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In this FDD Talk post, you’ll learn the following:Section I – Background information on the Proforma franchise opportunity, including relevant news updatesSection II – Estimated initial investment for a Proforma franchise, based on Item 7 of the company’s 2018 FDDSection III – Initial franchise fee, royalty fee, marketing fee, and other fees for a Proforma franchise, based on Items 5 and 6 of the company’s 2018 FDDSection IV – Number of franchised and company-owned Proforma outlets at the start of the year and the end of the year for 2015, 2016, and 2017, based on Item 20 of the company’s 2018 FDDSection V – Presentation and analysis of Proforma’s financial performance representations, based on Item 19 of the company’s 2018 FDD, including information on the:number of Proforma franchise owners in operation for the entire 2017 calendar year that had 2017 sales greater than $400,000, greater than $1 million, greater than $2 million, greater than $5 million, and greater than $10 million, respectivelynumber of Proforma franchise owners in operation for the entire 2017 calendar year that had 2017 gross profit greater than $100,000, greater than $250,000, greater than $500,000, greater than $750,000, and greater than $1 million, respectivelynumber of Proforma franchise owners in operation for the entire 2017 calendar year that had 2017 gross profit greater than 35%, greater than 40%, greater than 45%, greater than 50%, and greater than 55%, respectively2017 average, high, and low order size for Proforma franchise owners during calendar year 2017number of Proforma franchise owners with 2017 sales over $1,000,000 through $1,999,999 (Million Dollar Club Franchisees), and their average, high, and low gross salesnumber of Proforma franchise owners with 2017 sales of $2,000,000 or greater (Multi-Million Dollar Club Franchisees), and their average, high, and low gross sales2017 average gross sales, gross profit, and gross profit percentage for start-up franchises (i.e. franchise owners entering the system without relevant industry experience)2017 average gross sales, gross profit, and gross profit percentage for RIE franchises (i.e. franchise owners entering the system with relevant industry experience)Section I – Background Information17 Things You Need to Know About the Proforma FranchiseAppoints New President1. At the end of October 2018, Proforma, the fourth-largest promotional products distributor in the industry, announced the promotion of Doug Kordel to president. In his new role, Kordel will form and lead Proforma’s leadership and management teams in addition to handling high-level operational issues and spearheading the development, communication, and implementation of effective growth strategies and processes. Kordel previously served as chief operating officer and general counsel directing all aspects of Proforma’s legal affairs to ensure protection of Proforma’s legal rights.2. Greg Muzzillo, founder of Proforma, said, “It is with great pleasure that we announce the well-deserved promotion of Doug Kordel to president. We are confident Doug will continue to provide the leadership and direction needed to support our entire Proforma family. Doug’s experience and dedication has been instrumental in achieving our system-wide sales growth and success as one of the largest distributors in the industry.”3. Kordel joined Proforma in 2003 as compliance officer and general counsel and has had different roles within Proforma including director of human resources, chief business development officer, chief strategic development officer, and chief operating officer. Throughout his tenure, Kordel has continuously worked side-by-side with a network of more than 700 franchise owners in establishing and structuring their business model while providing coaching, leadership, and inspiration along the way.4. Kordel said, “It’s an honor to be able to work with such a talented group of people throughout the Proforma family network. I look forward to continuing to support Proforma’s mission to help our owners’ and support center team members’ dreams come true.”Proforma Petty Marketing Announces Partnership with Porsche North America5. In early October 2018, Ralph Petty, owner of Proforma Petty Marketing in Cleveland, Tennessee, announced a two-year, multi-million dollar deal with Porsche North America. As part of this exclusive project, Proforma Petty Marketing will serve as the sole provider of promotional branding products for Porsche’s new owner car kits.6. The partnership between Proforma Petty Marketing and Porsche was made possible through the support of Proforma’s major accounts team and vendor development team. Together, both teams assisted in landing this exclusive project by showcasing Proforma’s innovative ProStores platform, a proprietary online storefront developed exclusively for Proforma owners and their network of key vendors.7. Petty added, “With the support of the Proforma family and their partners, I’m able to position myself as a full service marketing agency giving me a competitive advantage in winning high-profile accounts and extensive e-commerce projects. Proforma’s immeasurable resources have made it possible for my company to offer innovative online solutions that will serve our vast portfolio of clients.”8. Porsche North America’s ProStore marks the 600th online storefront to launch for Proforma since 2016. To date, ProStores have generated more than $40 million in sales.9. Greg Muzzillo, founder of Proforma, said, “Proforma’s ProStores platform is instrumental in helping owners present e-commerce solutions to potential clients looking to combine the best functionality of both traditional print and promo-specific websites. We want ProStores to give owners an advantage over our competitors by minimizing their out-of-pocket expense, while maximizing their digital presence through our online storefront solutions.”Introduces New Program to Recruit and Maximize Success of Young Professionals10. At the end of September 2018, Proforma