Canada: Changes to the Start-Up Visa

Key Points  

• Canada introduced changes to the Start-Up Visa program rules and will pause its acceptance of Self-Employed Persons applications  

Overview  

The government of Canada introduced several changes to the country’s federal business programs to reduce processing timelines and application backlogs.  

Changes to the Start-Up Visa Program include: 

• Capping the number of permanent residence applications. The government will accept for processing those associated with no more than 10 start-ups per designated organization each year.   
• Providing priority processing for entrepreneurs with a start-up visa supported by start-up Canadian capital or a business incubator member of Canada’s Tech Network, including applications in the inventory and new applications. 

The government also announced a full pause on application intake for the Self-Employed Persons Program to focus on processing applications from the inventory starting April 30, 2024. The Self-Employed Persons Program provides a pathway to permanent residence for people with notable experience in art, culture recreation or sports and who will contribute to Canada’s cultural vitality. 

Looking Ahead 

Continue to check the government of Canada’s website and Envoy Global’s website for the latest updates and information.