Start-up Visa Program eligibility requirements:

•      Have a qualifying business
•      Have a letter of support from a designated organization
•      Meet the language requirements (CLB 5 in in listening, reading, writing and speaking) have enough money to settle and live in Canada before you make money from your business.

Minimum investment needed to apply through the Start-up Visa Program:

•      If the investment comes from a designated Canadian venture capital fund, you must secure a minimum investment of $200,000.
•      If the investment comes from a designated Canadian angel investor group, you must secure a minimum investment of $75,000.
•   You don’t need to secure a financial investment from a business incubator. You must be accepted into a Canadian business incubator program.

Do you have to invest your own money to apply through the Start-up Visa Program?

You’re not required to invest any of your own money. The minimum investment required has to come from a designated Canadian venture capital fund or angel investor group.

If I immigrate through the Start-up Visa Program, what happens if my business fails?

If your business fails, it doesn’t affect your permanent resident status. The Start-up Visa program is designed so that the risk is shared between the public and private sector.

Definition of 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 shares of the corporation 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