introduced its new concept, Proforma Under 40, at the company’s 2018 Convention and Family Reunion. The program was designed to provide young professionals with an opportunity to learn about the industry of print and promotional products. The core of the program provides education and resources to help maximize their success.11. Greg Muzillo, founder of Proforma, said, “We are very excited to help lead the way in our industry by expanding awareness of the exciting opportunities for young professionals in printing, promotional products, and packaging distribution. Many young professionals are not aware that our industry even exists, despite seeing and using a variety of print and promotional products every day.”12. The Proforma Under 40 inaugural committee, made up of young Proforma owners, will be working closely with Proforma leadership to create unique experiences for young Proforma professionals to accelerate their success. The chairman of the Proforma Under 40 committee, Roger Casey, owner of Casey Creative Powered by Proforma, has been invited to participate in all Proforma Owner Advisory Council (OAC) meetings.13. The OAC is made up of elected Proforma owners who collaborate on new ideas for the company and represent owners in their respective geographic regions. The collaboration between the Proforma Under 40 committee and the OAC will help Proforma sharpen its focus on recruiting and supporting young professionals to Proforma and the entire industry.Company History14. Proforma was founded by Greg Muzillo in 1978, a year after he graduated from college. The company provides medium-sized businesses and large corporations with business documents, forms, promotional products, printing, and other services. Within two years, Proforma had earned over $1 million in sales.15. Muzillo started franchising the Proforma concept in 1986. Over the next decade, Proforma continued to grow and opened its first international location in Canada in 1991. A few years later, Proforma expanded its services and introduced the ProSource online catalog.16. By 2000, Proforma had grown to 500 locations. Since then, Proforma has continued to grow through franchise locations in the United States and Canada. Muzillo and his wife Vera, who is the CEO of Proforma, continue to run the business he started over 40 years ago.Entrepreneur’s Franchise 50017. Proforma did not rank on Entrepreneur’s 2018 Franchise 500 list.Section II – Estimated CostsPlease click here for detailed estimates of Proforma franchise costs, based on Item 7 of the company’s 2018 FDD.Section III – Initial Franchise Fee, Royalty Fee, Marketing Fee, and Other FeesPlease click here for detailed information on Proforma’s initial franchise fee, royalty fee, marketing fee, and other fees, based on Items 5 and 6 of the company’s 2018 FDD.Section IV – Number of Franchised and Company-Owned OutletsFranchised2015Outlets at the Start of the Year: 699Outlets at the End of the Year: 676Net Change: -232016Outlets at the Start of the Year: 676Outlets at the End of the Year: 666Net Change: -102017Outlets at the Start of the Year: 666Outlets at the End of the Year: 641Net Change: -25Company-Owned2015Outlets at the Start of the Year: 1Outlets at the End of the Year: 1Net Change: 02016Outlets at the Start of the Year: 1Outlets at the End of the Year: 0Net Change: 02017Outlets at the Start of the Year: 0Outlets at the End of the Year: 0Net Change: 0Section V – Financial Performance Representations (Item 19, 2018 FDD) and AnalysisTo help you evaluate this franchise opportunity, Proforma has compiled certain Gross Sales, Gross Profit, and Average Order Size information for the calendar year ending December 31, 2017.Proforma has compiled the information for each franchise classification based upon information Franchise Owners have reported through its system. Proforma did not audit this information.Some Franchise Owners have earned this amount. Your individual results may differ. There is no assurance that you will earn as much.Proforma has computed the average Gross Sales, Gross Profit, Gross Profit Percentage, and Average Order Size for each type of franchise based upon information it has collected in the ordinary course of business.Proforma compiled this information only from Franchise Owners whose franchised businesses were in operation for the entire year. Results from Franchise Owners who either began or terminated their franchise relationship with Proforma during 2017 are not included.The Gross Profit information was derived by subtracting the reported Cost of Goods Sold from the reported Gross Sales. From their Gross Profits, Franchise Owners pay Proforma’s fees and pay all the business, wage, and debt service expenses associated with running their businesses, including any taxes.Franchise Owners are classified as Start-Up or RIE. A Start-Up Franchise Owner is a Franchise Owner entering Proforma’s franchise system without Relevant Industry Experience. A RIE Franchise Owner is a Franchise Owner entering Proforma’s franchise system with Relevant Industry Experience. RIE includes both Relevant Industry Experience and Conversion franchises.Part 1 – Franchises with Gross Sales Greater Than $400,000 (244 Owners Representing 41% of the Franchised Businesses Reported in Item 19)In calendar year 2017, 244 Franchise Owners in the survey had sales greater than $400,000. These 244 Franchise Owners include 218 RIE Franchise Owners and 26 Start-Up Franchise Owners. This group represents 41% of the total number of Franchise Owners that were in operation for the entire calendar year of 2017 and reported in Item 19.The reported information does not include the results of 58 Franchise Owners whose affiliation with Proforma terminated during 2017, including 8 Start-Up Franchise Owners and 50 RIE Franchise Owners.The reported information does not include the results of 33 Franchise Owners whose affiliation with Proforma began during 2017, including 4 Start-Up Franchise Owners and 29 RIE Franchise Owners.

