Canada’s federal business immigration programs are, for practical purposes, closed. The Start-Up Visa (SUV) Program stopped accepting new applications at 11:59 p.m. on December 31, 2025, and the pause on the Self-Employed Persons Program has been extended until further notice. A replacement entrepreneur pilot has been promised but not launched.
This is a genuine reversal. For a decade the Start-Up Visa was Canada’s flagship entrepreneur pathway, and it remains the programme most business immigration content still describes as open. It is not. Anyone planning around it needs the current position, which this page sets out.
On This Page, You Will Find:
- The state of Canada’s federal business immigration programs in 2026
- Why the Start-Up Visa closed to new applications
- The narrow exception for 2025 commitment certificates
- The Self-Employed Persons Program pause
- What we know about the promised entrepreneur pilot
- Federal business admissions under the 2026–2028 Levels Plan
- Provincial entrepreneur programs
- Quebec’s business immigration streams
- Business immigration fees in 2026
- What entrepreneurs should do now
- Frequently asked questions
What Changed in December 2025
On December 19, 2025, IRCC announced three measures at once:
- Effective immediately, IRCC stopped accepting applications for the optional work permit available to Start-Up Visa applicants – except from those already in Canada applying to extend an existing SUV work permit.
- Effective December 31, 2025 at 11:59 p.m., IRCC stopped accepting new Start-Up Visa applications, with one narrow exception described below.
- The existing pause on the Self-Employed Persons Program was extended until further notice.
IRCC’s stated purpose was to “set the foundation for the transition to a new, targeted pilot program for immigrant entrepreneurs and help address the large inventory of applications for Canada’s business programs.” The backlog was the immediate driver – the SUV inventory had grown to the point where advertised processing times ran to several years, which is a poor outcome for a programme meant to attract fast-moving founders.
IRCC also said it would prioritise the permanent residence applications of people already in Canada holding an SUV-specific work permit, as Levels Plan targets allow, on top of the existing prioritisation criteria.
The One Remaining Way To File an SUV Application
There is a single exception. An applicant may still submit a Start-Up Visa permanent residence application if they hold a valid commitment from a designated organization that was made in 2025 but had not yet been used to apply.
Two points matter here. First, the commitment must date from 2025 – new commitments do not qualify, and designated organisations cannot create a route into a closed programme. Second, this exception has a deadline: reporting on the ministerial instructions indicates such applications must be submitted by June 30, 2026. If you hold a 2025 commitment certificate and have not filed, treat that date as having passed or as imminent, and confirm your position directly with IRCC or a licensed representative before spending further money.
The Promised Entrepreneur Pilot
IRCC has committed to “a new, targeted pilot program for immigrant entrepreneurs,” describing an intention to create a “high impact” replacement that addresses “observed issues with the existing Start-Up Visa program.” More information was to be communicated during 2026.
What is confirmed: a replacement is intended, it will be a pilot, and it will be more targeted than the SUV.
What is not confirmed: eligibility criteria, investment thresholds, sector focus, quota, launch date, or whether designated organisations will play the same gatekeeping role. Various commentators have described expected features – service standards, sector quotas tied to clean technology, artificial intelligence and life sciences, milestone-based work permit extensions – but these are not in any IRCC publication. Do not build a business plan or make an investment on the strength of them.
The practical advice is unglamorous: there is nothing to apply for, and no legitimate way to get ahead in a queue that does not exist. Be alert to representatives offering to “pre-register” you.
Federal Business Admissions Under the Levels Plan
The scale of the retrenchment is clearest in the numbers. Under the 2026–2028 Immigration Levels Plan, the Federal Business category – which covers the Start-Up Visa and the Self-Employed Persons Program – is targeted at:
| Year | Federal Business admissions target | Range |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 500 | 250–1,000 |
| 2027 | 500 | 250–1,000 |
| 2028 | 500 | 250–1,000 |
That is half the previous plan’s 1,000, and it is a rounding error against total economic admissions of 239,800 for 2026. Federal business immigration is now the smallest economic line in the plan by a wide margin – smaller than the Atlantic Immigration Program (4,000) and the federal economic pilots (8,175), and dwarfed by the Provincial Nominee Program (91,500) and Federal High Skilled (109,000).
The signal is unambiguous. Whatever pilot arrives, it will be small and selective.
