Canada

Canada Startup Visa (SUV)

Canada’s Start-Up Visa Program offers permanent residence to qualified immigrant entrepreneurs. If you are an entrepreneur with an innovative business idea, you may be eligible to immigrate to Canada through this program.

Eligibility

Age

No age limit

Establish a Qualifying Business

Applicant(s) hold at least 51% of the voting rights in a start-up company that is incorporated in Canada
At the time the permanent residency is approved, provide active and ongoing management of this business from within Canada

Obtain a Letter of Support from a Designated Organization

Venture Capital Funds – must agree to invest CAD 200,000 into your start-up company
Angel Investor Groups – must agree to invest CAD 75,000 into your start-up company
Business Incubators– your start-up company must be accepted into one of the business incubation programs

Education

No minimum requirement

Language

Meet the minimum requirement of CLB 5 in English or French

Proof of Funds

Show that you have enough money to support yourself and any dependents once you arrive in Canada. The amount you need depends on the size of your family.

Scoring

No scoring requirement

Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) Equivalent Chart

English - ITELTS General

	Listening	Reading	Writing	Speaking
CLB 10	8.5	8	7.5	7.5
CLB 9	8	7	7	7
CLB 8	7.5	6.5	6.5	6.5
CLB 7	6	6	6	6
CLB 6	5.5	5	5.5	5.5
CLB 5	5	4	5	5
CLB 4	4.5	3.5	4	4

English - CELPIP General

	Listening	Reading	Writing	Speaking
CLB 10	10	10	10	10
CLB 9	9	9	9	9
CLB 8	8	8	8	8
CLB 7	7	7	7	7
CLB 6	6	6	6	6
CLB 5	5	5	5	5
CLB 4	4	4	4	4

French - TEF

	Listening	Reading	Writing	Speaking
CLB 10	316-333	263-277	393-415	393-415
CLB 9	298-315	248-262	371-392	371-392
CLB 8	280-297	233-247	349-370	349-370
CLB 7	249-279	207-232	310-348	310-348
CLB 6	217-248	181-206	271-309	271-309
CLB 5	181-216	151-180	226-270	226-270
CLB 4	145-180	121-150	191-225	191-225

French - TCF

	Listening	Reading	Writing	Speaking
CLB 10	549-699	549-699	16-20	16-20
CLB 9	523-548	523-548	14-15	14-15
CLB 8	503-522	499-523	12-13	12-13
CLB 7	458-502	453-498	10-11	10-11
CLB 6	398-457	406-452	7-9	7-9
CLB 5	369-397	375-405	6	6
CLB 4	331-368	342-274	4-5	4-5

Interested in beginning your Canadian immigration journey?

Get started today by contacting us and a member of our team will reach out to discuss the best option for you!

have Questions?

Frequently Asked Questions

I have an innovative business idea; how can I qualify for the SUV program?e

To be qualify for the SUV, you need to get a letter of support from either a designated business incubator, an angel investor group, or a venture capital fund. You also need to meet the minimum language requirements (CLB 5) in English or French.

How can I get a letter of support from any of the above-mentioned designated organizations?

You need to pitch your business idea to a designated organization and convince it to support your start-up company. Once a designated organization decides to support your business, the designated organization will send you a letter of support.

How do an applicant qualify for a permanent residence via this program?

The applicant must incorporate a business in Canada and be actively involved in the operation and management of the business in Canada.

Can I come to Canada before permanent residence visa granted?

Yes, applicants can initially come to Canada on a work permit supported by their designated Canada-based investor or business incubator, before qualifying for permanent residence once their business is up and running.

If I immigrate through the SUV Program, what happens if my business fails?

If your business fails, it doesn’t affect your permanent resident status.