Google Makes A Sweeping Expansion To The Google Assistant Platform.Today May 17th, 2017 Google announced a spectrum of new Voice First initiatives and products. Just over a year ago Google presented Google Home and today they have robustly enhanced its abilities. Google Assistant is now on over 100 million devices and used by over 50% on a regular basis.Here is a highlight of new features:The Google Assistant will accept keyboard input and voice input on phones.The Google Assistant will have Google Lens camera input that can identify objects and let you ask questions about them.Google Actions — the thing that lets the Assistant interact with third-party services (similar to Alexa skills) — are going to be available on phones.You can call any phone number for free in the US and Canada with Google Home.There are 70 different smart home manufacturers that will work with Google Home, with an open developer platform to add more.Google Home can add calendar events and reminders and other proactivity, and will pulse a light when a reminder is waiting for you.Spotify free is coming to Google Home along with Deezer and SoundCloud.Third-party hardware makers will be announcing new versions of a Google Home-like device.You can also tell Google Home to watch HBO or Hulu on Chromecast on your preferred screenGoogle Home will be able to send visual search results to the Chromecast or other screens when appropriate, e.g.: see your calendar for the day.You can now set reminders and calendar events on Home.Google Home is coming to more countries: Australia, Canada, France, Germany, and Japan.Google Assistant will work in more languages: Brazilian, Portuguese, French, German, and Japanese. Later this year Google will add Italian, Korean, and Spanish.More Accurate Speech RecognitionThe accuracy of the speech recognition technology on Google Assistant has improved significantly, just a 4.9% error rate. This error rate is actually better than average conversational human recognition in common conversations. Google also announced that 70% of voice-based Google searches are not just keywords one would type, but dialogues one would have in a conversation. This is a fundamentally important shift in users and use cases.Google Assistant uses neural beam forming technology that allows for two microphones plus highly optimized AI and Machine Learning that allows for an even higher accuracy. As the accuracy improves the user experience increases dramatically. Google has been quietly improving this accuracy as more people use Google Assistant. This AI is also being applied to Google Home and it shows as the recognition that was good when released, has improved substantially over the last few months.Home – Google.ai In The Cloud With Tensor Processing UnitsThe technology is enhanced by Tensor Processing Units (TPU), a highly optimized customized system that is designed to vastly accelerate AI and AI and Machine Learning. Running Tensor Flow exclusively allows TPUs to focus on the large dataset required for neural network building. Google is making these modules available to developers via Cloud TPUs. Google also announced Home – Google.ai and AutoML tools that will allow easy access for developers that do not have AI skills to uses these new tools. This will unleash an explosion of AI extension deeply into existing software but also as the front end of new and existing software.Google is using TPUs internally to enhance every aspect of the products the company is producing. Announced today is Google Lens. Google Lens will give image recognition to the Google Assistant. This is a very powerful system that will allow you to simply ask “What am I looking at?”. Google Lens will reach into the neural network cloud and not only identify what you are seeing but apply context and content related to the results and speak it back to you or present the results on a situational screen connected to your Google Assistant account.Google Gives Voice First Systems A LensAdding visual aspects to Voice First systems is going to be a big thing in 2017 and beyond. This allows for far more use cases where ironically, you do not need to be tied to a screen. The AI in Google Lens will inform the Voice First AI in Google Assistant and allow for real-time context and information to inform you of useable knowledge. One could use this for real-time language translation on to Voice Commerce situations where you simply point your camera and say “Buy this”. We will dive into Voice Commerce in a bit.Google has also extended Google Assistant to become text ready. This means that text and Voice can be an input. There are situations where Voice is not ideal and text input to Voice First systems are a requirement. This actually may create a bit of a ChatBot use case subsystem over time. Although I do not see ChatBots becoming a major feature.Google Assistant Developer PlatformGoogle is opening the entire Google Assistant API to developers to create version for other devices. This is similar to what Amazon has done with the Alexa platform. The Google Assistant API will expand the Voice First platform to many new devices, appliances, automobiles and other products. Manufacturers can get qualified for a “Google Assistant built-in” logo and registry.Google Home Free Phone Number CallingGoogle announced the ability for Google Home devices to create Voice First calling to any US phone number for free. Following the recent announcement from Amazon, that is limited to device to device or device to app. Google is using the knowledge and infrastructure from Google Voice to make this a seamless hands-free process.Google Assistant Proactivity, Please Don’t Call Them NotificationsGoogle Assistant Proactive allows for permission based notification via Google Home and other modalities to receive relevant messages with real-time context and continuity. Just yesterday Amazon released notice they would start the process of proactivity on the Alexa platform. To think of this feature as “Push notification for Voice” would be not accurate. Perhaps early versions will represent this characterization, however over time these systems, if they are