Government of Canada · 5/17/2026
Exercise Increased Caution
Quiet capital and countryside; Ciudad del Este border zone requires extra awareness.
Asunción is calm with low violent crime. Ciudad del Este is a major trade hub with smuggling activity — exercise caution and avoid unmarked currency exchanges.
Paraguay offers temporary residency (2 years) via solvency proof or SUACE investor route, converting to permanent residency. The legacy $5,000 bank-deposit route was repealed in 2022.
Single budget
$900/mo
Couple budget
$1,500/mo
Rent (center)
$500/mo
Rent (outside)
$300/mo
Avg temp
24°C
Rainy season
October–April
Internet
90 Mbps
Property /m²
$1,200
| Program | Type | Minimum | Path to citizenship | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temporary Residency (Solvency) | Income/Pension | $1,300/mo | 3 years permanent residency | Official ↗ |
Best city
Asunción / Ciudad del Este
Visa route
Investor
Min investment
$70,000
Cost of living
$900/mo
Tax system
Territorial
Airbnb yield
8-11%
Bureaucracy ease
7/10
Bank account ease
3/5
Cheapest residency in LATAM (~$5k all-in) and 10% flat tax — but limited healthcare outside Asunción.
No dedicated nomad visa, but permanent residency is fast & cheap (3–6 months).
Largest Arab population per capita in S. America (~30k Lebanese-Syrian, esp. Ciudad del Este).
~900, single synagogue in Asunción.
Living and running a business: the ten things that actually matter, side-by-side.
Cost of living
$1,000–1,800/mo couple
Cheapest in the guide; rural land very affordable.
Visa & residency
SUACE investor ~$70K
1–3 months. Citizenship after 3 years.
Taxes
Territorial · flat 10% corp
Lowest tax burden in the region.
Healthcare
★★★ Adequate in Asunción
Private hospitals fine; rural quality variable.
Safety
Low–Medium
Asunción safe; border zones (Ciudad del Este) need caution.
English support
★ Very limited
Spanish + Guaraní; English rare outside business hubs.
Banking
★★★ Workable
Banco Itaú, Familiar; foreign accounts straightforward.
Best business fit
Agriculture · cattle · light manufacturing
Cheapest farmland in S. America; Mercosur access.
Climate
Subtropical, hot summers
30–38°C summer; mild winter 10–22°C.
Arab community
Large per capita
Largest Arab community share in S. America (Ciudad del Este).
Reality check
10% flat tax, $70k investor visa, large Arab community.
Genuinely cheapest residency in LATAM. The largest Arab community per capita in South America (Ciudad del Este). Bureaucracy is rough, infrastructure is uneven, but the tax-and-visa math is unbeatable.
Spanish + Guaraní. English very limited. Ciudad del Este has a strong Arabic-speaking trade community where Arabic functions for daily commerce.
Arab community
Largest Arab population per capita in South America — Lebanese, Syrian, and Palestinian merchant community concentrated in Ciudad del Este. Arabic-speaking lawyers, accountants, and trade contacts available.
Healthcare
Adequate private care in Asunción (Hospital Bautista, Sanatorio Migone). Many expats keep international insurance + travel to Buenos Aires for major procedures.
Safety
Asunción safer than most LATAM capitals. Ciudad del Este has smuggling/contraband ecosystem — petty crime higher.
Tap a city to open it in Google Maps.
10% flat tax, territorial, residency in 1–3 months.
Cheapest farmland in S. America.
Excellent tax math; infrastructure adequate in Asunción.
Best for
- ✓Tax-optimisation
- ✓Arab-Canadian relocators
- ✓Agricultural investors
Watch-outs
- !Infrastructure rough outside capital
- !Heat — summers brutal
- !Banking takes patience
Temporary residency (2 yrs) via solvency proof or SUACE investor route (~$70k+), converts to permanent residency. The legacy $5,000 bank-deposit route was repealed in 2022.
- 1
Gather Canadian documents
Passport (6+ months validity), RCMP criminal background check (apostilled), birth & marriage certificates (apostilled by Global Affairs Canada), bank statements (last 6 months).
- 2
Translate & legalize
Official Spanish/Portuguese translation of all apostilled documents by a sworn translator in-country.
- 3
Open exploratory trip
Spend 2–4 weeks in Asunción / Ciudad del Este to vet neighborhoods, lawyers, and accountants before committing.
- 4
Hire local immigration lawyer
Budget USD 2,500–6,000. Required for filing; do not DIY a ${c.visaType} visa.
- 5
Transfer investment capital (≥ $70,000)
Wire from a Canadian bank to a local escrow or company account. Keep SWIFT records — required as proof of funds.
- 6
Incorporate or buy qualifying asset
Set up local SA/SRL or close real-estate purchase that meets visa floor.
- 7
File investor visa application
Submit dossier to immigration authority; receive provisional residency card (typically 3–9 months).
- 8
Get local tax ID & open bank account
Bank account ease: 3/5. Bring residency card, utility proof, and reference letter from your Canadian bank.
- 9
Register for healthcare & enroll dependents
Private international plan (~USD 100–250/mo) recommended in addition to public system.
- 10
File NR73 with CRA
Declare non-resident status to Canada Revenue Agency to stop worldwide taxation; settle departure tax on unrealized gains.
