What Mercan Capital does

Mercan Capital is the holding entity of the Mercan Group, a privately held, Montreal-headquartered investment migration and real estate development firm founded in Saskatchewan in 1989 by Jerome (Jerry) Morgan. The group operates through six principal subsidiaries: Mercan Capital (holding), Mercan Properties (hotel and residential development in Portugal, Greece, and Panama), Mercan Recruit (B2B foreign-worker recruitment for the US EB-3 and Canadian streams), Mercan Canada Employment (Philippines-based recruitment operations), IMP Canada (Canadian work-permit filings), and Mercan Greece (Athens-based development). With 1,000+ employees across 13 offices on four continents serving clients from 120+ countries, Mercan is one of the larger operators in the residency-by-investment and employment-based immigration segments.

Mercan's commercial activity spans four interlocking streams: (1) RCIC-licensed immigration consulting for Canadian work permits, permanent residency, and Bill C-3 citizenship-by-descent; (2) regulated-investment migration products, including the EUR 500K Portugal Golden Visa via a CMVM-regulated venture-capital fund (Mercan Private Equity Fund II), the EUR 250K Greece Golden Visa via real estate, and the USD 300K Panama Qualified Investor Program (QIP); (3) employment-based immigration through EB-3 sponsorship, with 21,500+ cases processed at a reported near-zero refusal rate; and (4) hospitality development, with 30+ hotels and projects operated under brand licenses with Marriott, Hilton, IHG, Accor, Wyndham, and Hard Rock, and EUR 2.1B+ of capital deployed backing visa investments. Revenue derives primarily from professional-services fees, fund management on regulated vehicles, and development and asset-management fees on the hotel portfolio. The firm operates a non-automated, senior-advisor-led sales motion with no self-service channel; every inbound lead is reviewed by a senior advisor before a specialist responds.

Differentiators include 37+ years of operating history, a formal strategic partnership with the Government of Panama announced in late 2025 to revamp the country's Qualified Investor Program, deep relationships with international hotel brands that supply the underlying investment assets for visa-linked products, and a globally distributed sales infrastructure sourcing clients from Asia (Beijing, Manila, Ho Chi Minh City, Dhaka, Phnom Penh), the Middle East (Dubai), the Americas (Montreal, Edmonton, Saskatoon, Panama City), and Europe (Lisbon, Porto, Athens). The company has assisted 4,100+ investor families, placed 50,000+ immigrants, and recruited 20,000+ foreign workers since founding. The Renaissance Porto Lapa Hotel was recognized as Portugal's Leading Business Hotel 2025 by the World Travel Awards for a second consecutive year.

Name

Mercan Capital

Legal name

Mercan Group

Website

https://mercan.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1989

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Mercan Capital is a Montreal-based investment migration holding company operating RCIC-licensed immigration consulting (Canada, Portugal, Greece, Panama, USA), CMVM-regulated investment funds, and branded hotel development across 13 global offices, serving high-net-worth residency investors, employment-based immigrants, and employers seeking foreign workers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Investment Migration Services

NAICS

Other Travel Arrangement and Reservation Services (56159)

SIC

Services-Legal Services (8111)

akta.pro primary industry

Immigration Legal Services & Representation (Law Firms) (THACAKAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Global Mobility, Immigration & Relocation (BPACAPAN), Emergency/Expedited Visa & Immigration Support (THACAKAL)

Keywords

• Immigration consulting services
• Residency by investment
• Golden visa advisory
• Foreign worker recruitment
• Hotel development

Headquarters

HQ city

Montreal

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices13 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Immigration Consulting Services: RCIC-licensed Canadian immigration consulting, regulated professionals on Portugal, Greece, Panama, and USA routes. Manages files from initial eligibility check through biometrics and card issuance.
2. Investment Management: EUR 2.1B+ deployed through CMVM-regulated venture-capital fund for Portugal Golden Visa. Manages Mercan Private Equity Fund II for hospitality sector investments in Portugal and Greece.
3. Hotel Development: Over 30 hotels and projects developed and operating with Hilton, Marriott, IHG, Hard Rock, Accor, Wyndham, and Renaissance. Assets backing visa investment programs.
4. EB-3 Employment-Based Immigration: Processing of employment-based permanent residency applications for the United States. Connects qualified workers with US employers with approved PERM labor certifications.
5. Foreign Worker Recruitment: B2B foreign-worker recruitment for US (EB-3) and Canada (LMIA, Francophone Mobility, employer-driven PR). 20,000+ workers placed across hospitality, manufacturing, food, construction, and healthcare sectors.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Mercan Capital, through the Mercan Group, delivers regulated investment-migration and employment-based immigration services across Canada, Portugal, Greece, Panama, and the USA, offering five named residency/citizenship pathways (Portugal Golden Visa, Greece Golden Visa, Panama QIP, EB-3 USA Green Card, Canadian Citizenship by Descent). Visa-qualifying investments are channelled into a portfolio of 30+ hotels and mixed-use developments developed by the in-house Mercan Properties division under international brand partnerships (Marriott, Hilton, IHG, Accor, Hard Rock, Wyndham). The firm also runs B2B foreign-worker recruitment (Mercan Recruit) for US (EB-3) and Canadian (LMIA, Francophone Mobility, employer-driven PR) routes, plus the Mercan Private Equity Fund II hospitality investment vehicle.

