Start-up VISA
Canada
Best way for Business Immigration
Canada's Startup Visa Program is a great option for entrepreneurs looking to immigrate. Designed specifically for people who want to start a new business in Canada with an innovative and unique idea.
Business Consulting For Startup Visa Applicants
What is Startup Visa Program?
Have a
Business
Idea?
We help you
to appy with designated organizations
Incubators
Venture Capital
Angel Investors
We’ll help
with letter
of support
And With
IRCC
Update
Request
We Help
Establish Your Business
in Canada
Canada's Start-Up Visa program is your fast and simple gateway to permanent residency and doing business in one of the most entrepreneur-friendly countries. With the support of Business Vision Center, Canada becomes the perfect place to bring your business ideas to life.
We not only assist in formalizing your concept but also connect you with investors to ensure your business can grow and prosper.
The Start-Up Visa (SUV) offers qualified entrepreneurs and their families the opportunity to move to Canada. You'll quickly secure a work visa and can later attain permanent residency, making it the most cost-effective and convenient option. Plus, the eligibility criteria are straightforward.
Our Business Vision Center has been at the forefront of start-up immigration, aiding entrepreneurs since the experimental launch of Start-Up Visa Canada. With over 200 successful cases under our belt and vast experience across various business sectors, we are your go-to experts.
This program has already proven its efficacy, and since 2018, it has been a permanent Canadian immigration program with an annual quota of over 2,700 individuals.
You can easily be one of them!
REQUIREMENTS
To be eligible for the Start-up Visa Program, you must:
Have a
qualifying business
1
A qualifying business means you created a business that meets the following conditions.
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At the time you get a commitment from a designated organization:
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Each applicant holds 10% or more of the voting rights attached to all shares of the corporation outstanding at that time (up to 5 people can apply as owners)
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AND
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applicants and the designated organization jointly hold more than 50% of the total voting rights attached to all shares of the corporation outstanding at that time
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At the time you receive your permanent residence:
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You provide active and ongoing management of this business from within Canada
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An essential part of the operations of the business happens in Canada
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This business is incorporated in Canada
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2
Get a letter of support
from a designated organization
You must get a letter of support from a designated organization (a business group that has been approved to invest in or support possible start-ups). You’ll need to:
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Contact the designated organization to find out how to get its support
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Convince the organization that you have a business idea that is worth supporting
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Get a letter of support from the designated organization
The process to pitch your idea is different for each organization. Each organization has its own requirements. For example, you may be asked to present your business concept in person or submit a detailed business plan.
If you reach an agreement with a designated organization, it will send you a letter of support. You need to include this letter when you submit your application to us. This is the proof you need to show that the venture capital fund, angel investor group, or business incubator is supporting your business idea. The organization will also send a commitment certificate directly to us. We’ll use both your letter of support and the organization's commitment certificate to assess your application. Please note that we may ask you for more business information to take a final decision on your application. If you don’t include the letter of support or meet any of the other requirements, we’ll refuse your application.
Meet the language requirements
The ability to communicate and work in English, French or both languages will help your business succeed in Canada.
You must take a language test from an approved agency and include the results with your application, or we won’t process it.
You must meet the minimum level of the Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 5 in either English or French in all of these four areas:
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speaking
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reading
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listening
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writing
Use your test results to find your CLB level.
Your application might be refused if you don’t meet the minimum language skills. Book a free consultation to find out how to deal with this problem.
Bring enough money to settle
The Government of Canada does not give financial support to new start-up visa immigrants.
When you apply, you’ll need to give proof that you have the money to support yourself and your dependants after you arrive in Canada. You can’t borrow this money from another person.
The amount you need depends on the size of your family. The amount is updated on a yearly basis.
3
4
PROCESS
To apply for the SUV program, your business idea or venture must get the support of one or more of the designated organizations listed below:
Designated organizations are business groups that are approved to invest in or support possible start-ups through the SUV program. Organizations choose which business proposals to review, and each has its own intake process for proposals and criteria used to assess them. For example, you may be asked to present your business concept in person or submit a detailed business plan. If an organization decides to review your business idea, it’ll assess the potential of your proposal and whether or not it’ll succeed. If an organization chooses to support your business idea, it’ll give you a Letter of Support.
VENTURE CAPITAL FUNDS
Venture funds and business angel funds analyze projects at the stage of commercial implementation. In order to enlist their support, you will need a whole arsenal of business skills, confident vision, and passion for your business
BUSINESS ANGELS
A business angel is a private individual, often with a high net-worth, and usually with business experience, who directly invests part of their assets in new and growing private businesses. Business angels can invest individually or as part of a syndicate where one angel typically takes the lead role.
BUSINESS INCUBATORS
Accelerators and incubators do not have to invest in companies. They conduct peer reviews of companies and select some of them. Authors of selected projects can be invited to undergo paid training. The duration of such training can last from two weeks to six months.
