Start-up Visa Program

Targets immigrant entrepreneurs who wish to start a business and create jobs
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Depending on your nationality, you may need to give your biometrics:
  • Starting July 31, 2018 – applicants from Europe, Middle East and Africa.
  • Starting December 31, 2018 – applicants from Asia, Asia Pacific and the Americas.

​Canada's Start-up Visa Program targets immigrant entrepreneurs with the skills and potential to build businesses in Canada that (i) are innovative, (ii) can create jobs, and (iii) can compete on a global scale. This article will let you know the eligibility requirement, the application process and supporting documents you need to succeed in your application.

Eligibility

In order for you to be eligible for the Start-up Visa Program, you have five main requirements that you need to fulfill:
  1. Prove that your business is supported by a designated organization (see below). Those are Canadian venture capital firms, angel investors groups and business incubators, that need to issue you a Letter of Support. You need to contact them directly to ask for support.
  2. Show that the designated organization(s) that supports you hold(s) at least 50% of voting rights in the business and that you and a maximum of 4 others persons, hold the remaining 50% of voting rights, each one having at least 10% of voting rights.
  3. Prove that you meet the minimum language requirements, either in French or in English. You must meet the minimum level of the Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 5 in all of these four areas: speaking, reading, listening, and writing. You can learn more about the French test and the English test requirement here.
  4. Bring enough money to settle. The amount needed, updated every year, depends on the number family members that are coming with you. You will need to show proof that you own the money and that it is not borrowed. The funds must be readily transferable funds in a convertible currency. Find out more here.
  5. You most not intend to live in the province of Quebec.
List of designated organizations
Designated Venture Capital Funds
Designated Angel Investor Groups
Designated Business Incubators

Application Process and Supporting Documents

You can only apply on paper. After filling and signing the required forms, gathering your supporting documents, and paying your fees, you will need to mail your application package to this address.

You need to fill and sign the following forms:
  • General Application Form for Canada: IMM0008. You need to download the form and fill it on your computer. If you open it on your browser, the form might not be displayed. You will need to validate the form after finishing (button at the end of the form), it will make sure you did not forget anything and will create barcodes at the last page of the form.
  • Additional Dependents/Declaration: IMM0008DEP, if applicable.
  • Schedule A – Background/Declaration: IMM5669, for the principal applicant, its spouse or common-law partner and its dependents over the age of 18 (accompanying or not).
  • Supplementary Information – Your travels: IMM5562. 
  • Schedule 13 – Business Immigration Programs – Start Up Business: IMM0008 SCHEDULE 13.
  • Additional Family Information: IMM5406.
  • Statutory Declaration of Common-law Union form if you are in a Common-law Union:  IMM 5409.
  • Use of a Representative form if you are using the services of a representative: IMM5476.
  • Document checklist: IMM5760.
You can find help here for filling the forms.
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You need to provide the following supporting documents:
  • Original of fee payment in an acceptable format.
  • Photocopy of the information page(s) of your valid passport or travel document which includes: passport number, issuance and expiry dates, photo, name, date and place of birth. Diplomatic, official, service or public affairs passports are not accepted.
  • Original of the proof of language proficiency, either the TEF and/or IELTS or CELPIP.
  • Original of the Letter of Support from a recognized organization.
  • Proof of settlement funds. find out more here.
  • For you and your spouse or common-law partner: photocopies of your birth certificates, marriage , divorce, name change or death Licenses/Certificates.
  • For your children, photocopies of birth certificates, adoption papers. If the other parent of your children is not accompanying you to Canada, you must submit a signed Separation Declaration for Minors Travelling to Canada: IMM 5604.
  • Two photos meeting the requirements for you and each member of your family, accompanying or not. On the back of the one photo, write your name, date of birth, and date the photo was taken. 
  • Two self-addressed mailing labels, (i) one in English or French and, (ii) one in the official language of your country of residence.
  • Photocopy of your current immigration status if your country of residence differs from the country of citizenship listed on your passport.
  • Original of police certificates from each country or territory where you have lived for six or more months in a row since the age of 18. You can learn here how to get the right police certificate.
​
Translation:
You must add the following for any document that is not in English or French:
  • the English or French translation; and
  • an affidavit from the person who completed the translation (see below for details); and
  • a certified copy of the original document.

Application Fees

When applying to the Start-up Visa Program, you must pay a $1,050 Business Immigration application fee in addition to the $490 Right of Permanent Residence fee. You can pay your fees ($1,540) online here. 

For your spouse or common-law partner, you also need to pay a $550 Application fee and a $490 Right of Permanent Residence fee. For each dependent child, you need to add $150.
​
The $1,050 is not refundable if the application processing started. The Right of Permanent Residence fee is refundable if the application is rejected, or cancel your application, or decide not to come to Canada.

Medical Exam

You will need to wait for instructions to pass a medical exam. When so, you will have to choose a panel physician that is authorized by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). You can find the list, by country, here.

When you go to your appointment, you must bring:
  • proper identification,
  • eye glasses or contact lenses, if you wear them,
  • any medical reports or test results that you have regarding to previous or existing medical conditions, and
  • the Medical Report form. The visa office will send you this form.

You’ll also have to bring four recent photographs if the panel physician does not use the eMedical electronic system. Contact the panel physician before your appointment to find out.

Your medical exam results are valid for 12 months only. You may need to have another exam if you do not come to Canada during that time.

Quebec Entrepreneur Program

Quebec has its own Businesspeople Immigration Programs. The Quebec equivalent of the Start-up Visa Program is the Entrepreneur Program.

It is quite different from the Federal program as you will need a minimum net worth of $300,000, and intend to create or acquire at least 25% of a company in Quebec that is worth at least $100,000. You won't need to have your business supported by a designated organization.

The processing times are very slow, you might need to wait up to 5 years to get your "Certificate de Selection du Québec" (CSQ) after paying a little more than a $1000 fee for the CSQ application. And you will need then to apply to the federal government for your permanent residence, which can take a few months.

You can learn more about this program and how to apply here.

Processing Times

Processing times for a the Start-up Visa Program are not available at this time.

​You can find out the processing times here. You need to select "Economic Class", then "Start-up Visa".
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