deployed correctly will have deep context and become more a dialogue started by the Voice First system than a notification we have become almost immune to on our smartphone screen. I have built a number of systems that focus on this ability and it has become one of the most valuable aspects of my Voice First designs.The Rise Of Voice Commerce And The Google Assistant ApproachOne of the most powerful aspects to today’s announcement is the Voice Commerce aspect. Google is very well aware that the pay-per-click model of advertising that brought about the Web First and Mobile First revolutions will not work with the Voice First revolution. I spoke to this in a Forbes article called "Voice-First Technology Is About To Kill Advertising As We Know It” [1]:After about ten years of me presenting this inevitability, indeed now Google (and maybe a few other companies) seem to be aware:“…one thing that we are all clear about is the days of three top text ads followed by ten organic results is a thing of the past in the voice first world"— Sridhar Ramaswamy, Senior Vice president of advertising and commerce, November 29, 2016During an investor call on November 29, 2016 Sridhar Ramaswamy, Senior Vice President of Advertising and Commerce at Google, spoke to the coming shift of their business model as voice first device interactions begin to dominate our lives. Web-based search will never fully disappear, but a generation of kids are growing up around the Voice First revolution and fully expect a computer to be something they talk to and talks back.In this highly controversial article, I spoke to the transformation the Voice First revolution will have to advertising. I have stated for over 3 decades that we will reach a point where commerce will cut around advertising. I have called this Voice Commerce. Over the last 5 years I have met with 100s of payment companies and merchants to present this inevitability—many thought me insane. Today it seems to be less insane and more a massive disruption. Merchants realize that selling will radically change in these new environments, for example there are no "shopping carts”. Astute payment companies have been listening to and viewing many of my designs that present how Voice Commerce will take hold. Today the less astute companies hopefully have fully woken up.The Amazon 1-click patent and system defined the Web First and Mobile First revolutions. Clearly it was so powerful, Apple was one of the few early companies to get a license from Amazon to use it. One could say it one of the fundamental reasons Amazon has been so successful and to some extent Apple and the iTunes/music/movie/app store has been so successful. Not surprisingly the most successful retailer in the world, Amazon has created Echo/Alexa and a Voice Commerce platform. Although Amazon demurs the Voice Commerce element of the Alexa platform, it will be seen by history as a great “head fake”.Google’s seamless Voice Commerce system is a just one way merchants can deploy transactions in a Voice First setting. The system relies upon the visual systems built into the chat-like Google Assistant interface. During today’s demonstration an order at Panera is presented. The flow is simple and intuitive and completely driven by Voice.The transaction is currently tied in this demonstration to Google Payments and the indigenous payment system from this merchant. In the future discovery, ordering and payments will also take other paths.Food ordering is one of the lowest hanging fruits on the Voice Commerce tree. I have stated that by 2023, 50% of food ordering will be via Voice First, Voice Commerce systems. Google is making sure they are a primary player in this new modality. The Google Lens and TPUs will be able to extend Voice Commerce in many unique ways. In the future you can just point at a product or location and order the product or initiate a transaction from the merchant location the Google Lens is pointing to. We will also see similar use cases we find in the Amazon Look for fashion recommendation and other unique cases I have been working on.The Google developer tools for Voice Commerce are quite powerful. Google will make their payment gateway available for free to developers. This is a fundamental shift in how payments may be selected by developers as they build their Voice Commerce apps. The developer will very likely use the default payment platform if payment companies do not find a way to offer a better experience. This may seem impossible at first, however I have been working on Voice Commerce payment platforms for a number of years and I can say there are many opportunities for legacy companies and startups.Google also released robust developer access to Account Linking, re-engagement and order update tools for Voice Commerce apps.The Google Voice First App StoreGoogle has built an integrated app store that allows for discovery and invocation of new Voice Apps. Google’s approach is similar to Apple’s approach in that they built it into the chat application of Google Assistant. Apps are seamless to invoke and we can already see a path for some monetization in the future.Voice First Systems, The New Electricity Forming A Foundation To EverythingToday we have seen a far more aggressive Google. Extending the AI First mantra into many products and services. Google has the platform to become a formidable company in this sector. However, quite unlike the PC revolution and the Mobile revolution, the Voice First revolution will not be an “either-or” situation for most in the future. The cost of the Voice First devices will plummet to a very low cost or subsidized to to be free. They will also inhabit our appliances and other devices including our smartphones. They will live on an abstraction layer onto of competitor’s products (e.g.: Google Assistant on iPhone). Along the way Voice First systems will be the new electricity forming a foundation to everything. Google has been a form of electricity for the web, today they are moving to make it bigger.[1] Voice-First Technology Is About To Kill Advertising As We Know It

