CANADA STARTUP VISA
The Canada start-up visa is offered to entrepreneurs who have an innovative business idea and desire to get established in Canada. The entrepreneurs from abroad are given opportunities to build their business presence in Canada. This will ensure the creation of more employment opportunities and global competition. The immigrant entrepreneurs must have a sound, innovative, and scalable business idea which is supported by the designated authorities will open doors for immigration to Canada.
The entrepreneurs must meet the requisite eligibility criteria to obtain the Canada start-up visa. Here are all the relevant details that are required for obtaining a Canada start-up visa.
Eligibility Criteria for Applying for Canada Start-up Visa
Any entrepreneur who satisfies the stipulated eligibility criteria can apply for the Canada start-up visa. The entrepreneurs must ensure that:
Requirements for a Qualifying Business
For a business to be qualified, certain conditions have to be met. The conditions are as follows:
- After receiving a commitment from the designated organization, each applicant of the visa will hold 10% or more shares along with the voting rights. Only up to five individuals can apply as owners. The applicants can jointly hold more than 50% of the total shares along with the voting rights of the corporation.
- After receiving permanent residence in Canada, the entrepreneurs have to ensure active and ongoing management and operations of the business from within Canada.
Supporting Letter from a Designated Organization
The entrepreneur applying for the Canada Startup Visa must ensure to apply to one the below Designated Organisation (DO):
- Venture capital funds
- Angel investor groups
- Business incubators
The applicants need to contact the Designated Organization to avail support by convincing them with their innovative business idea. The agreed organization will then issue the letter of support. The applicants are required to pay keen attention to the organizations to whom they are pitching their ideas based on the specific requirements. For instance, an organization may ask for a detailed business plan and may not.
After receiving the letter of support, the same has to be submitted along with the visa application. This will work as evidence of the designated organization’s support of the business. A commitment certificate will be directly shared with the visa office by the designated organization. Both the documents will be used to assess the application. In some cases, more business information is required while processing the application.
Requirements for Language
In Canada, it is desirable for the applicants to be able to communicate in English, French, or both for a successful business. It is necessary to pass the language test and the result of the same has to be presented with the application. The applicants should be able to speak, read, write, and understand English, French, or both with a minimum level of Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 5. In case, the language requirements are not met, the application for the start-up visa will be rejected.
Requirements for Financial Support
The Government of Canada does not provide financial support to the applicants who are arriving in Canada for establishing their businesses. The applicants need to provide proof of the account of money one has to support themselves and their dependents. The applicants cannot borrow money from anyone. The amount of support varies according to the size of the family.
The monetary amount in Canadian dollars for family members are:
- One member: $13,213
- Two members: $16,449
- Three members: $20,222
- Four members: $24,553
- Five members: $27,847
- Six members: $31,407
- For every additional member, $3,560 will be added
Applying for the Canada Start-up Visa
The application process for applying for the visa falls into three steps, such as:
- Getting the application package
- Paying application fees
- Submitting the application
Application Package
The application for the start-up visa can be submitted online and offline. The first step of the application is process is getting the application package. This package consists of an instruction guide and a list of documents required for completing the application. For the application, the applicants have to fill the Generic Application Form for Canada [IMM 0008]. After filling the form, validation is done. In case any field of the form is left blank it will be outlined in red. The form includes signatures and dates.
After filling the form, all the relevant documents as per the list have to be uploaded or sealed in the envelope depending on the mode of filling. The list of documents has to be signed and attached as the cover page of the application.
It is mandatory to include all the forms, supporting documents, the result of the language test(s), and proof of the payment of application fees. If any of the mentioned details are missing the application will be considered incomplete and will not be processed. There should not be any false information, otherwise, the applicant will be:
- Found inadmissible
- Barred for five years from applying to arrive in Canada
- The application will be rejected
Application Fees for Canada Start-up Visa
The applicants have to pay the application fee online which includes:
- Processing fees for the applicant and dependant(s)
- Right of Permanent Residence Fee (RPRF)
- Biometrics fees
- Third-party fees may include medical exams, police certificates, language testing, etc.
Submitting Application for the Visa
The application for the visa is submitted separately by each business partner. In case the partners are applying for permanent residence (PR), no application will be processed until all the applications are received. The applicants must cross-check that they have:
- Answered all the questions
- Signed the application and forms
- Paid the processing fees and attached a copy of the receipt with the application
- Attached all the supporting documents
In case of any discrepancy or error or omission, the applicants have to resubmit the application. For submission, the application has to be mailed to the address given in the instruction guide.
After Applying for the Start-up Visa
After successfully applying for the visa, several processes are undertaken which includes:
- Biometric information taken
- Assessment of application
- Processing of the application
- Medical examinations
- Police certificates
- Decision on the application
- Confirmation of permanent residence (PR)
Below is a detailed explanation of these processes.
