Become a PR through the Start-up Visa Program
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You can start a business in Canada and Immigrate as a Permanent Resident!
What is a Start-up Visa?
- Canada’s start-up visa program gives entrepreneurs the opportunity to immigrate to Canada in order to establish a new business. Immigrant entrepreneurs must demonstrate that their business is innovative, will create new jobs for Canadians, and can compete on a global scale.
Eligibility criteria
- Have a qualifying business:
- You must hold at least 10% of the voting rights attached to all shares of the company
- Together with the designated organization, you must hold at least 50% of the voting rights attached to all shares of the company
- Have a letter of support from a designated organization:
- You need to demonstrate that you have the support of a venture capital fund, angel investor group, or business incubator
- In order to do this, you must pitch your business idea and convince the organization that it is worth supporting
- The process of pitching your business idea will be different for each organization
- If your pitch is successful, you will receive a letter of support from the organization which must be included in your start-up visa application
- Meet the language requirements:
- You must take a language test from an approved agency and show that you meet the minimum level of the Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 5 in either English or French in speaking, reading, listening, and writing.
- Proof of funds:
- You need to show that you have enough money to support yourself and any dependents once you arrive in Canada. The amount you need depends on the size of your family.
Designated Organizations
As part of the eligibility requirements, you will need to provide proof (Commitment Certificate and Letter of Support) that your business is in fact supported by a designated organization. These documents will cover the relevant details of your arrangement with one or multiple designated organizations, and are paramount to your startup visa application.
- 7 Gate Ventures
- BCF Ventures
- BDC Venture Capital
- Celtic House Venture Partners
- Extreme Venture Partners LLP
- Golden Venture Partners Fund, LP
- Impression Ventures
- Innovation Platform Capital International LP
- iNovia Capital Inc.
- Lumira Ventures
- Nova Scotia Innovation Corporation (o/a Innovacorp)
- Pangaea Ventures Ltd.
- 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
- Alacrity Foundation
- Alberta Agriculture and Forestry
- Biomedical Commercialization Canada Inc. (operating as Manitoba Technology Accelerator)
- Creative Destruction Lab
- Empowered Startups Ltd.
- Extreme Innovations
- Genesis Centre
- Highline BETA Inc.
- Innovacorp
- 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 Technology Exchange
- Platform Calgary
- 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)
- VIATEC
- Waterloo Accelerator Centre
- York Entrepreneurship Development Institute
Processing Time & Fees
The current processing time for the start-up visa is between 12 and 16 months.
You may incur various fees such as biometrics, government fees, medical exam fee, IELTS fee, etc.
How to apply
- Fill out the Generic Application Form for Canada
- Click the “Validate” button on the form, and make sure that you have completed all required fields
- Print the validated application form, making sure to include the barcode page
- Sign and date the form
- Gather all documents listed in the order specified in the document checklist
- Place all necessary documents in a sealed envelope
- Print out the document checklist and sign it
- Include the document checklist as the cover page of your application
- Application fees include processing fees for you and anyone included on your application
- Right of permanent residence fee
- Third-party fees including fees for medical exams, police certificates, and language testing
- Before submitting your application, ensure that it is complete
- Make sure you have signed all forms
- Pay your processing fees and include receipts in your application
- Include all supporting documents
- Put all documents in a 9” x 12” envelope, write ‘start-up visa’ on the outside of the envelope, and mail to the appropriate address
How we can help you achieve your dreams of studying in Canada?
From selecting the right college and program to finding the best rates fro your flight. The journey 2 Canada team will be right by your side.
Authorized and Regulated Consultant
You will be assigned an RCIC (Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant).
Job Hunt & Career Guidance
We have partnered with employers in Canada. We will help you figure out your job situation before you move to Canada.
Stress-free, easy & fast process
Our team will dedicatedly work hard to make your journey to Canada easy, fast & stress-free.
Travel, Living & Finance assistance
We will prepare all the necessary travel documents you will need and we will also help in finding a place for you to live during your stay in Canada.
24/7 Consultant Access
You will get 24/7 access to the consultant’s private line throughout your entire journey from the day you decide to the day you arrive.
University & College Applications
Our team of experts will suggest and provide you with the right tools you will need to make your college applications successful.
Are you ready to start your Journey to Canada?
We will work with you and for you in planning, informing, advising and taking the right steps to make things easy and your dreams come true.
Get free one-on-one consultation call with an RCIC
We offer a free 15-minute consultation with a registered immigration consultant where we answer common and general questions about how we can help you in your journey to Canada.
Express Entry is the fastest pathway to Canadian Immigration
Express Entry was designed to be fast: the vast majority of all applications submitted through Express Entry are processed in less than six months!
The Fastest growing PR Program is: Provincial Nominee Program
With growing popularity, nearly 250,000 people are expected to get Canadian Permanent residence via Provincial Nominee Programs in the upcoming years.