Immigration Program >

Canadian Entrepreneur Immigration (SUV)

Program Introduction

Start-Up Visa (SUV) started a 5-year pilot program in 2013 and became the official immigration program in 2018.

The program is designed to attract international talents and entrepreneurs with technical expertise and entrepreneurial potential to create innovative businesses and settlers in Canada, assist Canada in introducing new technological knowledge, create more jobs for local residents, and contribute to economic growth and global competitiveness. Applicants must obtain a Letter of Support to apply for permanent resident.

The Department of Immigration has announced a number of Designated Organizations that have been accredited to participate in the scheme to help them achieve their innovative projects. Applicants need to have innovative business ideas and be able to be supported by one or more Canadian notified bodies, including:

Venture Capital Funds: Must receive an investment of at least $200,000 from a venture capital group;
Angel Group: Must have an investment of at least $75,000 from the Angel Group;
Business Incubator: Must be accepted to participate in the business incubator’s project.

Application Prerequisite

To operate an eligible business, the following conditions are met: When recognized by a notified body:

Each applicant holds 10% or more of the then-issued shares of the company (up to 5 people can apply as owners)
The Applicant and the Notified Body jointly held more than 50% of the shares outstanding at that time

To obtain a letter of support from a notified body, the applicant needs to:

Contact a notified body to learn how to get support from them
Convince the institution that the applicant has a business idea that is worth supporting
Get a letter of support from a notified body
Being able to communicate and work in English, French, or both will help applicants succeed in their business in Canada. Applicants are required to take a language test at a designated institution and achieve a language level of listening, speaking, reading and writing CLB 5
Have enough money to support the family after arriving in Canada and cannot borrow money from others. The funds required depend on the size of the family and this amount is updated every year

When obtaining permanent residency:

The applicant actively and continuously manages the business within Canada
An important part of business operations takes place in Canada
The business is incorporated in Canada

Application fee: $2075 up (13923.25 RMB)

Project Advantages

The threshold for application is extremely low, no management experience is required, and the asset requirements are low
Waiting for a permanent residence overseas to start a business in Canada
No residency restrictions (except Quebec)
Up to 4 months for the whole family to get a work visa
18 – 24 months for the whole family to obtain Canadian permanent resident status
You can apply for Canadian permanent resident status for children under the age of 22
Enjoy the benefits of Canadian residents and free quality primary and secondary education for children

Family Members

spouse
Children aged 21 or under, otherwise your child will be removed by Canadian authorities and processed as an Independent Children application

Application Procedure

[18 – 24 個月] Seed Stage and Eligibility Assessment (First Month):

Gather all necessary information, including information about the applicant’s resume, language proficiency, personal assets, and business and work experience, to assess the candidate’s eligibility to participate in the SUV program;
A description of the innovation and entrepreneurship concept is required, at this stage, which may still be in its preliminary stages, and the project team will review the concept, make suggestions and modifications, and redesign it taking into account the Canadian environment.

Initial business plan with company creation (second month):

Confirm and develop the entrepreneur’s business philosophy, at this stage, with a clearer understanding of the innovation, marketing, production, job creation and financial aspects of the project, after which a preliminary version of the business plan will be submitted for approval;
To form a federal corporation under the Canadian Business Companies Act, a Canadian lawyer will be appointed to the board of directors of the newly formed company – not only in line with Canadian law, where 25 per cent of board members are made up of Canadian residents, but also to provide guidance, administrative and management support to the company and provide confidence to local partners and business incubators.

Complete the business plan, submit the project to the business incubator, and receive a letter of support (fourth month):

At this stage, the applicant’s entrepreneurial philosophy will be fully developed and a comprehensive business plan will be customized;
The business plan is submitted to the business incubator for approval, after which the business incubator may need more information, or may propose modifications, and may wish to communicate with the entrepreneur to discuss the plan, and the project party will ensure that the applicant is prepared for these discussions;
Once the business plan is accepted, the incubator will send a letter of support to each applicant.

Preparation and submission of application for permanent residence (fifth month):

The project will prepare the applicant for permanent residence application, at this stage, the application form will need to be completed and supporting information collected, including:
- Language test scores;
- No criminal record;
- Government fees;
The IRCC may require applicants and their accompanying family members to provide biometric information, and a medical examination must be performed before issuing a permanent residence visa or confirming permanent residence.

Initiation of entrepreneurship and incubation (14th to 20th months):

The applicant must demonstrate that an effort has been made with a specific business plan and that specific actions have been taken to establish the business; At this point the initial steps of the business plan will be carried out, the company will open bank accounts, carry out marketing and branding activities, develop the company website. In some cases, businesses will hire employees, develop partnerships, access strategic resources, and take big steps toward business development (this goes hand in hand with Phase IV);
At this stage, venture capital is necessary, the amount of investment will vary from startup project to startup project, and applicants need to invest at least $100,000 to ensure that the company has sufficient liquidity in the start-up phase.

Permanent Residency:

After a positive assessment of the applicant’s application, IRCC will grant permanent resident status to the entrepreneur and his accompanying family members;
As the applicant is now a permanent resident and the appointed director will resign from the startup’s board, the applicant will continue to manage his business in Canada and be a major driver of its growth and success, including ensuring that the business has sufficient capital that may require additional investment from the applicant.