Start-Up Visa Program
The government has created the Start-Up visa program to help Australians with an innovative business idea to come to Canada. Entrepreneurs can migrate to the country with their family to start their dream business.
Applying for this business visa as an Australian requires you to prove that you are a good fit for Canada’s economic landscape. To get help with your applications, contact Total Law’s immigration lawyers at [tel_US] or visit us online to learn more about our services.
What is the Start-Up Visa Program?
The Start-Up visa is one of the entrepreneur programs that helps Australians start a business in Canada. It requires you to come to the country with a business that is innovative, creates jobs for Canadians, and can compete on a global scale.
The Canada Start-Up visa is so strong because it allows you to access permanent residence in Canada with your dependents. This can include your spouse and children younger than 22.
The visa program also comes with the right to conduct part-time work. You can use this capability to keep your personal finances in check while your business is developing.
Eligibility Criteria for the Start-Up Visa Program
The Startup visa, Canada, comes with four eligibility requirements for Australians, as listed below:
- You have a qualifying business idea
- The business is supported by a designated organization
- You meet the language requirements
- You can present proof of funds
The inner workings of each of these requirements is detailed in the sections below:
Qualifying Business Idea
You need to start a business in Canada for it to qualify. This business must be incorporated and managed in the country.
You must also retain a certain degree of control of the Canadian business. You need 10% of voting rights in the company and the combination of yours and the designated organization’s voting rights needs to be at least 50%.
Support from a Designated Organization
Normally, a business visa will require you to invest your personal funds in the business. The Startup visa program is different. You need support from a designated organization. This can be an angel investor group, business incubator, or venture capital fund based in Canada.
Obtaining this funding and support can be difficult. You will usually need to pitch to the designated organization to prove your business’s profitability.
Proof of Funds
Although funds for the business can be provided by an angel investor group, venture capital funds, or a business incubator program, you still must support yourself and your family.
The amount of savings you need will depend on the size of your family. The family members funds required. The requirements for each family size are listed below:
- Applicant Only – CAD$14,690
- Two family members – CAD$18,288
- Three family members – CAD$22,483
- Four family members – CAD$27,297
- Five family members – CAD$30,690
- Six family members – CAD$34,917
- Seven family members – CAD$38,875
- Each additional family member beyond seven – CAD$3,958
Language Requirements
You need to show that you have sufficient language skills to run a business in Canada. You must take an approved French or English language test affiliated with the Canadian Language Benchmark. Matching the level 5 (inter-intermediate) requirements or higher is needed in this language test.
As English is the language of Australia, you shouldn’t have difficulties passing this language test.
Application Process
Overview
Once you have ensured that you meet the eligibility requirements, you can begin the application process which is online.
On the Canadian government website, you can find the application form and the required documents. These will vary slightly depending on your circumstances, but the basic documents include the following:
- A valid travel document, such as your passport
- Language proficiency test certificate
- Proof of support from a designated organization
- Proof of funds, such as bank statements
- Documentation from your Police checks
- Receipt of payment of the application fee
The processing time for a Canada Start Up visa can vary. It averaged 40 months in 2024. The wait time can be longer if the Canadian government is experiencing a backlog or there are issues with your application.
Applying for a Temporary Work Permit
The wait time for the Start Up visa program from Australia to Canada is lengthy. Previously, applicants could apply for a one-year, closed-work permit tied to their start-up business so that they could get started while they waited. On October 3, 2024, Canada’s government introduced changes to extend the work permit validity to three years with open conditions.
This temporary work permit is important to all applicants as it will allow them to get started in Canada while they wait for their permanent residence to be approved. Now, you can work on your business or gain skills through employment with almost any Canadian company while you wait.
Applying for Citizenship After Your Start-Up Visa
Australians with permanent residence on the Start Up visa program may be eligible for Canadian citizenship. You must have been a permanent resident in the country for three out of the last five years. During this qualifying period, you need to have filed your taxes properly throughout and not been under review for immigration or fraud charges.
It is highly advisable to have been physically in Canada for longer than the minimum requirement to avoid calculation issues. Please note that time spent in prison, on parole, or on probation won’t count towards time lived in Canada.
When you submit your Canadian citizenship application, you will need to pay the application fee of $CAN 630. You must then wait for a processing time of 16 months to receive a decision on whether your application has been accepted. A further 10 months of processing time will then occur before you formally become a Canadian citizen.
How Can Total Law Help?
Successful applicants for Canada’s Start Up visa need to prove that both themselves and their business fit the application requirements. On top of this, they need support from a business incubator, angel investor group, or venture capital fund.
Many applicants opt to get help from an immigration lawyer. Experts like Total Law can help you to understand if you and your business meet the eligibility requirements for the Canada Start Up visa.
We can then guide you through the entire application process and meet with visa officials to keep you updated on the processing time. After years of living in Canada, we can then guide you through the citizenship application.
If you decide you need help from Total Law, call us at +1 844 290 6312. You can also visit us online to learn more about the services we offer.
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Related pages for your continued reading.
Frequently Asked Questions
There is no basic application fee for the Startup visa in Canada. Instead, your application fee will be the total of the following five fees, depending on what is relevant to your circumstances:
- Main applicant application with right of permanent residence fee: $CAN 2,385.
- Main applicant application without right of permanent residence fee: $CAN 1,810.
- Spouse or partner added to the application with permanent residence fee: $CAN 1,525.
- Spouse or partner added to the application without permanent residence fee: $CAN 950.
- Application fee per dependent child added to the application: $CAN 260.
Furthermore, if you or your family haven’t been through the Canadian immigration process before, you must pay the biometrics fee. This is $CAN 85 for the applicant or $CAN 170 for you and your family.
Australian Start-Up visa applicants need support from at least one designated organization. Each type comes with different requirements, which are listed below:
- Business incubator program: the business idea must have been accepted into the business incubator, although there is no funding requirement
- Venture capital fund: the fund must have been a CAN $200,000 investment
- Angel investor group: the group must have made a CAN $75,000 or higher investment
Changes came to the Canada Start Up visa in 2024. Marc Miller, Canada’s Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, announced the most significant developments on April 29, 2024.
Miller’s main focus was to reduce the application backlogs and lengthy processing times. This will partially be done by placing a cap on the number of Start Up visa applications that can be linked to permanent residence. Furthermore, each designated organization can only make 10 start-up applications annually.
The changes will also target certain enterprises for priority processing. These will primarily be those backed by Canadian capital or supported by a business incubator that is a member of Canada’s Tech Network.
Given these changes, some immigrant entrepreneurs may want to consider alternative ways to achieve business ownership in Canada. Options could include provincial entrepreneur nominee programs or the C11 visa.
