Start-Up Visa Program
Canada's Start-Up Visa Program (SUV) grants permanent residency to qualifying founders whose business ventures secure backing from a designated Canadian organization — a venture capital firm, angel investor group, or business incubator. It is the only federal pathway to Canadian PR built around entrepreneurship rather than capital deposit, and for founders in fields where Canada is actively recruiting talent, it is among the cleanest routes to North American residency available.
- Investment
- Equity-based · structure varies
- Designated Backing
- VC, angel, or incubator
- Processing
- 12–24 months
- Outcome
- Permanent residency at issuance
- Citizenship Eligibility
- 3 years residence in 5
- Family Coverage
- Spouse + dependent children
PR for founders, not depositors.
Where most investor-residency programs reward capital, the Start-Up Visa rewards a venture. The qualifying activity is not a wire transfer — it is securing real backing from a Canadian organization that has assessed and committed to the underlying business. For accomplished founders relocating between ventures, or for entrepreneurs with a credible product and a Canadian market opportunity, the SUV delivers PR at issuance and a direct path to Canadian citizenship.
Successful applicants receive PR directly — no conditional or temporary status, no provincial nominee path, no points-based queue.
Canadian citizenship is available after three years of physical residence within a five-year window — among the shortest naturalization tracks in the OECD.
Spouse and dependent children secure derivative PR on the same petition. Children may study in Canadian schools as residents.
Canadian citizenship offers visa-free access to 185+ countries and one of the most respected passports globally.
How to qualify.
A commitment of at least CAD $200,000 from a designated Canadian VC firm. The VC has independently assessed the venture and committed capital.
A commitment of at least CAD $75,000 from a designated Canadian angel investor group. Suited to earlier-stage ventures.
Acceptance into a designated Canadian business incubator program — no minimum investment, but the incubator must formally accept the venture.
- A qualifying business that is incorporated in Canada with the applicant holding at least 10% of voting rights and at least 50% of voting rights in combination with the designated entity.
- A Letter of Support from a designated Canadian VC, angel investor group, or business incubator.
- Sufficient settlement funds for the applicant and accompanying family members.
- Language proficiency in English or French (minimum CLB 5).
- Educational requirement (post-secondary education for at least one year).
How we run this program.
Confidential intake. Assessment of venture viability and identification of an appropriate designated entity for backing.
Pitch and engagement with the designated entity. Securing a Letter of Support is the substantive milestone of the application.
Federal PR application filed with IRCC. Medical examinations, biometrics, criminal-record clearances assembled.
Confirmation of Permanent Residence issued. Landing in Canada. Three-year residency window opens for citizenship eligibility.
Questions worth answering candidly.
Do I have to actually run the business in Canada?+
Yes — meaningfully. The Start-Up Visa requires that the applicant actively manage the venture from within Canada. Essential operations must be conducted in Canada. The program is structured for founders who are genuinely relocating, not for paper companies.
What if the venture fails after I receive PR?+
Permanent residency is not contingent on continued venture success. Once PR is granted, it is independent of the underlying business. That said, IRCC requires good-faith intent to operate the venture at the time of application; structuring around an obviously non-viable business is not workable.
How is this different from EB-5?+
EB-5 is a capital-and-jobs program — invest $800,000+, create ten US jobs, receive a Green Card. SUV is a venture-and-backing program — secure designated Canadian support, build a Canadian business, receive PR. Cost structure, timing, and qualifying activity all differ. We compare both for clients open to either jurisdiction.
Is Quebec covered by this program?+
Quebec operates a separate immigration regime; the federal Start-Up Visa is for the rest of Canada. Quebec's investor and entrepreneur programs are evaluated separately and are currently in a state of restructuring.
Considering Canada? Let's talk before you commit.
Thirty minutes with an experienced advisor. We'll tell you, candidly, whether this program is the right fit — and if it isn't, which one is.
You speak directly with an experienced advisor — not an intake associate.