Single person, mid-range lifestyle
| Rent (1BR mid-range) | $405 |
| Groceries & dining | $198 |
| Transport | $72 |
| Utilities & internet | $90 |
| Private health insurance | $90 |
| Leisure & misc | $45 |
| Monthly total | $900 |
| Immigration lawyer fees | $4,500 |
| Government visa fees & apostilles | $1,500 |
| Document translation | $800 |
| Exploratory trip (2 wks) | $3,500 |
| Shipping household goods | $6,000 |
| Visa investment / qualifying capital | $70,000 |
| First/last month rent + deposit | $1,215 |
| Company incorporation & accountant (yr 1) | $3,500 |
| One-time total | $91,015 |
Estimated all-in Year 1 cost
$101,815
One-time relocation + 12 months of living costs. Excludes business operating expenses.
Concrete starting points with rough startup capital, monthly run-rate, and the licences you'll actually need to file. Estimates are USD, ballpark — confirm with a local attorney before committing capital.
Soy / cattle land lease-back
Buy 200–500 ha in Alto Paraná or San Pedro and lease to established producer. 4–7% USD yields with farmland appreciation.
- ›INDERT title verification (rural land)
- ›MADES environmental compliance
- ›SET tax registration
- ›Rural property tax (Impuesto Inmobiliario)
Ciudad del Este import/wholesale (Arab trade network)
Tap the Triple Frontier electronics/textile import market. Lowest tax/duty regime in S. America for re-export.
- ›SUACE single-window for import/export
- ›RUC tax ID
- ›Aduana (customs) importer registry
- ›Patente municipal
SRL holding + 10% flat tax structure
Paraguayan SRL invoicing global clients. 10% IRE corporate, 10% IDU dividend, territorial.
- ›SRL constitution at Public Registry
- ›RUC at SET
- ›Patente municipal
- ›Monthly IVA filings even if zero
Costs reflect a Canadian operator buying turnkey or near-turnkey assets. Land-from-scratch builds typically run 30–60% higher.
Tailored for English- and Arabic-speaking investors moving to Paraguay. Toggle the language, then download a print-ready bilingual PDF.
Business type — tailors steps & licences
Official government links · روابط رسمية
- Dirección General de MigracionesPermanent residency formswww.migraciones.gov.py/
- SUACE — investor one-stop shopInvestor company setupwww.mic.gov.py/suace/
- Ministerio de Relaciones ExterioresConsulates abroadwww.mre.gov.py/
Always verify on the official site before paying any fees. Government URLs and forms change.
Phase 1 — Before you fly
- ▢Passport valid for 12+ months with 4+ blank pages.
- ▢Police clearance / criminal record certificate, apostilled or legalized.
- ▢Birth certificate (and marriage certificate if applicable), apostilled.
- ▢Bank statements last 6 months + proof of source of funds.
- ▢Certified translation of every document into Spanish/Portuguese.
- ▢Engage a local immigration lawyer (budget USD 2,500–6,000 for the Investor route).
- ▢International health insurance covering first 6 months.
Phase 2 — Visa filing (Investor)
- ▢Wire qualifying capital (≥ $70,000) from your home bank to in-country escrow; keep SWIFT proof.
- ▢Open initial bank visit in Asunción / Ciudad del Este (account often takes 30–90 days).
- ▢File full visa dossier with the immigration authority.
- ▢Receive provisional residency card; register at the Arab/Lebanese embassy or consulate if applicable.
- ▢Apply for local tax ID (RUC / CURP / RNC / DNI depending on country).
Phase 3 — Settle in & convert to permanent
- ▢Sign 12-month lease only after living 4–8 weeks in the city.
- ▢Renew residency before expiry; track day-counts to avoid losing status.
- ▢After 2–5 years, file for permanent residency / passport eligibility.
- ▢Settle exit-tax obligations with your home country (declare non-residency).
Phase 1 — Validate before you incorporate
- ▢Spend 2–4 weeks scouting suppliers, competitors, and customer demand in Asunción / Ciudad del Este.
- ▢Validate price points in USD and local currency; account for FX risk.
- ▢Interview 5+ Arab/expat business owners already operating locally.
Phase 2 — Incorporation & banking
- ▢Choose entity type: SA / SRL / LLC equivalent — confirm with local lawyer + accountant.
- ▢Reserve company name and register articles of incorporation.
- ▢Obtain commercial registry number and tax ID for the company.
- ▢Open corporate bank account (ease in Paraguay: 3/5 — bring residency, lease, reference letter).
- ▢Set up bookkeeping software + monthly accountant retainer (mandatory in most LATAM countries).
Phase 3 — Licences, hiring & launch · General / Not sure yet
- ▢Apply for the sector licence(s) that match your activity (tourism, food, import/export, real estate, fintech…).
- ▢Register with social security / IGSS / IMSS to legally hire staff.
- ▢Sign written employment contracts; never pay staff in cash without payroll.
- ▢Buy commercial liability insurance before opening doors.
- ▢Confirm tax regime: Territorial — file monthly VAT/IVA returns even if zero.
- ▢Set up a separate USD account abroad for retained earnings (FX hedge).
Tailored for a Canadian entrepreneur. Progress saves to this browser.
Before leaving Canada
First 30 days in-country
First 90 days
Ongoing compliance
| English | Arabic community | Bureaucracy | Banking | Tax | Visa min |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2/5 | 5/5 | 7/10 | 3/5 | Territorial | $70,000 |