Buying a franchise is a popular way for immigrants to enter the Canadian business community. After all, franchises come with a proven system for doing business and earning profits.

For example, franchisees get support from the company headquarters for marketing, managing employees and handling business finances in a Canadian environment. For a new immigrant, these factors add up to a major advantage over starting a new business from scratch.

Getting into a franchise isn’t a guaranteed success, however. You have to do your due diligence and evaluate a franchise operation properly, according to Peter Snell, a partner in the franchising and distribution practice group of Gowling Lafleur Henderson LLP. Here are some of the considerations you should think about. …

Originally Published by Canadian Immigrant Magazine on September 29, 2008