Product overview

Mercan Capital operates as a diversified investment and immigration services firm with multiple divisions: Mercan Capital (holding company), Mercan Properties (hotel development), Mercan Recruit (foreign-worker recruitment), Mercan Canada Employment (Philippines recruitment office), IMP Canada (work-permit filings), and Mercan Greece (Athens development). The company offers immigration programs including Portugal Golden Visa, Greece Golden Visa, Panama Qualified Investor Program (QIP), EB-3 USA Green Card, and Canadian Citizenship by Descent (Bill C-3). Mercan Properties develops and operates hotels across Portugal, Greece, and Panama under international brand partnerships with Marriott, Hilton, IHG, Hard Rock, Accor, and Wyndham, with over 30 hotel projects developed. The portfolio includes luxury properties such as Renaissance Lapa Park Porto Hotel, Moxy Alfragide Lisboa, Hotel Indigo Albufeira, Keranis Residences in Athens, Panama City Central (Pullman), and Santa Maria Residences, among others.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Mercan Immigration: RCIC-licensed Canadian immigration consulting, work permits, permanent residency, and Bill C-3 citizenship-by-descent services.
• Mercan Properties
• Mercan Recruit
• IMP Canada

Products and services

• Portugal Golden Visa EU residency programme requiring a EUR 500,000 minimum investment into a CMVM-regulated venture-capital fund managed by Mercan, with EU residency in 18–24 months and a clear pathway to Portuguese citizenship; available to non-EU investor families including spouse, dependent children, and parents.
• Greece Golden Visa EU residency programme requiring a minimum EUR 250,000 real-estate investment, granting a 5-year renewable EU residence permit with no minimum-stay requirement and full Schengen-area access; suitable for investor families seeking optionality over relocation.
• Panama Qualified Investor Program (QIP) Permanent residency programme requiring a minimum USD 300,000 qualifying investment, with residency obtainable in approximately 30 days, access to Panama's territorial tax system, and a 5-year path to citizenship; offered under Mercan's formal partnership with the Government of Panama.
• EB-3 USA Green Card US employment-based permanent residency programme with three eligibility tracks (Unskilled Workers, Skilled Workers, Professionals), supporting qualified workers through PERM labour certification, employer sponsorship, biometrics, and card issuance.
• Canadian Citizenship by Descent (Bill C-3) RCIC-managed Canadian citizenship-by-descent filing service for Americans with a Canadian parent or grandparent, leveraging the December 2025 Bill C-3 restoration of citizenship beyond the first generation; no investment required.
• Foreign Worker Recruitment (Mercan Recruit) B2B foreign-worker recruitment service for US (EB-3) and Canada (LMIA, Francophone Mobility, employer-driven PR) covering hospitality, manufacturing, food, construction, and healthcare sectors; handles end-to-end sourcing, immigration documentation, and placement.
• Mercan Private Equity Fund II CMVM-regulated hospitality-focused private equity fund investing in operational hotels and development-stage assets across Portugal and Greece, serving as the qualifying-investment vehicle for the Portugal Golden Visa programme and partnering with IHG, Marriott, and Wyndham brands.
• Panama City Central (Pullman) 5-star Accor Pullman-branded executive suites hotel on Panama City's Via España, featuring 126 suites of 53–85 sqm, rooftop pool, and casino; units are sold from USD 307K and qualify under Panama's Qualified Investor Program.
• Santa Maria Residences 44-floor premium luxury tower in Panama City's Santa Maria district with 200 apartments ranging from 81–176 sqm, rooftop pool, cinema room, and full amenity set; units sold from USD 364K and qualifying under Panama's Qualified Investor Program.
• Keranis Residences Landmark mixed-use redevelopment converting the historic Keranis tobacco factory in Piraeus, Athens into 408 fully furnished apartments; priced from EUR 250K and qualifying under Greece's Golden Visa programme, with 3% guaranteed annual returns for 10 years.