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Venture capital fundsYou must get at least one of these groups to agree to invest a minimum of $200,000: 7 Gate Ventures Arete Pacific Tech Ventures (VCC) Corp BCF Ventures BDC Venture Capital Celtic House Venture Partners Extreme Venture Partners LLP Golden Venture Partners Fund, LP iNovia Capital Inc. Intrinsic Venture Capital Lumira Ventures Nova Scotia Innovation Corporation (o/a Innovacorp) PRIVEQ Capital Funds Real Ventures Relay Ventures ScaleUp Venture Partners, Inc. Top Renergy Inc. Vanedge Capital Limited Partnership Version One Ventures Westcap Management Ltd. Yaletown Venture Partners Inc. York Entrepreneurship Development Institute (YEDI) VC Fund
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Angel investor groupsYou must get one or more investors connected to these groups to agree to invest a minimum of $75,000: Canadian International Angel Investors Ekagrata Inc. Golden Triangle Angel Network Keiretsu Forum Canada Oak Mason Investments Inc. Southeastern Ontario Angel Network TenX Angel Investors Inc. VANTEC Angel Network Inc. York Angel Investors Inc.
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Business incubatorsYou must be accepted into one of these programs: Alacrity Foundation Alberta Agriculture and Forestry Agrivalue Processing Business Incubator Food Processing Development Centre Biomedical Commercialization Canada Inc. (operating as Manitoba Technology Accelerator) Brilliant Catalyst Creative Destruction Lab Empowered Startups Ltd. Extreme Innovations Genesis Centre Highline BETA Inc. Innovacorp Innovation Cluster - Peterborough and the Kawarthas Innovation Factory Interactive Niagara Media Cluster o/a Innovate Niagara Invest Ottawa Knowledge Park o/a Planet Hatch LatAm Startups Launch Academy - Vancouver LaunchPad PEI Inc. Millworks Centre for Entrepreneurship NEXT Canada North Forge East Ltd. North Forge Technology Exchange Platform Calgary Pycap Inc (o/a Pycap Venture Partners) Real Investment Fund III L.P. o/a FounderFuel Ryerson Futures Inc. Spark Commercialization and Innovation Centre Spring Activator The DMZ at Ryerson University Toronto Business Development Centre (TBDC) TSRV Canada Inc. (operating as Techstars Canada) University of Toronto Entrepreneurship Hatchery VIATEC Waterloo Accelerator Centre York Entrepreneurship Development Institute
Did you know?
While your application for permanent residence is being processed, you can apply for a temporary work permit to get to Canada and start building your business. See work permits for start-up visa applicants.
BENEFITS
1. Direct PR (Permanent Residency)
Without a doubt, the key benefit available exclusively to entrepreneurs is the ability to secure permanent residency directly. In contrast to traditional immigration programs, there is no need to obtain a TRV (Temporary Travel Visa) or work permit, beforehand.
The processing time presented by the direct PR program is highly beneficial for such individuals. To those unfamiliar with the Canada investor visa initiative, the requirements for this program are quite lenient compared to other immigration programs.
To be eligible for application, all you need is; a high school diploma or equivalent for education, a CLB5 level of proficiency in English or French, a clean criminal history, a medical exam, and an innovative idea that shows promise.
A few questions to consider: Would local investors be interested in your business idea or venture? Does this idea have the potential to create local jobs in Canada? Does your idea fall into an internationally competitive market?
2. Fastest Process Time Frame for PR
There is no need to wait for years to become a permanent resident of Canada. Qualified business immigration applicants enjoy incredibly streamlined from the Canadian Immigration authorities processing times; on average, the maximum amount of time needed to obtain PR for individuals seeking a Canada investor visa is 12-16 months.
Given that other immigration programs take anywhere from 48-60 months, the advantage is clear. This is by far the fastest PR program currently available, and has helped many Canadian entrepreneurs become successful, here in their new country.
How could saving 32 months of time potentially affect your venture and family’s future?
3. A Number of Provincial Options
As long as you meet all other requirements, you are free to establish your venture anywhere in Canada, with the province of Quebec being the only exception.
Do you have a promising business idea in the tech industry? Ontario would be the perfect location to relocate after securing your Canada entrepreneur visa application. Does your family enjoy picture-perfect views? British Columbia has breathtaking scenery and is only one flight away from Asia. If you are motivated to live in a small town with historically low business operating costs, consider Nova Scotia.
Thanks to its versatility, the Canada’s start-up visa for entrepreneurs and investors does not bind you to a specific location.
4. One Business, Multiple Applicants
In the event your business is run and operated by multiple people, the Canada Start-Up Visa Program makes the shift overseas an easy one. By allowing up to 5 foreign nationals the ability to apply as owners of the entity, you need not worry about restructuring or making changes in the way your business is currently managed.
The only requirements in this regard are that each applicant has a minimum of 10% voting rights in all business’ outstanding shares.
5. Funding and Guidance From a Trusted Source
Many people make the mistake of assuming they will have to fully fund their business once establishing residence in Canada’s. As if the stress of starting life in a new country wasn’t difficult enough; you can rest assured knowing that Canada startup visas are well known for offering leniency and much-needed help in this regard.
As an applicant, you have the opportunity to gain invaluable support for your business. Venture capital firms, angel investors, and business incubators are readily available and eager to work with individuals whose ideas can bolster the local economy. The Canadian Immigration Authorities selects a pool of qualified investors to partner with applicants, and helps establish multi-tier support in the form of syndication and a trusted peer review process.