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Canada Start-up Visa

 Canada Start-up Visa Program is for entrepreneurs who have skills and potential to build a business in Canada which is new and create employment opportunities for Canadian locals, and can compete with in the market on the Global platform.

Related Link : How to apply for Canada Business Visa?

Who is eligible to apply for Canada Start-up visa program?

To be eligible to apply for Canada Start-up visa program, you have to go through the below-given points before applying:

  1. You must have a qualifying business
  2. You must have a letter of support from designated organization
  3. Meet the language requirements
  4. Adequate money to settle
  1. A qualifying business
  2. You must get a Letter of Support from a designated organization
  3. You have to meet the language requirements.
  4. You must have required money to support yourself and your dependants in Canada.
  • Get a letter of support from a designated organization

List of Designated Organizations

To apply for the Start-up Visa program, your business idea should be supported by one or more of designated organizations which are given below:

  1. Venture capital funds
  2. Angel Investor Groups
  3. Business Incubators

Related Link : Steps to apply for Canada Immigration Process

Designated organizations are the approved business groups allowed to support or invest in start-ups under the Start-up Visa Program. Acceptance/rejection of your business proposal depends on designated organizations. Every organization has its own intake criteria to assess business proposals.

  • If an organization supports your business idea, you will be provided with a Letter of Support.
  • If an organization wants to review your business idea,  it want

Check out the Designated Organizations

  1. Venture Capital Funds

You have to get support from one of these groups to invest a minimum of $200,00/

  1. BCF Ventures
  2. BDC Venture Capital
  3. Celtic House Venture Partners
  4. Extreme Venture Partners LLP
  5. Golden Venture Partners Fund, LP
  6. Impression Ventures
  7. Innovation Platform Capital International LP
  8. iNovia Capital Inc.
  9. Lumira Capital
  10. Nova Scotia Innovation Corporation (o/a Innovacorp)
  11. OMERS Ventures Management Inc.
  12. Pangaea Ventures Ltd.
  13. PRIVEQ Capital Funds
  14. Real Ventures
  15. Relay Ventures
  16. ScaleUp Venture Partners, Inc.
  17. Top Renergy Inc.
  18. Vanedge Capital Limited Partnership
  19. Version One Ventures
  20. Westcap Management Ltd.
  21. Yaletown Venture Partners Inc.
  22. York Entrepreneurship Development Institute (YEDI) VC Fund
  23. Angel investor groups

Related Link : How to apply for Canada Permanent Residency Visa?

You must get one or more investors connected to these groups to agree to invest a minimum of $75,000:

  1. Canadian International Angel Investors
  2. Ekagrata Inc.
  3. Golden Triangle Angel Network
  4. Keiretsu Forum Canada
  5. Oak Mason Investments Inc.
  6. Southeastern Ontario Angel Network
  7. TenX Angel Investors Inc.
  8. VANTEC Angel Network Inc.
  9. York Angel Investors Inc.
  10. Business incubators

You must be accepted into one of these programs:

  1. Alacrity Foundation
  2. Alberta Agriculture and Forestry
    • Agrivalue Processing Business Incubator
    • Food Processing Development Centre
  3. Biomedical Commercialization Canada Inc. (operating as Manitoba Technology Accelerator)
  4. Creative Destruction Lab
  5. Empowered Startups Ltd.
  6. Extreme Innovations
  7. Genesis Centre
  8. Highline BETA Inc.
  9. Innovacorp
  10. Interactive Niagara Media Cluster o/a Innovate Niagara
  11. Invest Ottawa
  12. Knowledge Park o/a Planet Hatch
  13. LatAm Startups
  14. Launch Academy – Vancouver
  15. LaunchPad PEI Inc.
  16. Millworks Centre for Entrepreneurship
  17. NEXT Canada
  18. North Forge Technology Exchange
  19. Platform Calgary
  20. Real Investment Fund III L.P. o/a FounderFuel
  21. Ryerson Futures Inc.
  22. Spark Commercialization and Innovation Centre
  23. Spring Activator
  24. The DMZ at Ryerson University
  25. Toronto Business Development Centre (TBDC)
  26. TSRV Canada Inc. (operating as Techstars Canada)
  27. VIATEC
  28. Waterloo Accelerator Centre
  29. York Entrepreneurship Development Institution

Related Link : How to apply for Canada PNP process ?

Meet the language requirements

  1. To set up your business in Canada and to witness success, you must have command over English, French or in both languages.
  2. It’s mandatory to appear for English language test and add the results with your application; otherwise, your application will be rejected by the Canadian authorities.
  3. You have to meet the minimum criteria of the Canadian language Benchmark (CLB 5) in either English or French language including the four respective modules (Speaking, Reading, Listening, and Writing).
  • Have enough money for settlement

No financial support will be provided by the Canada Government to new start-up visa immigrants.

At the time of applying, you have to show that you have adequate money to support yourself and your dependants, when you arrive in Canada. The amount depends on the family members.