Quantifiable outcome

• 21,500+ EB-3 cases processed with ~0% refusal rate
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.

• Government of PanamaflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 November 2025Mercan Group became the main strategic partner of the Panamanian government to support the revamp of Panama's Qualified Investor Program. Collaboration aims to enhance the country's global investment appeal. Announced at IMI Connect Rome 2025 in October 2025. Complementing Mercan's hospitality development investment in Panama.
• Marriott InternationalcoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerStrategic brand partnership for hotel development. Operates Renaissance Porto Lapa Hotel, Four Points by Sheraton Matosinhos, Origem Porto Gaia (Tribute Portfolio), Moxy Alfragide Lisboa, and Lapa II under Marriott brands.
• HiltoncoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerHotel brand partnership operating Sé Catedral Hotel Porto (Tapestry Collection), Amarello Praia St. André (Tapestry Collection), and Hilton Garden Inn Évora under Hilton brands.
• IHG Hotels & ResortscoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerHotel brand partnership operating Holiday Inn Express Porto - Boavista, Holiday Inn Express Évora, Holiday Inn Beja, Hotel Indigo Albufeira, and Casa da Companhia (Vignette Collection) under IHG brands.
• AccorcoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerHotel brand partnership for Panama City Central project operating under Pullman brand (Accor ALL). 126-suite 5-star executive hotel on Panama City's Via España corridor.
• Wyndham HotelscoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerHotel brand partnership operating Fontinha Porto (Trademark Collection) and Greece Corfu Beach Resort under Wyndham brands.
• Hard Rock HotelscoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerHotel brand partnership referenced as part of the portfolio of international brand partnerships for hospitality development.
• AHM – Ace Hospitality ManagementcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerHotel management partner for Renaissance Porto Lapa Hotel and Moxy Alfragide Lisboa. CEO Mariano Faz cited as managing properties developed by Mercan Properties.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• CS Global Partners: Investment migration consultancy representing multiple government citizenship- and residence-by-investment programs globally. Comparable advisory role connecting HNW clients to government-approved investment immigration pathways.
• Henley & Partners: Largest global investment migration advisory, offering residence- and citizenship-by-investment programs across Europe, the Caribbean, and Asia-Pacific. Directly comparable to Mercan on the immigration consulting side, though Henley lacks Mercan's integrated hotel development platform.
• Get Golden Visa: Investment migration advisory focused on Portugal and Greece Golden Visa programs with HNW client base. Directly comparable to Mercan's residency-by-investment offering on the European programs, operating with similar end-to-end case management.
• Harvey Law Group: Canadian-founded international law firm with dedicated investment immigration practice covering Golden Visas, EB-5, and citizenship-by-investment programs across multiple jurisdictions. Comparable full-service immigration legal/advisory model with multi-country footprint.
• La Vida Golden Visa: Specialist advisory focused on Portugal and Greece Golden Visa programs for HNW investors. Direct competitor on the European Golden Visa segment, with similar target customer profile but without the integrated real estate platform Mercan operates.
• RIF Trust: Investment migration firm specializing in residency and citizenship programs in Europe, the Caribbean, and Latin America. Comparable HNW advisory model with multi-jurisdictional program coverage, operating in similar client segment to Mercan.
• Arton Capital: Montreal-based investment migration firm advising HNW clients on residence and citizenship programs globally, including Portugal and Greece Golden Visas. Closely comparable as a Canada-headquartered competitor operating in the same HNW residency advisory space.
• Astons: International investment immigration and citizenship advisory serving HNW clients with residence-by-investment programs across Europe, the Caribbean, and other jurisdictions. Comparable service model targeting similar investor profiles.
• Immigrant Invest: Investment immigration firm offering residence- and citizenship-by-investment programs across Europe, the Caribbean, and the Pacific. Comparable HNW target segment with multi-program offering, competing on similar Golden Visa and Caribbean citizenship programs.

Regional players

• Pestana Hotel Group: Largest Portuguese hotel group with deep Portugal and international hospitality portfolio. Comparable as a Portuguese hotel developer/operator, though Pestana does not operate an integrated investment migration platform.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/people/The-Mercan-Group-of-Companies/100090510580245
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mercan-capital-ltd-
• Instagraminstagram.com/mercangroupofcompanies
• Xx.com/MercanCap

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Subsidiaries6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Mercan Capital