Updated Rules and Costing for fall 2023
Make Your Move Fall 2023
The information is presented by InvestorVisa, a licensed & Insured immigration firm in Toronto, Canada
The Basic Guide To Canada’s Start Up Visa Program
- If you are looking for a pathway to immigrate to Canada as an investor, you may be eligible for the Startup Visa program.
- While there is a lengthy backlog as of 2023, IRCC has committed to increasing processing capacity 200% before 2025
- As of 2023, this is the only program that allows you to immigrate to Canada and get your Permanent Residency in as little as 12 months, with no need to have your finances audited.
- Our law firm has represented dozens of Start-Up Visa applicants.
- This web page describes the SUV program, gives statistics on approved SUV applications, and explains how we can help you immigrate to Canada using this program.
How much does it cost to do a Start Up Visa Application?
Under $60,000 CAD / $50,000 USD
What is the total cost to do a Start Up Visa Work Permit and PR Application for Canada?
When you work with our firm, and join one of our SUV teams, your entire SUV process will never exceed $75,000 CAD. This includes the incubator, government fees, legal fees, and your investment.
This cost estimate breaks down the total cost of doing a SUV Work Permit and PR application as of Summer 2023.
Has your SUV project already launched elsewhere outside Canada? We offer discounted legal fees for fully-developed companies moving to Canada under the SUV program.
We Work With Two Incubators for 2023:
Incubator #1
PYCAP Business Incubator
- Program lasts 6 months
- Fees are paid to incubator in full before services
- Monthly coaching sessions
- Online-portal style format for motivated and self-guided applicants
- $40,000 paid immediately for a team of up to 5 people
Visit this incubator at THIS LINK
Incubator #2
Manitoba Technology Accelerator
- Program lasts 18 months
- Fees are paid to incubator over 18 instalments
- Monthly coaching sessions
- Long-term mentorship relationship
- $37,800 paid over 18 months for a one-person SUV project
Visit this incubator at THIS LINK
What is the approval rate for Canada StartUp Visa Program PR applications?
A Letter from Start-Up Visa Lawyer Vanessa Routley
Summer 2023
Dear Future Start-Up Visa Immigrant,
I am an immigration lawyer in Toronto and I assist people just like you obtain Permanent Residency through the Startup visa process. You likely found this webpage because you are looking for information or help on how to come to Canada under the Start-Up visa program. We are the experts in investment visas for Canada, so you have come to the right place.
We often talk to people who want to immigrate under the Start Up Visa program, but they are frustrated at the lack of information about how to find an angel investor or incubator. They call and email the designated organizations from the list on the IRCC website, but get ignored. They try to understand the rules for the program listed on Canada.ca, but there are details which are not explained at all – such as how much money you need to spend on the start-up visa project, or your chances of success.
We have found the easiest way to help our clients find success in the SUV program is to answer all of their questions and concerns in an initial consultation appointment. No two clients are alike and so a one-on-one meeting is the best way to find the answers you need. Before you book your consultation with us, please read this page to learn some of the details of the SUV program which are not posted anywhere else online. After, use the Book Now button to get a same-day appointment with an experienced Start-Up Visa Lawyer.
Vanessa Routley
How to Get Commitment Certificate and Letter of Support for the Start Up Visa?
Business Plan
Submit a winning business idea to the incubator. If you don't have an idea, we can help you find one. Join an existing group today!
Your Lawyer will introduce you to the incubator and your lawyer will also refine your business pitch materials.
This usually includes a powerpoint slideshow, an application, and a summary-synopsis of your business idea.
Sign incubator Contract
Sign your service agreement with the incubator.
You will make a commitment to remain with the same incubator until your PR file is complete.
The incubator will also sign the contract.
The deduction of the contract is 18 months.
Pay Incubator Fees
Pay your initial 3 months membership fee to the incubator.
If you join a group of 5, the incubator fee is $10,000 CAD each.
Once they recieve the funds, they will issue the commitment certificate and Letter of Support. Your lawyer can then submit you work Permit and Permanent Residency applications.
