Start a business in Quebec.
Registration with the Registraire des entreprises du Québec, 14.975% sales tax, CNESST, licences, bank account and Quebec business immigration programs business plans. Here is how it works and what we do for you.
- Capital · cities
- Quebec City (capital) · Montreal, Laval, Gatineau, Longueuil, Sherbrooke
- Statute
- Business Corporations Act (Quebec)
- Name search
- REQ name search; names must comply with the Charter of the French Language
- Sales tax
- 14.975% combined: 5% GST + 9.975% QST
- Workers’ compensation
- CNESST
- Business immigration
- Quebec business immigration programs (Ministère de l’Immigration): Entrepreneur Program, Investor Program, Self-Employed Worker Program
- Business support
- Services Québec and Info entrepreneurs · Investissement Québec
What makes Quebec different.
Quebec has its own system from top to bottom: the Registraire des entreprises issues a Québec enterprise number (NEQ), Revenu Québec administers GST and QST together, CNESST covers workers, and the Charter of the French Language sets rules for business names, signage, websites and customer service. It is also the province with its own business immigration programs, selected separately from the federal system.
SZ Business Solution registers your business with the REQ, obtains your NEQ, GST and QST numbers, sets up Revenu Québec source deductions and CNESST, keeps your name and signage within the French-language rules, and prepares business plans for the Quebec Entrepreneur and Investor programs with your immigration representative.
- Every business registers with the REQ and receives an NEQ; corporations under the Quebec Business Corporations Act are formed through the same registrar.
- GST (5%) and QST (9.975%) are both administered by Revenu Québec and both appear on each invoice.
- Business names, public signage and commercial advertising must comply with the Charter of the French Language; French must be markedly predominant on signs.
- Employers register with Revenu Québec for QPP, QPIP and provincial source deductions, and with CNESST for workplace coverage.
- An annual updating declaration with the REQ keeps the registration current.
Popular with newcomers here: Aerospace and manufacturing, IT, gaming and AI, Restaurants and food, Construction, Transportation, Retail and e-commerce.
How to start a business in Quebec.
The sequence matters: a bank will not open the account before the registration exists, and CRA cannot issue accounts before the Business Number. We run the steps in order.
Plan the business
Confirm the idea, the market and the money. If you are applying through the Quebec business immigration programs (Ministère de l’Immigration), this is where the business plan is written.
Business plansChoose the structure and the name
Sole proprietorship, partnership or corporation, Quebec or federal. Name search: REQ name search; names must comply with the Charter of the French Language.
Registration & incorporationRegister with the Registraire des entreprises du Québec
File the registration or articles of incorporation under the Business Corporations Act (Quebec). Federal corporations register extra-provincially here as well.
Get your CRA Business Number and tax accounts
Business Number with GST/HST (5% GST), payroll and corporate tax accounts, plus Quebec QST (9.975%) registration. Revenu Québec administers both GST and QST for Quebec businesses; one registration covers both, with separate rates on every invoice.
Register as an employer
Register with CNESST when you hire, set up payroll deductions and remittances, and issue T4s each February.
Payroll & taxLicences, permits and bank account
Municipal business licence and industry permits (BizPaL lists them), then the business bank account with the registration documents in hand.
Bank accountsBrand, website and launch
Logo, signage, Google Business Profile, business email and website, so the business looks established from day one.
Branding & signsKeep it running and in good standing
Monthly bookkeeping, sales tax returns, payroll, the T2 or T1 at year-end, and the annual return with the Registraire des entreprises du Québec.
ComplianceEvery business solution, delivered remotely in Quebec.
From Montreal to Sherbrooke, the same eight service lines, with the Quebec rules handled for you.
Business Registration & Incorporation
Sole proprietorship, partnership or corporation, federal or provincial, in all 13 provinces and territories.
Make it official. Anywhere in Canada. 02 · PlanBusiness Plans for Immigration, Banks & Investors
Canada and USA immigration business plans, bank and BDC loan plans, investor pitch decks and financial projections.
A plan that opens doors. 03 · BankBusiness Bank Accounts
Open your business account at any Canadian bank or credit union, with the paperwork prepared and the appointment booked.
Open for business. Literally. 04 · CountAccounting, Bookkeeping & Tax
Monthly bookkeeping, payroll, GST/HST, T1 personal and T2 corporate returns, financial statements and CRA support.
Books that balance. Filings on time. 05 · BrandBranding, Marketing, Social Media & Signs
Logo and identity, business cards and print, storefront and vehicle signs, social media, Google Business Profile and ads.
Look established from day one. 06 · BuildIT & Digital Solutions
Domain and business email, website and online store, booking and POS, accounting and CRM software, cloud and security basics.
Your business, online by launch day. 07 · RunVirtual Assistance & Office Support
Inbox and calendar, appointments, customer follow-ups, data entry, document preparation and the back office, monthly.
A back office without the overhead. 08 · KeepCompliance, Corporate Changes & Closing
Annual returns, director and address changes, name changes, extra-provincial registrations, licences, dissolutions and wind-downs.
Stay in good standing. Change with confidence.Business plans for the Quebec business immigration programs.
We write the plan to the stream’s criteria (investment, job creation, location, your experience) in the format the program expects, working directly with your licensed immigration consultant or lawyer, who manages the application. We do not provide immigration advice.
Quebec business immigration programs (Ministère de l’Immigration)
- Entrepreneur Program
- Investor Program
- Self-Employed Worker Program
Federal pathways that also apply
- Start-up Visa (SUV)
- Intra-Company Transfer (ICT)
- C11 entrepreneur and self-employed work permits
- Owner-operator and LMIA-supported plans
Program names, streams and intake status change; your consultant confirms what is open before we start the plan.
Starting a business in Quebec: questions we hear most
Short answers. For anything specific to your situation, book a consultation and we will walk through it.
How is registering a business in Quebec different?
You deal with the REQ instead of a corporate registry, Revenu Québec instead of CRA for sales tax and payroll deductions, and you must comply with French-language rules for your name and signage. We handle all three and keep the file bilingual.
Do I have to collect both GST and QST?
Yes. Once registered, Quebec businesses charge 5% GST and 9.975% QST, both reported to Revenu Québec. We set up the accounts and prepare the combined returns.
Can my business name be in English in Quebec?
Names and signage are subject to the Charter of the French Language, which generally requires a French version and French predominance on public signs. We prepare compliant names and coordinate signage design; a lawyer can advise on edge cases.
Does Quebec use the federal Start-up Visa or PNP?
Quebec selects its own business immigrants through the Entrepreneur, Investor and Self-Employed Worker programs, then federal admissibility follows. We write the business plan; a licensed representative manages the application.
Start a business in another province or territory.
Expanding from Quebec to a second province? That is an extra-provincial registration; we file it and keep both in good standing.
Starting in Quebec? Tell us what you are opening.
One short call, then a written scope with our fee and the government fees listed separately. Registration, bank account, books and brand can all be one scope.