Columbia, Alberta, and Quebec. Industry concentration is also clear, with many immigrant-owned firms clustered in transportation and warehousing, real estate and leasing, professional and technical services, construction, and retail.
Exports are rising, but the ceiling is higher
Immigrant entrepreneurs often have a natural advantage in international trade through language skills, cultural fluency, and diaspora networks. Still, only a minority of immigrant-owned firms report export activity. In 2020, immigrant-owned businesses represented about 16.4% of Canada’s goods exporters, up from about 12% a decade earlier, which is progress that also hints at large untapped room for growth.
Common barriers include limited access to growth financing, weaker integration into established supply chains, and low awareness of trade programs. Practical supports that can move the needle include better-scaled financing, export readiness training, clearer navigation of regulations, and stronger access to procurement opportunities.
For newcomers thinking long-term about building a life in Canada, this trend matters. Immigrant-owned firms are not only creating jobs, they are helping shape the country’s next phase of growth. Canadian Visa Expert encourages readers to watch this space closely because it connects opportunity, community networks, and Canada’s evolving economy in a very real way.