Our law firm has prepared dozens of StartUp Visa Applications. Our goal is to get you Commitment Certificate and Letter of Support for your Start-Up Visa as quickly as possible.
To learn more about the process and how we can help you, book a consultation appointment today. You will speak directly with a lawyer and get the personalized advice you need.
How Much Money Do I Need to Qualify For a Start-Up Visa?
Number of family members
Funds required (in Canadian dollars)
1
$12,960
2
$16,135
3
$19,836
4
$24,083
5
$27,315
6
$30,806
7
$34,299
For each additional family member
$3,492
Start Up Visa Canada Program.
An Introduction by Toronto's SUV Lawyer
Why is the Canada Startup Investment Visa the best option for 2021?
No Financial Audit / No Proving Net Worth
No need to have your net worth audited by an approved auditing firm, just show your bank statements
All Nationalities Are Eligible
All nationalities are eligible. Even countries with low visa approval rates like Nigeria, Iran, and India are eligible for the Startup Visa for investors.
Speed
This is the fastest way to gain Canadian Residency by investment. No other program is faster or moresecure.
Cost
This program has the lowest cost to migrate to Canada as an investor. The full process can be completed for under $60,000 CAD
What challenges will you face without an experienced Start Up Visa Lawyer?
Finding a Designated Organization To Support Your Start Up Visa File
It is very, very hard to get the attention and acceptance of a Designated Organization from outside Canada.
We have met people who sent their Business Plan to dozens of Incubators and never even got a response. Our law firm works with several Incubators and we can skip the line of Applications to get your project approved by the Designated Organization decision makers.
We also make sure you put your best Business Plan forward and we know what the Start Up Visa Incubators are looking for.
Knowing if your Business Idea and Business Plan are Good Enough to Get Support of a Business Incubator
If you have managed to get past the gatekeepers at the incubator, congratulations! But the difficult work of getting your project approved by their formal SUV Panel is still ahead of you. Most incubators will not give you a second chance to pitch, so your initial Application Package must be perfect. We have seen dozens of SUV business plans and we know what the Incubators are looking for. We can also provide you with a template business plan that has been approved by the SUV incubator, so you have a sample to copy to get your own pitch just right.
Submitting Your StartUp Visa Immigration Applications
Occasionally we are contacted by people who have obtained the support from a Designated Organization, and now that they have reached that critical milestone, they do not want to mess up their Work Permit and Permanent Residency application.
Many visa posts around the world do not understand the Start Up Visa Work Permit Application process, and we see unreasonable refusals - especially from the Abu Dhabi and Chinese visa offices.
If you already have your commitment Certificate and Letter of Support, we can take over your immigration application and make sure it is done right the first time.
Fixing a Start Up Visa Application Mistake After Doing It Yourself
Our most challenging cases are, by far, clients who tried to do their own SUV application, and had work permits or Residency application denied.
It is extremely difficult to correct a rejected Start Up Visa work permit or PR application when an applicant tried to prepare it themselves.
If you do not correctly file your Start Up Visa PR application and Work Permit application, it is difficult to fix it later.
What is required in the Startup Visa Business Plan?
The Startup Visa Business Plan is a simple explanation of your business idea. The Startup Visa Business Plan has a strict limit on length, and you should not waste money on companies who will try to sell you a 20+ page business plan. This is a waste of funds and the incubator will not accept, nor will they read, this kind of material.
The best Startup Visa Business Plan is short and concise, and will explain the following:
- Who are your founders / members and what is their professional background
- What is your business idea, in simple terms, that anybody can understand
- How much money is the business going to cost to get started
- What is your ‘burn rate’ – how much cash will you need every month to get your business up and running in Canada
- What stage are you at now: its an idea, you have a prototype, you already have clients, etc.