Yes you can under a special business program called PNP in PEI / Prince Edward Island. It will allow you and oblige you to open a business and can attend school in any discipline you desire.Foreign students allege abuse of P.E.I. PNP business immigrationWhat are the best colleges to study for a BDS student moving to Canada after obtaining a PR visa in Canada?Federal skilled trades program and also the new Atlantic Immigration pilot program where you get job prior to applying.Checkout New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia for Atlantic Immigration Pilot program.Agreements the province signs with immigrants in the business impact category of the PNP require applicants provide a $50,000 residency deposit, which is returned to them if they reside within the province for a minimum of 183 days within a year of landing in P.E.I.University of Prince Edward Island Targets More International Students - Canada Immigration and Visa Information. Canadian Immigration Services and Free Online Evaluation.Federal skilled trades program and also the new Atlantic Immigration pilot program where you get job prior to applying.Checkout New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia for Atlantic Immigration Pilot program.However over 1,000 Chinese are now under investigation or in process to be accused of fraud for not performing or being operational in their business venture as required under the business visa PNP Plan.The 24-year-old Chinese man sits down at a living room table in Charlottetown, and begins to fill a page of legal-sized paper with diagrams and notes.He shows each bank transaction for the payments on his smart phone.Both Chinese students spoke on the condition of anonymity, saying they feared losing their current jobs and ostracization in P.E.I.'s close-knit Asian community for speaking about a program that's brought hundreds to the Island's small but growing immigrant communities.Then, there was the more recent job at a service firm, where the owner asked him to return about $500 monthly of his salary, he added, drawing a circle around the "two hours a day," to emphasize what he'd be returning in cash.He is explaining life as an employee at two businesses set up under P.E.I.'s controversial business immigration system.First, there was the trading company that required he pay high-priced rent of $1,500 for a small apartment belonging to the firm's owner, largely using up his $2,000 salary, he says, drawing arrows back and forth on the page.The provincial nominee businesses are set up after the would-be immigrants commit to a minimum investment of $150,000 and annual spending of at least $75,000. If companies operate for an agreed period of time, usually a year, the province may refund the $150,000 business escrow deposit.The province has said the program has gradually helped attract a fresh wave of much-needed people to the Island and is resulting in some success stories, even if last year over half of all the 269 applicants forfeited their deposit and never opened a business. "More and more Chinese people come here, and improve the economy of P.E.I. But some of provincial nominee program (candidates), to be honest, stay here for one year and then they move to another place," he said.Concerns in Chinese communityPaul Yin, the president of the Canadian Chinese Association of Prince Edward Island, said further actions need to be taken to ensure that students don't have to give their pay back to PNP owners."I think this is serious," said Yin, who came to the Island through the program and operated a flower shop.Abbey MacPherson, director of the Office of Immigration, said she has 10 employees who can play a role in enforcement and there are both announced and unannounced checks on the companies. From her Charlottetown fitness studio, Wendy Chappell has watched a parade of new, immigrant-owned businesses open in nearby storefronts. It's a system the provincial Liberal government says is diversifying the Island's population and economy, but its critics say has evolved into a side-door route to larger Canadian cities, while filling the province's coffers with forfeited deposits from failed or abandoned ventures.’The Island Investment Development Inc., which holds the deposits for the newcomers' businesses, indicates $18 million in net revenues over the past year came from immigrant companies that defaulted on their obligation to create a business.The figure is equivalent to about half the province's projected new spending on infrastructure projects.177 defaulted on business componentTwo thirds of the 2016-17 applicants, 177 people, defaulted on the business component of their agreement, while 92 did succeed in receiving the $150,000 business portion of their deposits back, according to the province.However, of those, the province said 30 closed after one year. Of the 177 who defaulted, 152 never opened, and 25 defaulted after opening.Yet, the provincial minister responsible said almost all the nominees are passing residency requirements, allowing them to keep $50,000 of their deposit, and, he said, the immigrants are staying in the province.In addition, he said the forfeited deposit money can be used to support the social programs that benefit newcomers, such as the hiring of more teachers.He also said some of the PNP companies that succeed add to the province's economy, including a recent success story where a firm has signed a $150 million sales deal with a Bangladeshi company.An analysis by the Atlantic Provinces Economic Council shows that only one out of four people who've entered the province under the PNP program has remained five years later.In neighbouring Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, five out of 10 economic class immigrants are still in the province over the same time period.In P.E.I.'s program, foreign business people provide the province with a $200,000 deposit, commit to invest $150,000 and actively manage a firm that incurs at least $75,000 in operating costs.After the deal is signed, the province nominates