Processing of the Application
While the application is processed after the assessment, to avoid delays the applicant should inform the visa office in case there are any changes in the personal information, such as in address, contact details, and so on.
The application might get delayed if there are:
- Issues related to crime or security, or there is a requirement for further background verification
- Unclear situations related to family, such as divorce, adoption, etc.
- Instances for verifying data from visa offices situated abroad
Medical Examinations
The applicants and the dependants must undergo medical examination before arriving in Canada. The application will be rejected if the health of the applicants or the dependants is dangerous for Canada’s public health or will be requiring more health services in Canada.
Police Certificates
If there is any criminal record in the name of the applicant, the applicant will not be permitted to enter Canada. This measure is taken to ensure the safety and security of the citizens of Canada. Before arriving in Canada, the applicant and dependants of 18 years or above must produce the police certificates in front of the visa office. The police certificate from every country or territory has to be provided where the applicant has lived for six months in a row.
Decision on the Application
The decision on the application is made based on the satisfaction of the eligibility criteria, financial support for the applicant and the dependant(s), medical examinations, and police certificate. The visa office may contact the applicants in case more supporting documents are required or an interview is needed. When the application for the Canada start-up visa is approved, the applicants will be asked to submit their passport to the visa office for issuing a permanent resident visa.
Confirmation of Permanent Residence (PR)
Once the application is approved, the permanent resident visa will be issued. The issued visa includes Confirmation of Permanent Residence (COPR) and your entry visa. The COPR contains the information of the applicant and photograph. It is necessary that the information on the visa and passport must correspond. In case of any discrepancy in the visa, the visa holder should contact the authority. The applicant must carry the COPR and visa while arriving in Canada.
Assessment of Application
After the submission of the application by the applicant, the application is verified to ensure that:
- Application is complete and correct
- Application fee is paid
- Application contains all the documents
Otherwise, the application will be refused.
Biometric Information
Applicants between the age group of 14 and 79 must provide their biometric information, such as fingerprints and photos with every application for PR. After the payment of biometric fees, the applicants receive a letter that contains information regarding the requirement of biometrics. The biometric information has to be provided within 30 days of receipt of the letter.
For Applicants in Canada
The applicants staying in Canada will be called for a short interview with the immigration officer. The interviewing officer will ensure the validity of the documents, ask a few questions to make sure the terms of immigration are met. The officer will confirm the Canadian mailing address to mail the permanent resident card (PR card).
For Applicants Outside Canada
The applicants outside Canada have to use ArriveCAN to provide essential travel information for entry into Canada. After arriving in Canada, the applicants must have:
- A valid passport and travel documents
- A valid permanent resident visa and your Confirmation of Permanent Residence (COPR)
- A proof that you have enough financial support for oneself and the dependants
The officer will check the eligibility requirements after immigration. The applicant will be denied entry into Canada if the provided information is false or incomplete, or if the applicant fails to persuade the officer regarding the meeting of conditions. If the applicant meets the requirements, the officer will allow the applicant to enter Canada as PR.
Disclosure of Funds
The applicants have to disclose the funds they are carrying to Canada to the officer, otherwise the applicant will be fined and the funds will be seized. The funds could be in the form of:
- Cash
- Securities, such as stocks, bonds, debentures, treasury bills
- Bankers’ drafts
- Cheques
- Travellers’ cheques
- Money orders
Short-term Work Permit
The applicants applying for the Canada start-up visa and permanent residence can apply for a short-term work permit under the International Mobility Program before PR. Applicants who have received the commitment certificate and letter of support are considered for the short-term work permit. To obtain the short-term work permit, the applicant must qualify the eligibility criteria and must have sufficient funds to support themselves and their family members.
The applicants have to complete the application form set for availing short-term work permit. After completing the form, the applicants have to validate the information and save it. The applicants must note that the personal information must be exactly the same as given in the passport with spelling, hyphens, accents, spaces, and capitalisation.
If the applicant is accompanied by family members, then the eligibility criteria must be met. The spouse of the applicant will be permitted to work in Canada, whereas the children of the applicant can take up work or education. For the permit, the dependants have to apply separately for:
- Visitor visa or
- Work permit or
- Study permit
All the applications of the applicant and the dependants have to be submitted together with one payment receipt of the total amount.
Advantages of Having Canada Start-up Visa
The Canadian start-up visa holders enjoy several advantages which are as follows:
- The visa holders receive permanent residence for themselves and their families.
- The permanent residence functions as a work permit.
- The visa holders can apply for Canadian citizenship.
- Canadian citizens are eligible for dual citizenship.
We offer 3-tier outcome-based pricing and are very confident that we can get the result you desire, however in the event of no Letter of Support, we will provide a full refund (100%).
DISCLAIMER: The information on this page is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for the advice of a qualified legal or immigration expert. If you require any specific legal or immigration advice, you can seek the service by filling in the contact us form here. All rights reserved.