We Help You Get The Commitment Certificate and Letter of Support
FAQs and Help
The Start Up Visa is geared towards Entrepreneurs who have a business idea. But many of our clients approach us with no business idea at all, so we match them up with creative applicants who already have a business plan and idea ready to go. Even if you have no business idea to support your Start Up Visa application, we can pair you with someone who does
The most important characteristic we look for when choosing clients is a basic level of English, professional experience in any field), and the financial means to go through the process. We generally have a cut-off of a minimum net worth of $100,000 USD.
We set a minimum net worth for the Start Up Visa for our clients because we want you to have enough money to complete the process including paying to relocate to Canada, support themselves financially for at least a year, and to pay the incubator fees, government application fees, investment expenses, as well as our legal fees.
We have prepared start-up visa applications with an anticipated investment of $30,000 USD for a simple project. The project does not need to be expensive, it just needs to make sense as a business proposition.
One of the most attractive points about the investment funds for the SUV program is that there is no need to prove where you got the money from. Unlike other investment programs in Canada where you have to prove your earned the money legally and paid taxes on it, the SUV program does not require any investigation or explanation on where you got your investment funds.
Eventually we found several smaller incubators which were easier to approach and which take applications all year round. We now have good relationships with these business incubators and we can send our clients’ business plan directly to the decision makers. We think all applicants who are starting this process from overseas would benefit from our relationships and connections to incubators who are easy to work with.
So to answer the question, who can prepare my Start Up Business Plan, we suggest either doing it yourself, or in collaboration with your lawyer.
We work with two business incubators for 2023. One charges a flat $40,000 rate for a Start Up Project group of 1 to 5 members. This incubator collects their fees at the start of the process, at the time your Letter of Support is issued. The other charges fees based on the number of participants, with a group of 5 costing $37,000. This incubator charges their fees monthly over an 18 month contract.
Do I need to apply for a work permit with the Start Up Visa program? Or can I just apply for my Permanent Residency and wait to get my PR status from my home country?
The majority of SUV applicants do not apply for work permits, although they have the right to get an expedited work permit based on the Letter of Support from the Designated Entity / Business Incubator.
As the graphs below show, only 30% of Start Up Visa candidates applied for a work permit in 2018. The other 70% waited to achieve their SUV-based PR status without ever coming to Canada.
Still looking for answers about the Start Up Visa program?
If you have reached the bottom of this page and still have questions about the SUV program, you are probably serious about migrating to Canada. Our licensed and insured law firm can help you made the decision if this is the right program to help you reach your goals.
The best way to find out immediately if the Startup Visa Program is right for you is to get a 1 hour consultation appointment with our experienced Start Up Visa lawyer. You can ask all the questions you have about if your family qualifies, if your nationality faces any unique problems getting the visas, and if your financial position is strong enough to be approved by an incubator.
We offer same day appointments, and you can book online, or give us a call at 1-647-349-4321 and we can book the consultation for you.
Many clients reach out to us for a consultation appointment because they have the following kinds of concerns:
- All my money was earned without paying taxes, can I still qualify for the Start Up Visa program?
- I want to add my brother to my Start Up Visa business group, so his family can immigrate too. Am I allowed to do that?
- I don’t have time to leave my business in my home country, but I want my wife and kids to immigrate to Canada. Can I use my wife as primary applicant on the SUV application?
- I only have $50,000 CAD in my bank account but I own some houses and other assets. Can I use these assets to show my financial strengths?
- I already have a visitor visa to Canada. Can I fly to Toronto and then do the SUV process from over there? Or do I need to be in my home country?
- I want to use the Start Up Visa program, but I do not have a business idea. Can I join another group who already has their idea?
We answer questions like these every day. Book your consultation today if you have specific questions about your eligibility.
Many websites have basic information about the Start up visa program, but our law firm has the in depth experience to truly answer all of your questions with reliable and honest information. We operate on a fully transparent basis, to bring only qualified applicants into our portfolio of success. Join our many other clients who have reached Canada through the Startup Visa Program, and contact us today.
Call us Monday to Friday from 9am -5pm EST at 1-647-349-4321.
