Start-Up Visa Start-Up Visa: Complete Guide
The **start-up visa** Start-Up Visa (Closed to New Applicants) The federal Start-Up Visa offered permanent residence to entrepreneurs with an innovative business idea backed by a designated Canadian investor or incubator. It closed to new applicants on 1 January 2026, though a very large backlog continues to be processed and a successor entrepreneur pilot is anticipated. This page informs searchers still using the SUV name and routes them to active options.
Visa Highlights At-a-Glance
Below is a summary table representing standard processing times, statutory criteria, and typical point thresholds for Indian skilled candidates.
| Visa Metric | Details & Requirements |
|---|---|
| Visa Subclass | Start-Up Visa (Start-Up Visa) |
| Avg. Processing Time | TBD Months |
| Government Fees | INR TBD |
| English Language Min | TBD |
| Points Eligibility Bar | Min. 0 Points |
| Visa Validity | TBD |
Why Apply for this Visa Path?
- Existing SUV applicant?: we help you manage the backlog and respond to IRCC requests during processing.
- New entrepreneur?: we assess provincial entrepreneur streams and skilled routes instead of the closed SUV.
Detailed Entry Requirements
To apply under this Canada visa track from India, your credentials must fulfill the following regulatory criteria:
- 1Existing applicants
- 2Continue to meet the SUV conditions tied to your designated-entity support and business.
- 3New applicants
- 4No new SUV applications are accepted; eligibility should be assessed against provincial entrepreneur streams or Express Entry.
Step-by-Step Filing Workflow
Every applicant from Bangalore/India follows this standardized workflow to file their visa application securely:
Confirm your status
Establish whether you have an in-progress SUV application or are a new prospect.
In-progress — manage the backlog
We help keep your file current and responsive while it processes.
New — pivot to active routes
Assess provincial entrepreneur streams or, for many, skilled migration. | Senior Consultant Pro Tip Many “Canada startup visa” enquiries are better served by Express Entry, where the applicant's qualifications already score well. We give an honest read before you commit capital to a route that may no longer be open to new entrants. |
| --- |
From a closed Start-Up Visa to a provincial entrepreneur route Category: Investor & Business Migration | Visa: Provincial Entrepreneur Stream
The Client: A Delhi founder approached us to file under the federal Start-Up Visa, only to learn it had closed to new applicants on 1 January 2026.
The Challenge: His plan was built around the SUV. He needed a current, realistic business-immigration route without abandoning his entrepreneurial goal.
How We Handled It: Explained the SUV closure candidly and assessed his net worth, sector and budget against active provincial streams. Identified a province whose entrepreneur stream fit his investment range and industry. Built a credible business plan and a clean source-of-funds trail to anchor the application.
The Result: He entered a provincial entrepreneur stream, established his business locally, and is progressing toward a provincial nomination and PR — on a route that is genuinely open, rather than a closed federal program. | Why It Matters When a headline program closes, the answer is rarely to wait — it is to pivot to the provincial route that fits your capital and sector. Honest, current advice saved this founder a wasted application. | | --- |
Verify Canada immigration rules directly from official government sources.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are critical questions and details regarding target timelines and scores for this visa path.
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