Start-Up Visa Program

The purpose of the Start-Up Visa Program is to link immigrant entrepreneurs with the private Canadian angel investor groups, venture capital fund organizations or business incubators, that have experience working with the start-up businesses and provide them with essential resources.

In the year 2013, the entrepreneur program was replaced with the Start-Up Visa program, which specifically aimed at the innovative foreign entrepreneurs who have the potential to unveil high-growth businesses in Canada that can generate employment and are globally competitive. The program started as a five-year pilot and was later announced permanent due to its huge success.

About the process:

Under this category, a foreign entrepreneur submits a detailed business idea to one of the designated organizations for their support for the start-up. The start-up business must be a new business that meets the criteria of qualifying business and intend to operate in Canada.

The business ideas are evaluated by the designated organizations based on their own assessment criteria and if your business idea fits in their parameters, the organizations provide financial support to the new business.

Eligibility for the Start-Up Visa Program:

you must have a qualifying business
you must obtain a letter of support from a designated organization
must meet the language proficiency by achieving a minimum of CLB in all of the areas, reading, listening, speaking and writing.
Bring enough funds to support yourself and your dependents to settle in Canada
you can provide for the basic needs of the person you are sponsoring.