Start-up Visa

Eligibility

To be eligible for Start-up Visa, you must:

• have the business support of a designation organization;
• meet the ownership requirements of your business;
• meet the language skill requirements;
• have sufficient settlement funds.

Business support from a designated organization

You need a Letter of Support from a designated organization to support your business. This letter must be included in the application otherwise your application will be rejected. 

Ownership requirements

Up to five people can apply for the start-up visa as the owners of a single business if they meet the following requirements:

• each owner of the business hold at least 10 percent of the voting rights, and
• applicants and the designated organization must jointly hold more than 50 percent of the voting rights.

Language requirements

You are required to meet the minimum language level of Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 5 in either English or French in all four modules.

Settlement Funds

You must bring sufficient settlement funds to support your family and yourself. You are required to attach a proof of these funds with you application. These funds cannot be borrowed from others.