New updates to Canada Start-Up Visa and Self-Employed Persons Program

The Honourable Canada Immigration Minister Marc Miller has announced important changes to Canada’s Start-Up Visa and Self-Employed Persons Program.

Starting April 30, 2024, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) will implement new policies around processing Start-Up Visa applications. On the same day, IRCC will also impose a full pause on the application intake for the Self-Employed Persons Program.

Changes to the Start-Up Visa

IRCC will now be altering the processing of Start-Up Visa applications by:

• Putting a cap on the number of candidates that apply for Canada PR under this program by excluding applicants who are associated with no more than 10 start-ups per designated organization, and
• Offering priority processing to entrepreneurs whose start-up is supported by a Canadian capital or business incubator that is a member of Canada’s Tech Network.

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Changes to the Self-Employed Persons Program

IRCC also announced changes to the Self-Employed Persons Program. Starting April 30, 2024:

• There will be a full pause on the Self-Employed Persons Program application intake – which is planned to be in place until the end of 2026.

This change is a result of the high number of applications within the program inventory, because of which processing times have increased to longer than four years. While the temporary pause has been put in place, IRCC will continue to finalize applications and look for opportunities to reform the program - while maintaining its integrity.

“Fast processing is critical to the success of entrepreneurs who come to Canada through our federal business programs. These necessary changes will set the Start­up Visa Program and Self-Employed Persons Program on the path to faster processing times while we look ahead to further reforms to make these programs more sustainable and effective over the long term.” - The Honourable Marc Miller, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship.

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Read More: Canada Plans to Invite 17,000 Entrepreneurs by 2026

Source: canada.ca

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