What is the Start-Up Visa Program?
The Start-Up Visa Program of Canada is designed to offer Canadian permanent residence status to immigrant business men or women / entrepreneurs who are skilled and have potential to build a business in Canada, create jobs for Canadians, and compete on a global scale.
This program started as a pilot program in 2013, with the official name of “Canada Start Up Class”. It has become a permanent immigration program, now commonly known as the Start-Up Visa Program.
Requirements for Start-Up Visa Program
Start-up Visa Program eligibility requires you must:
- have a qualifying business,
- get a letter of support from a designated organization,
- meet the language requirements,
- bring enough money to settle.
A Start-Up Visa candidate must also obtain a Commitment Certificate from designated organizations consisting of Venture Capital Funds, Angel Investor Groups and Business Incubators.
A successful Start-Up Visa candidate can migrate to Canada if they qualify for a short-term work permit under the International Mobility Program. Once they qualify for a short-term work permit, they can enter Canada and start their business, during which they can apply for permanent residence status under the Start-Up Visa (SUV) Program.
To be considered for a short-term work permit, the foreign national candidate must first receive a Commitment Certificate and Letter of Support issued by a designated entity who supports the request for a short-term work permit.
All immigration applications, including the Start-Up Visa Program are required to comply with basic admissibility requirements set out by Canada’s immigration policy. To view these basic admissibility requirements, please view Canada’s webpage, “Find out if your eligible to apply”.
You must also be an essential part of the operations of the business, including being active and provide ongoing management of the business from within Canada. You cannot be an absentee business owner.
Firebird Consultants can help you establish the necessary qualifications and be eligible to migrate to Canada through the Start-Visa Program.
Benefits of the Start-Up Visa Program
- Provide business opportunities to migrant business entrepreneurs.
- Provide valuable assistance to navigate Canada’s business communities.
- Provides access for private sector business firms to access the best and brightest business minds in the world, which in turn opens doors for the foreign national to connect with some of the best business firms in Canada.
Restrictions of the Start-Up Visa Program
The Start-Up Visa Program (SUV) is limited to those foreign nationals who are skilled business entrepreneurs and have the financial backing required to qualify for this program.
Exemptions to the Start-Up Visa Program
This is more an alternate rather than an exemption.
If your application to the Start-Up Visa Program does not succeed and you still want to your business to be in Canada, you may still be eligible to enter Canada as an Owner-Operator by applying through the Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) Program.
What can Firebird Consultants do for your application to the Start-Up Visa Program?
Firebird Consultants will help you with the initial assessment, application preparation and correspondence on your behalf with the federal and/or provincial government until the final decision is made on your application to the Start-Up Visa Program.
If you are looking for a Russian speaking immigration consultant in Vernon, Kelowna, Okanagan, or in Canada to provide immigration support – please contact us for a free assessment.