Start-up Visa

One of the most common misunderstandings about The Canada Startup Visa is that it is not a typical visa. Instead, it is a permanent residency for immigrants, including an opportunity for eligible applicants to get a work permit before they arrive.

The Canadian Federal Government runs the Start-up program to support internationals who want to settle in Canada by expanding and developing their businesses to create employment.

The Startup visa system in Canada is for innovators and entrepreneurs who have the skills and capabilities to establish and/or expand a business in the country.

The followings are the criteria used to choose applicants:

• Business innovation
• Job creation potential for Canadians
• Scalable at an international level

This program is available in all regions in Canada, except for Quebec.

A designated organization that includes Venture Capital funds, Angel Investor groups, and business Incubators that the Canadian Government approves must support your business idea or venture prior to getting your Start-up visa approved for permanent residency. While your application for permanent residency is being processed, we can apply for your temporary work permit to get to Canada with your family and start building your business.

This Program's Distinguishing Characteristics

• Each Start-up should have a group of 1 to a maximum of 5 applicants;
• All applicants within the groups must hold at least 10 percent of voting rights attached to their share in the corporation. If one of the designated organizations approves investing in or supporting the Start-up idea, all applicants in the group and the designated organization must jointly own more than 50 percent of the total voting right linked to all of the company's shares. 
• Each candidate must receive a language proficiency score equivalent to at least CLB 5 by completing the IELTS, TEF, or CELPIP;
• Each applicant and their dependents (whether accompanying the applicant or not) must get a criminal background check (Police Certificate) from their home country and/or any country where they have lived for more than 6 months since becoming 18 years old.
• According to Canadian laws, the settlement funds are determined by the size of the family that is planning to immigrate to Canada. This value is modified each year to factor in the inflation.
• For this Start-up Visa application, at least one of the group members will be an "essential" candidate. All members of this Start-up Visa group will be refused entry to Canada if the essential member(s) is/are denied residency status due to health, legal, or validity of facts in their application;

Our Start-up Visa Services for Groups / Applicants

• We prequalify and evaluate new candidates and businesses to see if they are likely to be chosen by the designated organizations.
• We assist with the submission of the business concept to selected designated organizations in Canada in order to secure a letter of support.
• We assist and coordinate the start-up business plan, pitch deck, strategy, and delivery.

For the Startup Visa program, Designated Organizations in Canada Have Targeted the Following Industries:

• Artificial Intelligence (AI)
• Virtual Reality & Augmented Reality (VR & AR)
• Cybersecurity
• Agri-tech
• Food-tech
• Biotech
• Cleantech
• Marine tech

* This is not an exhaustive list; depending on the stage of a start-up's development, many designated organizations embrace creative ideas from a variety of sectors.