the firm to the federal Immigration Department as a permanent resident. After an agreed period of time, usually a year, the immigrants can claim a refund of $150,000 if they met the business requirements, and $50,000 more if they could prove to the province they stayed in the province.She was excited to have newcomers open up shop around her, but watched in disappointment as their companies — including a Chinese children's book store, a porcelain shop, a store that sold reproductions of art and a baked goods store — closed over the last two-and-a-half years. She started wondering about the province's business immigration system — and whether it really retains immigrants or creates lasting jobs."How do we have a system that encourages this? Where's the oversight to our provincial [immigration] nominee program?" she asked, standing at her second-floor window overlooking University Avenue, near the city's downtown."From my window, I could see four storefronts which began to be these turnover businesses, which were legitimate businesses, but weren't conducting much business.Asked about whether students must agree to give back their wages, he said that's not the case and that his boss gives him his full wages and pays for gas expenses for out-of-town trips.However, critics have argued the system — referred to on the Island as "PNP" businesses — has a poor track record in retaining immigrants, and is encouraging business immigrants to use the Island as a side-door entry point to larger Canadian centres. Meanwhile, the province has collected $18 million last year in forfeitures — roughly equivalent to half of this year's increase in infrastructure spending.Changes coming to P.E.I.'s immigration program, says provinceP.E.I. is reviewing all its immigration programs following the announcement of two separate investigations by Canada Border Services alleging as many as 1,000 provincial nominees may have been involved in immigration fraud.Charges have been laid in a case involving the Sherwood Inn and Motel. The lawyer in that case has said his clients intend to plead not guilty.The documents go on to say the family had a flight booked to P.E.I., along with a returning flight back to China on Oct. 5 — two weeks after arriving in Canada. The woman told CBSA the family's belongings werre still in China and they intended to move to Canada at a later time.CBSA alleges in the search warrants that this was a "familiarization trip," so the family would have "an idea of the area and some photos in case they were ever questioned on proof of residency."Residency requirementsThere are two sets of residency requirements for immigrants taking part in P.E.I.'s Provincial Nominee Program.Permits for permanent residency from Citizenship and Immigration Canada are issued for a period of five years, after which they must be renewed. During that five-year period, a person must have been in Canada for a total of at least two of the five years, with certain exceptions. Permanent residents can have their status revoked if they fail to comply with the residency requirement.Under P.E.I.'s PNP, applicants sign a form with the province declaring their intent to reside in P.E.I. once granted permanent resident status.According to the CBSA, if at any time either federal or provincial immigration officials do not believe an applicant intends to stay on P.E.I., their nomination can be refused, or if already granted it can be rescinded. According to the CBSA, P.E.I.'s office of immigration can also withdraw a nomination "if an applicant has provided false or misleading information in declaring their intent to live and work in P.E.I. or no longer meets the criteria under which they were nominated."CBSA has also cited in its search warrant applications a financial incentive for immigrants to make it look like they're living on P.E.I. even if they aren't. Escrow agreements the province signs with immigrants in the business impact category of the PNP require applicants provide a $50,000 residency deposit, which is returned to them if they reside within the province for a minimum of 183 days within a year of landing in P.E.I.An analysis by the Atlantic Provinces Economic Council shows that only one out of four people who've entered the province under the PNP program has remained five years later.In neighbouring Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, five out of 10 economic class immigrants are still in the province over the same time period.In its applications for search warrants, CBSA says it believes the accused have "made a business" out of helping clients "create the illusion that they are residing in Canada," calling the operation "a very well established, organized fraud."This week it was revealed Canada Border Services is investigating another possible case of immigration fraud, involving different people and addresses, where it's alleged hundreds of immigrants applied for permanent Canadian residency using three Charlottetown addresses. No charges have been laid in that case.P.E.I.'s provincial nominee program allows people to immigrate on the promise they will live in the province and start or buy a business, and requires a $200,000 deposit to ensure there is investment in the business.2nd federal probe opened into immigrants to P.E.I. alleged to have used fake addressesMotel owners intend to plead not guilty to immigration fraud chargesSiblings charged in P.E.I. immigration probe, raising new questions about PNP"These are very serious allegations and we want to make sure if there is any wrongdoing that it is corrected immediately and if there [are] people that have done wrong that they are held accountable," said Jamie Aiken, executive director of Island Investment Development Inc.The province has met with all 12 intermediaries, who provide advice to provincial nominees, to ensure they are clear on the rules, he said."We're looking at all programs across Canada and other jurisdictions outside of Canada to try to make sure that we're identifying the best possible candidates," said Aiken.He expects some changes will be announced very soon.