Visas

Visas and residency in Canada

Canada’s flagship Start-up Visa is paused, and a replacement pilot has been promised but not published. Owning a company gives no right to live or work there on its own.

Quick answer

The Start-up Visa program is on pause, with IRCC stopping new applications after 2025 and closing final filings on June 30, 2026. Founders are now turning to the owner-operator work permit, intra-company transfers or provincial entrepreneur streams.

Verified Oct 2026 · IRCC

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Start-up Visa

Paused

Owner-operator

Work permit

Provincial streams

Varies

Processing

Months to years

Founder routes

The main options for entrepreneurs.

Route	Gives	Key condition
Start-up Visa	Paused	No new applications since June 30, 2026; existing files still processed
Owner-operator (LMIA)	Work permit	Controlling owner of a Canadian business
Intra-company transfer	Work permit	Transfer from a related foreign company
Provincial entrepreneur	PR via nomination	Investment and active management in the province

Example

When the Start-up Visa is paused, founders operating companies overseas typically consider intra-company transfers or the provincial entrepreneur stream as viable alternatives.

How it works in practice

Designated organisations

Commitment certificates ceased with IRCC in 2025 and the body is not designating new organisations moving forward. A new entrepreneur pilot has been promised by the agency.

Provincial nomination

Provinces including BC and Ontario operate entrepreneur streams that come with investment thresholds and performance agreements.

Family

Spouses can work and children can study on most routes.

Editor's note

Do not build your strategy around the Start-up Visa. It remains paused with queues of tens of thousands of applications, and the replacement pilot has not released any published rules yet.

Before you start