Canada’s Start-Up Visa Program offers Canadian permanent residence to qualified immigrant entrepreneurs. The program targets innovative entrepreneurs and links them with private sector investors in Canada who will help establish their start-up businesses.
What Is The Canada Start-up Visa Program?
Candidates can initially come to Canada on a work permit supported by their designated Canada-based investor. Before qualifying for permanent residence, this can be done once their business is up and running.
Start-Up Visa Programme
Canada welcomes innovative business ventures and invites entrepreneurs from other countries to benefit from the strong Canadian economy. The Start-up Visa (SUV) program launched by the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) targets foreign start-ups. They have the potential to build innovative businesses within Canada that further innovate its entrepreneurial ecosystem.
The process is intended to allow for the expedited migration of foreign-owned businesses looking to operate in Canada. In this process, they provide up to five founders or core team members with a permanent residency, provided that they meet the criteria established. This is under the program and IRCC’s standard requirements for immigration.
An Easy Solution to Qualify for the Visa Program
For an applicant's question of “How can I qualify for the Start-up Visa Program?” They can be eligible if their start-up business concept meets all industry requirements according to the rules. To qualify for the Start-up Visa Program, you must meet all four eligibility requirements and the admissibility requirements to enter Canada.
Eligibility criteria and requirements for the Start-Up Visa (SUV) are:
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Qualifying business
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Commitment Certificate and Letter of Support from a designated entity
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Sufficient unencumbered, available and transferable settlement funds
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Proficiency in English or French at minimum Canadian Language Benchmark level 5
Admissibility requirements to enter Canada :
To be eligible for Canada, one must meet the admissibility requirements to enter Canada. These apply to all Start-up Visa Program applicants.
A person may not be able to enter or remain in Canada if the CIC, CBSA officer or ID of IRB determines that they have the following issues:
1. Security
They have engaged in, or there are reasonable grounds to believe they will engage in, spying, subversion or terrorism, or they belong to organizations that have engaged in, or will engage in, these activities.
2. Human or international rights violations
They have committed war crimes or crimes against humanity. They are senior members or officials of a government that has committed acts of terrorism, major human rights violations, genocide, war crimes or crimes against humanity.
3. Serious criminality
They have, or there are reasonable grounds to believe they have, committed a crime punishable by ten years of incarceration.
4. Any kind of criminality
They have committed an indictable crime, or there are reasonable grounds to believe they have. They achieve an offence such as possessing or importing narcotics while seeking entry to Canada.
5. Organized crime
They belong to an organization that is believed to participate in organized criminal activity or engage in transnational crimes such as people smuggling, trafficking in people, or money laundering.
6. Health Issues
They may be a danger to public health or cause excessive demands on Canada's health or social services.
7. Financial
They are unable or unwilling to support themselves and their dependents.
8. Misrepresentation
They provide officers with false information or withhold information directly relevant to a decision under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA).
9. Non-compliance
They contradict the requirements of IRPA. Some examples include the following:
1. Not having a valid passport or visa
2. Entering as visitors and remaining longer than authorized
3. Trying to re-enter without the written permission of the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration after being deported
4. Working or attending school without the appropriate permit
5. Breaching conditions imposed when they were first admitted to Canada.
Preparing Your Application Start-Up Visa (SUV)
The first part of the application is an initial assessment and validation of the potential applicants to the SUV program. Please note a small fee for this initial service to cover administration costs. This is not a promise that your application to the Start-up Visa Program will be successful.
An ideal Canada Immigration Consultant can help guide applicants interested in building their startup.
