Read the general eligibility basics overview
For an E-2 inquiry, establish the applicant’s actual nationality and the enterprise’s ownership before relying on Canadian residence. A Canadian permanent resident may hold a nationality relevant to a treaty analysis, but that does not establish the business, investment or other requirements. Review the complete proposal rather than only the passport country. Make the nationality decision before spending on business diligence. If treaty nationality and enterprise ownership survive that review, the next question is whether the capital has been irrevocably committed, exposed to commercial risk, is substantial for the venture, and supports a real operation that will not be marginal.
Describe citizenship accurately
Hypothetical example: a Côte Saint-Luc resident holds a foreign passport and Canadian permanent residence while considering a U.S. business purchase. List all citizenships actually held. Ask whether the applicable treaty arrangements support an E-2 inquiry, using the current official country information rather than assuming residence in Canada is sufficient. Hypothetical example: a stringed-instrument restoration studio is to be purchased by a permanent resident who also holds a treaty-country passport. The decision is whether the purchaser’s passport nationality, not Canadian residence, supports the treaty analysis, and whether the post-closing ownership record preserves the same nationality. A share ledger and purchase agreement settle more than a marketing summary.
Identify the owners behind the enterprise
Show who would own the enterprise after the transaction, including intermediate companies where relevant. The applicant’s nationality and the enterprise analysis are related but not interchangeable. Bring the agreements and ownership records so the reviewer can examine the actual structure before the parties change it. Trace ownership through the exact entities that will hold the business. A useful first review produces a simple ownership map, the citizenship evidence for each relevant owner, and questions about voting rights or options. It also identifies whether a planned later transfer would alter the analysis.
Keep other routes and Canadian obligations separate
If the investment route does not fit, describe any genuine employment or company-transfer opportunity for its own assessment. Canadian permanent residence alone does not provide TN access. Maintain a separate question list about Canadian status obligations, and do not assume a U.S. business plan resolves those obligations or establishes a right to admission. Do not treat a possible U.S. plan as a solution to a Canadian status issue. Sequence the assessment by confirming nationality, mapping ownership, testing the commercial commitment, and only then comparing another route. This avoids preparing an E-2 file for someone who satisfies neither its treaty basis nor a separate employment category.
What else is on your mind?
Does Canadian permanent residence give me access to TN?Is a matching job title enough for TN?Can years of experience replace a degree for TN?Can my own U.S. company employ me under TN?Editorial source review: 2026-09-07. General preparation guidance, not an individual assessment.