Start-up Visa to Canada: A Fast Track to Permanent Residency Through Innovation

The Canadian start-up visa is a unique opportunity for entrepreneurs from around the world to start a new life in Canada by developing their own business. Thanks to this federal program, you can not only launch or scale an innovative start-up, but also obtain permanent residency for yourself and your family. Unlike classical immigration programs, the Canadian start-up visa does not require proof of business ownership experience, significant capital, or even fluent English. All you need is a promising idea and the support of the Canadian ecosystem.

What is a Start-up Visa in Canada

The start-up visa to Canada is an official immigration program for start-ups in Canada, which allows foreign entrepreneurs to immigrate and build a business in Canada. All you need is an innovative idea and support from one of the designated organizations that can scale and compete globally. Canada issues start-up visas only if your business has been approved by one of the authorized partners of the program, such as business incubators, angel investor groups, or venture funds.

This is a federal program, so all provinces accept its participants. Entrepreneurs and their families receive a permanent residence permit, but they can also apply for a temporary work visa. For example, Quebec does not participate in the program, but if a person receives a permit in another province, they can move to Quebec after receiving permanent residency. This means that from the very beginning, you can live and work in Canada without waiting for approval of your PR application.

Requirements for a Start-up Visa in Canada

To apply under the start-up visa program in Canada, you must meet certain criteria and fulfill all the conditions. You need to be prepared for both a thorough selection process and training. Below are the main requirements for start-up visa applicants:

• Innovative Business Idea: your concept must be either a new idea or significantly improve an existing product or service.
• Letter of Support from a Canadian Organization: this can be an incubator, fund, or investor included in the official list.
• English or French Language Proficiency: minimum acceptable level — CLB 5, which corresponds to basic conversational ability.
• Financial Self-sufficiency: you must prove that you have sufficient funds to live in Canada without relying on social assistance.
• Background Check: you must pass a medical exam and provide a police clearance certificate.

These conditions make immigration to Canada through a start-up visa accessible to a wider range of applicants, especially when compared to traditional investment programs.

Minimum Investment for a Start-up Visa in Canada

An important distinction of this program is that it does not require a fixed investment amount. If you apply through a business incubator, you don’t need to invest money into the project at the first stage — what matters is that the idea is truly innovative and receives support from an approved organization.

If you choose to go through a venture fund or angel investors, they may require an investment between CAD 75,000 and CAD 200,000, depending on the standard terms set by the designated organization. However, even in these cases, the main focus is not on the sum of money, but on the potential and scalability of your business.

Thus, the minimum investment for a Canadian start-up visa depends on the chosen organization: in some cases, no investment is required at all, while in others — it is determined individually in agreement with the partner organization.

Documents Required for a Start-up Visa

To apply for a Canadian start-up visa, you need to prepare a comprehensive package of documents. They must confirm your compliance with the program’s criteria and reflect the financial and business aspects of the project.

Among the required documents:

• Letter of Support from a Canadian designated organization. This is a key document, without which obtaining a visa is not possible.
• Business Plan outlining the idea, target market, growth strategy, competitive advantages, and team.
• Language Certificate confirming a level of at least CLB 5 in English or French (usually IELTS General Training or TEF).
• Financial Documents confirming proof of funds for living in Canada for the entire family.
• Medical Exam and Police Certificate from all countries where the applicant has lived for more than 6 months after age 18.
• Copies of Passports, Photos, Application Forms, and Standard Immigration Forms.

Collecting and properly preparing all documents is a crucial step. Even a minor mistake can delay or derail the process, so it is advisable to seek professional help.

Processing Time for a Start-up Visa

The processing time for a start-up visa varies depending on several factors: the type of designated organization, the readiness of the business project, and the speed of application processing by Canadian authorities.

On average, the entire process takes between 6 to 18 months, but in some cases it can be shorter or longer. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) states that the review of an application may take from 2 to 30 months.

The process can be divided into several stages:

1. Preparation and submission of the application to the designated organization (up to 3 months).
2. Receiving a Letter of Support (1–6 months).
3. Compiling and submitting the immigration package (1–2 months).
4. Reviewing the application and issuing permanent residency (from 6 to 24 months).

Thus, if everything is prepared in advance and organized systematically, the process of obtaining a start-up visa to Canada can be quite fast.

Cost of a Start-up Visa

The cost of a start-up visa depends on the chosen organization, level of support, type of training, and amount of services provided to entrepreneurs. It’s important to understand that there is no single fixed price — every case is unique.

The final cost usually includes the following items:

• Payment for consulting and interaction with a designated organization.
• Preparation and writing of a business plan, presentation materials, and forming a team.
• Government Fees for PR application (around CAD 2,140 for the applicant and CAD 1,365 for each family member).
• Medical exams, translations, document legalization.
• Support throughout all stages of the visa application process.

The average cost of processing, in our experience, ranges from EUR 10,000 to 50,000, including all stages. The exact amount can only be determined after analyzing the project.

Payment Options for the Visa

We understand that not every start-up is ready to pay for all services upfront. Therefore, we offer flexible payment options for the visa, including:

• Installment payment, where higher costs are divided into each stage: consultation → strategy → organization → application submission.
• Payment upon result, where a key portion of the amount is paid only after receiving the Letter of Support.
• Custom pricing, calculated individually based on the complexity of the project.

