Skip to content
Non-residentFrance → Canada

Start a Canadian company from France

No travel, no Canadian partner, no business visa. Pick a jurisdiction without a residency rule (Quebec, Ontario, British Columbia), sign from Lyon or Paris, and get your certificate in days.

Start from FranceMeet in European hours
  • Support 9 am – 6 pm Central European Time
  • Pay in euros or Canadian dollars
  • E-signature
Photo 4:3 · Office overlooking Lyon rooftops, laptop open on the Incorpo dashboard; no flag

The non-resident path, in five steps

Same as the Canadian path, plus three things: a registered office, an agent for service and banking support.

  1. Choose the jurisdictionQuebec, Ontario or B.C.: no residency rule. The simulator compares fees, timing and language.You · 3 min
  2. Fill in the fileName, directors, shares. French passport or national ID card accepted.You · 8 min
  3. Office and agentOur registered office and agent for service are added to the articles automatically.Included
  4. Sign and fileE-sign from your phone. Filed with the registry the same day, Montreal hours.Registry · 1–3 d
  5. Bank and taxBank file prepared, video meeting in European hours. GST/QST registrations requested.[n] days

Residency rules by jurisdiction

The deciding factor for a founder in France. Federal requires 25% Canadian-resident directors; Quebec, Ontario and British Columbia require none.

JurisdictionDirector residencyRegistry feeTimingLanguageFor a founder in France
QuebecNo requirement$3972 business daysFrench nameMost common choice: francophone, no residency, office in Montreal.
OntarioNo requirement$300Immediate online; 15 business days by mailEnglish or FrenchFastest; relevant if your clients are in Toronto or outside Quebec.
British ColumbiaNo requirement$350[to verify]EnglishGateway to the Pacific; name reservation first.
Canada (federal)25% Canadian residents$2001 business day (online)English or FrenchOnly with at least one Canadian-resident director.
AlbertaNo requirement$291.75[to verify]EnglishResidency rule [to verify]; we suggest the first three.
Table verified on [date] · Sources: Corporations Canada, REQ, Ontario Business Registry, BC Registries · Reviewed by David Roy, lawyer
Dedicated plan

Non-resident: everything distance complicates, included

A Canadian company needs an office in Canada, an agent to receive official documents and a local bank account. We provide all three, plus the full corporate record.

  • 12-month registered office in Montreal, Toronto or Vancouver, mail scanned within 24 h.
  • Agent for service to receive registry notices, formal demands and tax mail.
  • Assisted account opening with [n] partner banks and neobanks accepting non-resident directors.
  • Support in European hours , chat and video.

Registered office

The registry requires a civic address in the province of incorporation. Our Montreal, Toronto or Vancouver address goes on your articles; mail is scanned to your dashboard within 24 h. Renewable after 12 months at [amount]/yr.

This isn’t tax domicile: see “Tax”.

Bank account

The longest step for a non-resident. Big banks often want an in-person visit; business neobanks open remotely with the certificate, articles and ID. We prepare the file and book the meeting.

Observed timing: [n] to [n] days depending on the bank.

France–Canada tax

A company incorporated in Canada is Canadian-resident for tax, unless it’s effectively managed from abroad: the France–Canada tax treaty [reference to verify] settles dual residency. Dividends paid abroad: [xx]% withholding under the treaty.

Confirm with tax advisers on both sides. Incorpo.ca gives no tax advice.
« I set up Benali Software in Quebec from Lyon on a Sunday night. The certificate came Wednesday. The real fight was the bank: the team had the file ready and a video meeting booked at 10 am Lyon time. »
Karim BenaliSaaS founder from Lyon · Quebec corporation · Non-resident plan

Questions from founders in France

Reviewed by David Roy, lawyer, and Sophie Lemieux, CPA. Cross-border tax points are flagged to verify.

Do I need a Canadian partner?
No, in Quebec, Ontario and British Columbia. You can be sole director, officer and shareholder. Only federal requires 25% Canadian-resident directors.
Do I need a visa or work permit?
Not to incorporate and own the company. Yes to physically work in Canada for it: that’s immigration, separate from incorporation.
Will my company be taxed in Canada or abroad?
In Canada by default, as a Canadian-incorporated company. If it’s effectively managed abroad, the France–Canada tax treaty [reference to verify] prevents double taxation. Confirm with advisers in both countries.
Can I open a bank account without coming to Canada?
Yes with some business neobanks and [n] partners; big banks often want a visit. We prepare the file and book a video meeting.
Which ID is accepted?
French passport or national ID card, plus proof of address under three months old. Online ID check, no travel.
How do I pay from France?
Card in euros or Canadian dollars, or SEPA transfer. The total shows in both currencies at review; today’s rate applies.
What happens to the registered office after 12 months?
Renew at [amount]/yr, or switch to your own Canadian address via an amendment. We remind you 60 days before.

Your Canadian company, signed from France

$699 + registry fees at cost. Office, agent and banking included. Support in European hours.

Start from FranceBook 20 min on video, European timeAlso: from Belgium, from Switzerland