startup for canada

Start-ups abroad are innovative ventures established in foreign countries

CANADA

Canada’s Start-up Visa Program enables foreign entrepreneurs with innovative business ideas and potential for growth to immigrate. To qualify, they must secure funding from a designated Canadian investment organization and receive a letter of support. The program aims to attract diverse start-up talent and boost the country’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.

Canada does offer a start-up visa that lets you establish your business in the country. You should create jobs for Canadian and your business should be innovative and be able to compete on a global scale. This visa will also require a letter of support from a designated organisation and will allow you to become a Canadian resident subsequently.

Eligibility Criteria

  • You must have a qualifying business
    • A qualifying business means you created a business that meets the following conditions.
      • At the time you get a commitment from a designated organization:
        • Each applicant holds 10% or more of the voting rights attached to all shares of the corporation outstanding at that time (up to 5 people can apply as owners)
          AND
        • Applicants and the designated organization jointly hold more than 50% of the total voting rights attached to all corporation shares outstanding at that time.
      • At the time you receive your permanent residence:
        • You provide active and ongoing management of this business from within Canada
        • an essential part of the operations of the business happens in Canada
        • This business is incorporated in Canada
  • You must get a letter of support from a designated organization
    • You must get a letter of support from a designated organization (a business group that has been approved to invest in or support possible start-ups).
    • You’ll need to:
      • contact the designated organization to find out how to get its support
      • convince the organization that you have a business idea that is worth supporting
      • get a letter of support from the designated organization
  • You must meet the language requirements
    • You must take a language test from an approved agency and include the results with your application, or we won’t process it.
    • You must meet the minimum level of the Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 5 in either English or French in all of these four areas:
      • Speaking
      • Reading
      • Listening
      • Writing
  • You must bring enough money to settle
    • The Canadian government does not provide financial assistance to new immigrants on start-up visas.
    • You must demonstrate in your application that you will be able to support yourself and any dependents after you arrive in Canada. This money cannot be borrowed from a third party.