¸<Temporary work visas a possible fixSome provinces provide temporary work permits so their businesses can be reviewed before permanent residence is granted, Kane said.P.E.I. provides permanent residency to provincial nominees when they land in Canada, before they have a chance to open a business on the Island and fullfill their agreement with the province. Kane said switching to a work visa program would ensure participants move to P.E.I. and open a business before they get permanent residency.Aiken said the possibility of temporary work visas as part of the province's PNP is being lookedNote:After one or two years you could move to New Brunswick or Quebec Provinceto expand your business for way Better NAFTA trade business.This program PNP Immigration program is so small the PEI Government do not allow any business failure or wou will not receive your PR Residency.You must as part of this special immigration business program and create (1) job for a student that must reside in PEI since for over (1) year and enrolled in a local Provincial College or University. This program obliges you to present a complete detailed business plan of your future business, Buy a car, a cell phone and start implementing your new business as per your PEI / PNP Business plan. You will have to show business income and must be involved as a entrepreneur creating a new economy in this very small economy Canada maritime province.PEI Express EntryYou can apply for a PEI Express Entry nomination for permanent residency through the Prince Edward Island Provincial Nominee Program (PEI PNP). Your nomination through PEI PNP will increase your chance of being issued an Invitation to Apply from the Federal Government. ​Am I eligible to apply?To be eligible for nomination through PEI Express Entry, you must:meet the requirements of at least one of the Federal Economic Immigration programs:Federal Skilled Worker Program;Federal Skilled Trades Program; orCanadian Experience Classcreate a Federal Express Entry Profile and be placed in the pool of candidates. You can create a profile at any time through IRCC(link is external).There are two pathways to permanent residency through the PEI Express Entry Category, depending on if you have a job offer in PEI or not. Priority will be given to applicants that are living and working in PEI.How do I apply?If you meet the eligibility criteria listed above you must first read the Express Entry Guide then you or your representative must create a profile in the Prince Edward Island Expression of Interest system. To create a profile you will be asked to provide a valid email address, and identification information including your passport details. Once your account has been verified, you will be able to proceed to complete your profile. Applicants can only have one active profile at any one time.Your profile will remain active for a period of six months. You must ensure information provided in your profile is accurate and verifiable. If your situation changes prior to being invited to apply, you may update your profile. If your situation changes after being invited to apply you must contact the Office with the new information; this may impact the ultimate decision on your file. You can find additional information on the EOI points grid in the Express Entry Application Guide.ImportantAn Expression of Interest is not an application, but an indication of your interest in being considered to apply to the PEI PNP Express Entry. The Office reserves the right to limit intake or make exclusions from Expressions of Interest draws.Who is not eligible to apply?If you are currently working in PEI on a post-graduate open work permit, you must satisfy the following conditions prior to applying:Have at least 4 months of full-time experience working for the PEI employer, andHave at least 4 months remaining before the expiration of your work permit at the time of submitting an application to the Province.If you are currently in Canada, you must be here legally. This means that if you are in Canada on a study permit and you are not studying, you are not eligible to apply.Prince Edward Island Fills 2016 Express Entry QuotaPrince Edward Island has filled its 2016 quota for new immigrants under the Express Entry System.The province has issued a statement saying outstanding applications will still be reviewed, but any action will not be taken until 2019“Please be advised that the province of PEI has filled its 2016 Express Entry allocation this calendar year,” the statement says.Read MorePrince Edward Island Provincial Nominee Program“Our office will continue to review applications that may potentially be considered in the new year, based on program criteria.“We thank you for your patience in relation to this matter and would be happy to discuss Provincial Nominee Program criteria that you may also consider.”PEI’s Express Entry category operates by considering candidates already in the pool for a provincial nomination.Such a nomination adds 600 points to a candidate’s Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score and effectively guarantees an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for Canadian immigration.To apply for a provincial nomination from PEI, candidates already in the Express Entry Pool should complete a simple form posted on the provincial government’s website. You can access it here.There is no application fee and a candidate’s completion of the form is viewed as an expression of interest in immigrating to PEI.Provincial officials say they will only contact candidates deemed worth pursuing.Prince Edward Island has provided a shining example to the rest of Atlantic Canada that it is possible to turn around an aging population through immigration.Canada’s smallest province has boosted its population of under 45-year-olds to 76,516 in 2016, greater than 2013 levels and significantly more than 2015 numbers.Source: Statistics CanadaIt is one of only two Atlantic provinces (the other being Nova Scotia), to have a greater 2016 population of