Canada

Start-Up Visa Program

The Start-Up Visa (SUV) Program is a federal economic immigration pathway that enables foreign entrepreneurs to obtain permanent residence in Canada by launching innovative businesses with support from designated Canadian private-sector organizations. Established as a pilot in April 2013 and made permanent in April 2018, the program is administered by IRCC and targets entrepreneurs whose businesses are innovative, can create jobs for Canadians, and can compete globally. It links immigrant entrepreneurs directly to designated venture capital funds, angel investor groups, and business incubators, which assess business proposals and issue commitment certificates as a gateway to the immigration process. On December 19, 2025, IRCC announced that effective January 1, 2026, intake is set to zero and the program is paused, with applicants holding a valid 2025 commitment certificate able to apply until June 30, 2026.

• Commitment certificate (letter of support) from a designated organization: venture capital fund, angel investor group, or business incubator
• Language proficiency of Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 5 in all four skills (speaking, reading, writing, listening) in English or French, from a designated testing agency with results less than 2 years old
• Sufficient settlement funds based on family size (e.g., CAD $15,263 for a single person, CAD $28,362 for a family of four, as of July 2025)
• Qualifying business: incorporated in Canada, with active management and essential operations conducted in Canada
• Each applicant must hold 10% or more of voting rights; applicants and designated organization combined must hold more than 50% of total voting rights
• Up to 5 applicants may apply as co-owners of the same business
• Must intend to reside in a province or territory other than Quebec

The commitment certificate must come from one of the designated organizations, which include over 46 business incubators, 21+ venture capital funds, and 6 angel investor groups. The minimum investment thresholds are:

• Venture capital fund: CAD $200,000
• Angel investor group: CAD $75,000
• Business incubator: No minimum investment -- acceptance into the program suffices

The commitment certificate must be less than 6 months old when the permanent residence application is submitted.

The process begins with pitching the business to a designated organization. If the organization agrees to support the business, it issues a commitment certificate to IRCC and provides a copy to the applicant. The applicant then creates an account on the IRCC PR Portal, completes the required forms (IMM 0008, IMM 5669, IMM 5406, IMM 5562, Schedule 13), uploads supporting documents, pays fees, and submits. For team applications, each co-owner submits individually, and IRCC does not begin processing until all team members' applications are received. If any essential team member is refused or withdraws, all other team members' applications are also refused.

Standard applications have exceeded 36 months. Priority-processed applications -- those backed by venture capital, angel investors with CAD $75,000+, or Canada Tech Network incubators -- have been processed in approximately 12-24 months.

• Principal applicant: CAD $1,810 processing + CAD $575 right of permanent residence fee
• Spouse/partner: CAD $950 processing + CAD $575 RPRF
• Dependent child: CAD $260 processing
• Biometrics: CAD $85 per person (max CAD $170 per family)

Spouse or common-law partner and dependent children under 22 (or over 22 if dependent due to a physical or mental condition) may be included. Each must pass medical and security checks. All family members become permanent residents simultaneously upon approval.

Permanent residents may apply for Canadian citizenship after 1,095 days (3 years) of physical presence in Canada within a 5-year period.

• If a designated organization charges a fee to review or assess a business proposal, the commitment does not comply with the regulations
• An officer may request an independent peer review of the business, though such assessment is non-binding
• Business failure after obtaining permanent residence does not affect PR status
• Anti-avoidance provisions prevent applicants from meeting requirements through transactions entered into primarily for acquiring immigration status rather than genuinely engaging in business
• In April 2024, IRCC capped applications at 10 start-ups per designated organization annually and introduced priority processing
• Under the 2026-2028 Immigration Levels Plan, the combined Federal Business category was reduced to 500 annual admissions
• IRCC has announced a new, targeted pilot program for immigrant entrepreneurs expected to launch in 2026

Links

• https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/start-visa.html
• https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/start-visa/eligibility.html
• https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/news/notices/immigration-measures-entrepreneurs.html

Other Digital Nomad Visas in North America