Number of Family members Funds required (in Canadian dollars)
1 $12,699
2 $15,772
3 $19, 390
4 $23, 542
5 $ 26,701
6 $30,114
7 $33,528

How to apply for Canada Start-up Visa program?

  1. You have to fill out the application form
  2. Go through and fill the Generic Application Form of Canada on your computer.
  3. You have to click the ‘Validate’ button on the form and fields that are not filled by you will be outline in red.
  4. After filling the mandatory field, you have to print the validated application form. Make sure to print all the pages including the barcode page which comes after you validate the form.
  5. Now, at last, you have to sign and date the form where asked.
    1. Meet the document checklist
      1. You have to generate all the documents and information as per the Document Checklist of Canada Start-up Visa.
      2. Once you have gathered all the documents, place them in a sealed envelope.
      3. Now, print all the documents checklist and sign it
      4. Include the document checklist as the cover page of your application

Your application will be counted incomplete if you fail to submit all the forms, supporting documents, signatures, language test results and the proof of payment of the processing fees and will be send back to you without even processing.

In any chance, if your submitted application contains false information or important details are left out, then:

  1. Your application could be precluded or rejected.
    1. You could be banned for five years to come to Canada or found precluded
C) Pay application fees

You have to pay fees through online mode and in most cases; the fee structure includes processing fees of you along with your family members mentioned in your application, the Right of Permanent Residence Fee (RPRF), and biometrics.

Other fees

e)        Submit your application

Biometric fees Third-Party Fees
The biometric cost includes collection of fingerprints and a digital photo cost.   Based on a situation, you might need to pay for third-parties:Medical ExamsPolice CertificatesLanguage Testing
2.  You are required to biometric fee when you submit your application ( in most cases), otherwise, you might experience delay.  
3. The Canada government will send you a letter confirming to appear for biometrics and where you can apply; once you pay biometric fee with a complete application.  

To be assure your application is complete, check

  1. You have answered all the questions.
  2. Have signed your application and all forms.
  3. Have paid processing fees and attach a copy of the receipt with your application
  4. Have included all the supporting documents

After you apply

  1. Get your fingerprints and photo taken

If you’re between 14 and 79 years old, you’re supposed to provide fingerprints and photo (biometrics) for every PR application which is sent to the Canadian Government. You have to pay biometric fees along with your application to avoid delays.

Once you apply, the Canada Government will verify the below-given factors:

  1. Whether you have filled the application forms correctly with signature on them.
    1. You have paid your processing fees.
    2. Whether you’ve included all required documents.

Processing time

The processing time of Canada Start Up visa program varies from 12 to 16 months and you have to give biometrics with your application.

To avoid delays in the processing of Canada Start-up visa program:

  1. You can tell the visa office about changes related to your personal information such as phone number, email, address, or the birth of  a child;
  2. Avoid contacting the visa office twice or many time regarding the same issue

Chances of application delay are high if:

  • You are found in any criminal or security problems or if the Canada Government wants to do a background checks.
  • Your family status is unclear – the reason behind it is divorce or adoption that are still ongoing or child custody issues which are still processing.
  • The visa office wants to do a cross-check in other visas offices in Canada or globally to verify your information.

Decision on your application

The Canada Government will make a decision if you have met the eligibility criteria, have enough money to support yourself including dependants when arrive in Canada, and have passed the medical exam and police certificate. If your visa application gets approval from the Canada Government, you will be asked to send your passport to the visa office to issue the permanent resident visa.

Confirmation of permanent residence

If your application receives confirmation from the Canada government, you will be issued with the permanent resident visa. This visa consists of your Confirmation of Permanent Residence (COPR) and your entry visa. The COPR includes your identity along with your photograph. You must take your COPR and your visa when you get in Canada. You are advised to use your COPR before it expires as it is non-extendable.

Prepare to arrive

Applicants who are already in Canada

You will have to appear for a short-interview with an immigration officer. You can execute this either by making an appointment at one of the Canada offices or visit Canada ‘port of entry’ and submit proofs that you have the funds to support yourself and family ,or, your Confirmation of Permanent Residence (COPR) and permanent resident visa (if you have one).

In the interview, the Immigration officer will ensure that all your documents are valid, inquire a few questions to know if you meet the terms to immigrate to Canada, and confirm your email address to email your Permanent resident card.

Applicants who are outside Canada

At the time of arrival, you must have

  1. Your passport and/or travel documents.
    1. A valid permanent resident visa and your Confirmation of Permanent Residence (COPR).
    2. Evidence that you can support yourself along with family after your arrival in Canada.

Note: If you’re carrying over CAN$10,000, you are advised to inform this to the CBSA officer. In case of hiding it from the CBSA officer, you could be fined and your funds could be seized. Funds could be in the form of cash, securities that belong to you (for example, stocks, bonds, debentures, and treasury bills), bankers’ drafts, cheques, travellers’ cheques, or money orders.

For availing more information about Canada Start-up Visa program, speak to our Immigration experts on +919625212959 or send your queries at info@makevisas.com.

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