under-45s than 2015, as immigration policies aimed at countering its aging population and shrinking labour force start to take hold.The University of Prince Edward Island announced recently it is increasing its international student recruitment efforts following significant success in growing its cohort from overseas.With numbers of Canadian-born undergraduates dropping off in recent years, the school now relies on students from abroad to drive growth in enrollment numbers.The latest figures from 2015 show 17 per cent of the overall student population is from overseas – or 748 out of total enrollment of 4,317.Atlantic Canada’s provincial premiers and the federal government jointly announced recently an initiative to welcome 2,000 more skilled immigrants under their Provincial Nominee Programs from 2017.The move will see an almost 50 per cent rise in the number of candidates welcomed to New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland & Labrador.Those numbers could increase in 2018 and 2019 if the expansion is viewed as a success.The new immigrants are expected to be chosen based on the skills required by the respective provinces.It is part of a new Atlantic Growth Strategy, aimed at boosting the economy in eastern Canada in five priority areas:Skilled workforce and immigrationInnovationClean growth and climate changeTrade and investmentInfrastructureInterested employers: Kindly contact us here to receive further information.Interested candidates: Find out whether you qualify to Canada by completing our free on-line evaluation. We will provide you with our evaluation within 1-2 business days.Recent News Articles:Canada Triples Immigration Invitations In Three MonthsThe Trump Effect: International Students Turn Attention To CanadaRead more news about Canada Immigration by clicking here.Do I have to pay a fee?There is no fee to create an Expression of Interest. If you are selected for nomination by PEI, the application fee is $300 CAD which must be submitted with your application. The acceptable forms of payment are a bank draft, a certified cheque, or a money order made payable to Island Investment Development, Inc.​What forms do I need to fill out?You must complete all applicable provincial forms listed below:EE -01: Express Entry Application FormEE-02: Express Entry Consent to ValidateEE-03: Express Entry Information Release Form for Applicant and Spouse DeclarationIf you are selected for nomination by PEI, you must then accept the nomination through your MyCIC account online. After you are Invited to Apply by IRCC you must submit an electronic application for permanent residency with all supporting documentation and fees through your MyCIC account. IRCC is responsible for the decision on all applications for Permanent Residency. You must also complete all applicable federal forms from the Federal Application Package for Provincial Nominees(link is external).Do I have to use an Immigration Consultant or a Lawyer?No, you are not required to hire an Immigration Consultant for any immigration program in Canada.If you choose to use an Immigration Consultant or a Lawyer, they must be registered with the Immigration Consultants of Canada Regulatory Council, or be a Lawyer in good standing with a Provincial Law Society(link is external). The agent must be registered with the Office of Immigration prior to the submission of an application through this stream.My Work Permit is expiring soon, what can I do?You are responsible for ensuring you maintain legal status in Canada. You cannot rely on PEI Express Entry to help extend a work permit that is about to expire. If you are currently working in PEI, you may be eligible for a nomination through one of our other streams, in which case we could write an employer-specific letter of support for a work permit extension to be issued with the nomination.If you have reached the stage of applying for permanent residency through Express Entry and your work permit is about to expire, you can apply for a Bridging Open Work Permit.What happens after I am nominated?If you are selected for nomination by PEI, you must then accept the nomination through your MyCIC account online. After you are Invited to Apply by IRCC you must submit an electronic application for permanent residency with all supporting documentation and fees through your MyCIC account. IRCC is responsible for the decision on all applications for Permanent Residency.If there are changes in your circumstances, such as family status, employment, contact information, etc., you must notify the Office of Immigration immediately. If any changes occur after nomination, you must notify the Office of Immigration and IRCC.Who can I contact to ask questions?You can check the status of your Expression of Interest by logging in to the Prince Edward Island Expression of Interest system.Forward questions related to Express Entry to [email protected](link sends e-mail) or call (902) 620-3628.Published date:January 25, 2018If you are invited to apply you will receive an email notification that will include your file and instructions for submission of your file. If you are invited to apply you must complete the application forms. The complete application package, along with the $300 application fee, can be submitted to the Office of Immigration in two ways:In person at 94 Euston Street (2nd floor), Charlottetown, PEI; orCourier or mail package toOffice of Immigration94 Euston Street, 2nd FloorPO Box 1176Charlottetown, PECanada C1A 7M8Prince Edward Island Fills 2016 Express Entry Quota - Canada Immigration and Visa Information. Canadian Immigration Services and Free Online Evaluation.Changes coming to P.E.I.'s immigration program, says province | CBC NewsSiblings charged in P.E.I. immigration probe, raising new questions about PNP | CBC NewsUniversity of Prince Edward Island Targets More International Students - Canada Immigration and Visa Information. Canadian Immigration Services and Free Online Evaluation.P.E.I.'s PNP program leading to double standard for Canadian immigration, says lawyer | CBC News