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Start-up Visa

The fastest pathways to permanent residency for foreign entrepreneurs

General information

Basic requirements
An innovative business idea
An innovative business idea
Skills and potential to establish a new business in Canada that
  • Is innovative
  • Create employment opportunities for Canadian
  • Is competitive globally
  • Letter of support
    Letter of support
    Obtain from an organization designated by IRCC that commits to providing financial support to the business idea with a minimum investment of at least:
  • $200,000 from a Venture Capital Fund, or
  • $75,000 from an Angel Investor Group, or
  • Acceptance into a Business Incubator Program
  • Share structure
    Share structure
    At least 10% of voting rights for each applicant with a maximum of 5 for a qualifying business, and
    More than 50% of voting rights after joining with the designated organization
    Settlement fund
    Settlement fund
    Enough to support yourself and accompanying family members during the period of adaptation after your arrival
    Language
    Language
    CLB 5

    Application process

    Process timeline of reviewing the start-up visa application
    between applicants with Federal Government

    Have financial support
    Stage 1

    Contact a designated organization, convince them that the business idea is worth supporting and obtain the letter of support.

    Application submission
    Stage 2

    Attach the letter of support and submit the completed application to IRCC when all minimum requirements are met.

    Medical examination
    Stage 3

    Receive a request from IRCC for a medical examination with panel physicians to provide proof of the health conditions.

    Biometrics collection
    Stage 4

    Receive a request from IRCC for biometrics collection at visa application centers to verify identity and admissibility.

    Decision
    Stage 5

    Application approved, submit the passport to have a counterfoil PR visa attached to it and ready to come to Canada.
    IRCC reviews in 12 - 16 months

    Get PR Status
    Stage 6

    Application approved, the applicant gets Permanent Resident status after landing or confirming on IRCC Portal.

    Each team member has to submit their own application.
    If an essential member application is refused, all related applications will be refused.
    The applicant may apply for a short-term work permit under the International Mobility Program before and after submitting
    the permanent resident application with letter of support from a designated organization.
    When reviewing the application, the visa officer may request a peer review assessed by a panel of experts in the same industry
    to protect against fraud and ensure the genuineness or validity of the financial support.

    Success factors

    Crucial elements affecting the decision of a start-up visa application

    Settlement fund
    Net worth
    Age
    Language
    French
    Canadian work experience
    Education
    An innovative business idea
    Work experience
    Management experience
    Admissible
    Residential area
    Letter of support
    Letter from employer
    Occupation in Canada
    Job creation
    Job creation
    Liquid asset
    Field study in Canada
    Community referral letter
    Farm experience
    Job offer
    Investment value
    Business proposal
    Education in Canada
    Investment region
    Residential area
    Exploratory Visit

    Entitlement

    Benefits the applicant and their accompanying family members are entitled to when becoming permanent residents

    Family-friendly
    Family-friendly

    The immigration application includes the applicant's spouse and children

    Medical
    Medical

    Access to high-quality modern public health care as same as Canadian

    Education
    Education

    Free or lower tuition for children depends on the level of education

    Benefits
    Benefits

    Access to social benefits as same as Canadian

    Mobility right
    Mobility right

    Live and work anywhere under Permanent Resident status

    Sponsorship
    Sponsorship

    Ability to sponsor relatives if the conditions are met

    Naturalization
    Naturalization

    Ability to obtain citizenship if residency conditions are met

    Specific requirements

    Important requirements the applicant should note

    • Start-up visa is a federal immigrantion program for entrepreneurs with an innovative business idea and financial support from at least one designated organization, allows up to 5 applicants and their family members to obtain permanent residency in Canada
    • Each designated organization has its own requirements. The applicant must reach an agreement with at least one designated organization to receive the minimum requirement of financial support and obtain the letter of support
    • The business outcome has no effect on the permanent resident status
    • The program is not based on an expression of interest, is not rank-based and has no limit on the number of applications per year.
    • If the business will be run by more than 2 members and the essential members' application is refused, other relevant applications are also refused.
    • When reviewing the application, the visa officer may request a peer review assessed by a panel of experts in the same industry to protect against fraud and ensure the genuineness or validity of the financial support

    Immigration Ineligibility

    • Misrepresentation: directly or indirectly misrepresenting or withholding material facts that cause or may cause administrative errors of the government
    • Have failed to comply with any immigration act or regulation
    • Have a family member who is inadmissible to Canada
    • Financial ground: unable or unwilling to financially support yourself and accompanying family members
    • Medical ground: have a health condition that is dangerous to public health, public safety or may cause excessive demand on health or social services
    • Have committed a crime, including impaired driving
    • Membership in criminal organizations for activities such as human trafficking or money laundering
    • National security reasons: espionage, subversion of government, violence or terrorism, or membership of related organizations
    • Violations of human rights or international law such as war crimes, crimes against humanity, or being a prescribed senior official of a government that engages or has engaged in these activities

    Designated Organizations

    Letter of support

    Obtain from an organization designated by IRCC that commits to providing financial support to the business idea with a minimum investment of at least:

    • $200,000 from a Venture Capital Fund, or
    • $75,000 from an Angel Investor Group, or
    • Acceptance into a Business Incubator Program

    Share structure

    • Each applicant hold at least 10% of voting rights with a maximum of 5 applications for a qualifying business, and
    • Hold more than 50% of voting rights after joining with the designated organization

    Language

    Minimum CLB/NCLC 5, assessed by 1 of 4 language proficiency tests within the last 2 years:

    Settlement fund

    Proof of funds to support yourself and family members during the period of adaptation after your arrival, based on Low Income Cut-Off threshold and family size:

    Quy mô gia đìnhTài chính yêu cầu (CAD)
    1$13,757
    2$17,127
    3$21,055
    4$25,564
    5$28,994
    6$32,700
    7$36,407
    Each additional family member$3,706

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