We work in a B2B format and cooperate with verified legal and consulting partners in Canada and the EU, ensuring legal support and transaction transparency.

Start-up Visa Process in Canada

The process of obtaining a start-up visa in Canada begins with an idea — and does not end with the application submission. This is a multi-stage journey, where it’s important not just to collect documents, but also to convince the Canadian side of the potential of your business.

Here’s what a typical route looks like:

1. Preparation of a business idea and consultations with experts.
2. Selection of the right designated organization, application submission, participation in interviews, pitch to investors (if necessary).
3. Receiving a Letter of Support confirming interest from a Canadian organization.
4. Collection of documents for PR application, including language certificate, passport, and financials.
5. Application submission and tracking application status through IRCC.
6. Immigration and obtaining PR for all family members.
7. Settling in Canada, visa extension if needed, and launching your project.

Important: an applicant can move to Canada on a temporary work visa right after receiving the Letter of Support, without waiting for PR approval — this offers flexibility and speeds up adaptation.

How We Can Help With Visa Processing

Move To Agency accompanies start-up projects at all stages of the Canadian start-up visa program — from the first idea discussion to obtaining permanent residency. We do not work directly with the Canadian government but build collaboration through verified designated organizations, such as business incubators, angel investors, and venture funds. This allows us to select the most suitable path for each client: flexible, customized, and with the highest chance of success.

Our team helps:

• Evaluate the potential of your idea and adapt it to Canadian market requirements;
• Prepare a business plan, financial model, and presentation;
• Select the right organization, conduct negotiations, and secure the project;
• Obtain a Letter of Support;
• Prepare the immigration package and support you from the beginning to receiving the visa.

Over the years, we’ve been involved in hundreds of projects, many of which have already been approved by designated organizations and relocated to Canada. We act as your partner and handle your project as carefully as if it were our own.

Advantages of the Start-up Visa to Canada

The advantages of the start-up visa to Canada make it one of the most accessible and reasonable programs for business immigration:

• Open to people of any nationality, with no age or education requirements, and available for both experienced entrepreneurs and newcomers to business.
• You can include your entire family — spouse and children under 22 — in the application.
• You retain full ownership of your business, without having to give up shares or control.
• Opportunity to live in any region of Canada, including large cities and tech hubs like Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary, and Montreal.
• No requirement to invest large sums at the start — support and approval are based on the business idea, not money.
• The program is suitable for IT specialists, startup founders, product developers, business owners, and everyone with ideas and the ability to implement them in Canada.
• Canada offers a safe, comfortable living environment, along with strong legal protection for business and intellectual property.

Thanks to these advantages, immigration to Canada via a start-up becomes an excellent opportunity to start from scratch in a developed country with a favorable economic environment.

Drawbacks of This Visa

Despite its obvious benefits, the Canadian start-up visa does come with certain challenges you should be aware of in advance. First, the process of obtaining a Letter of Support requires time and preparation. Not every idea can be considered innovative — the project must be strong and well-prepared to be approved. Secondly, the waiting period for the visa may vary: in some cases, the process can take up to a year and a half.

It’s also worth noting that even though there are no requirements for business experience, the team must still demonstrate real intent to develop the project — fake applications may be rejected. Moreover, the complexity of dealing with government institutions and the number of required documents can become a challenge for those without professional support.

Who Cannot Get This Visa

The start-up visa to Canada is not suitable for those who are not ready to go through the official procedures: pass medical exams or prepare a business project.

Applicants with criminal records, serious medical conditions, or a low language level (below CLB 5) will most likely not pass the verification process.

You may also be rejected if you don’t have support from a designated organization or if your idea cannot be classified as innovative. It’s important to understand: this is a program designed for real entrepreneurs, not for investors looking to “buy a visa.”

Why People Choose Move To Agency

Our agency is more than just an intermediary. We are a strategic partner who will guide you through the entire process without mistakes and with real chances for success.

Why clients choose Move To Agency:

• We work only with verified designated organizations: incubators, funds, and angel investors.
• We support your move to Canada at every stage, including adaptation.
• Our team includes lawyers, immigration consultants, and people with cultural competence on both sides.
• We don’t take on weak projects — we begin with an honest expert evaluation.
• We work in a B2B format, ensuring legal transparency and professionalism.
• We help not only to get a visa but to launch a sustainable international business.

FAQ

What is Canada’s Start-up Visa Program?

It’s a federal immigration program that allows entrepreneurs to move to Canada and get permanent residency based on a business idea approved by a designated organization. The program is open to projects in any industry and does not require high qualifications or capital.

Who can participate in start-up immigration to Canada?

Anyone with an innovative idea, a team (if needed), and language proficiency of at least CLB 5 confirmed by an official certificate from IELTS or TEF can apply. Nationality, age, and education do not matter.

How long does the process take?

It depends on the level of support, the organization, and application stages. On average — from 10,000 to 50,000 euros, including consultations, preparation, government fees, and medical exams.

How long does it take to get a start-up visa?

The official timeframe ranges from 2 to 35 months. In reality, it’s usually 6 to 18 months if submitted via an incubator.

Do I have to be in IT?

No. Unlike many other programs, Canada’s start-up visa is suitable for any industry: agriculture, healthcare, medicine, finance, logistics, education, product development, and more.