Provincial Entrepreneur Programs
With federal routes closed, provincial entrepreneur streams are where most business immigration activity now sits. Most provinces operate at least one, typically requiring some combination of:
- a minimum personal net worth, verified by a third party
- a minimum investment in an eligible business in the province
- an active management role, not passive investment
- job creation for Canadians or permanent residents
- a business plan and, often, an exploratory visit
- a performance agreement, with nomination following only after the business milestones are met
Most provincial entrepreneur pathways are two-stage: you arrive on a work permit, operate the business, and are nominated for permanent residence only once you have satisfied the agreement. That is a longer, more conditional route than the SUV promised, and it demands real operational commitment rather than a passive stake.
Several provinces reworked or paused entrepreneur intake in response to reduced allocations, and criteria change frequently. See our guide to provincial entrepreneur immigration programs, and confirm current requirements on the province’s own website before committing funds.
Quebec Business Immigration
Quebec selects its own economic immigrants under the Canada–Quebec Accord and runs separate business streams, including its entrepreneur programme and the Quebec Immigrant Investor Program (QIIP). QIIP reopened under a revised framework with tighter financial, language and residency criteria.
Quebec’s intake windows and criteria are set by the Ministère de l’Immigration, de la Francisation et de l’Intégration and change independently of federal policy – Quebec’s targets appear as “TBD” in the federal Levels Plan pending the province’s own plan. Verify current QIIP intake status directly with MIFI before acting; Quebec business programme availability has been intermittent. See our Quebec Immigrant Investor Program guide and Quebec immigration overview.
Business Immigration Fees in 2026
Federal business fees rose on April 30, 2026 – the largest single increase of any category:
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Principal applicant, including the right of permanent residence fee | $2,495 |
| Principal applicant, without the RPRF | $1,895 (up from $1,810) |
| Include your spouse or partner, including the RPRF | $1,590 |
| Include your spouse or partner, without the RPRF | $990 (up from $950) |
| Each dependent child | $270 (up from $260) |
| Right of permanent residence fee (RPRF) | $600 |
These amounts apply to Quebec business immigration, self-employed persons and the Start-Up Visa. Provincial entrepreneur programs charge their own separate fees. Our immigration fee schedule has the full list.
What Entrepreneurs Should Do Now
- If you hold a 2025 commitment certificate, establish your filing position immediately – the exception window was tied to mid-2026.
- If you already have an SUV application in the system, it continues to be processed, and applicants in Canada on an SUV work permit are being prioritised. Keep your file current.
- Look seriously at provincial entrepreneur streams, which are the only active business pathways, and match your capital and sector to a specific province rather than shopping broadly.
- Consider skilled worker routes instead. Many founders qualify under Federal High Skilled or a provincial skilled stream on the strength of their own management or technical experience – the 2026 Express Entry categories include senior managers and researchers with Canadian work experience. See our Express Entry guide and CRS guide.
- Do not pay anyone to prepare a future pilot application. The programme does not exist yet.
- Watch IRCC’s announcements directly. The pilot’s terms will be published by the department, not leaked in advance.
Read More
- Express Entry: skilled worker routes for founders
- Quebec Immigrant Investor Program
- Provincial Entrepreneur Programs
- Self-Employed Persons Program
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Canada Start-Up Visa still open?
No. IRCC stopped accepting new Start-Up Visa applications at 11:59 p.m. on December 31, 2025. The only exception is for applicants holding a valid commitment from a designated organization made in 2025 who had not yet applied, and that exception was tied to a mid-2026 filing deadline.
Why did Canada pause the Start-Up Visa Program?
IRCC said the measures would help address the large inventory of applications in Canada’s business programs and set the foundation for a new, more targeted entrepreneur pilot. The Start-Up Visa had accumulated a substantial backlog, with advertised processing times running to several years.
What is replacing the Start-Up Visa?
IRCC has committed to a new targeted pilot program for immigrant entrepreneurs and said more information would be communicated in 2026. No eligibility criteria, investment thresholds, quota or launch date have been published. Anything more specific circulating publicly is speculation rather than announced policy.
How many federal business immigrants will Canada admit in 2026?
The 2026–2028 Immigration Levels Plan targets 500 Federal Business admissions in 2026, with a range of 250 to 1,000, and the same figures for 2027 and 2028. That is half the 1,000 target in the previous plan and covers both the Start-Up Visa and the Self-Employed Persons Program.
Can I still immigrate to Canada as an entrepreneur?
Yes, but through provincial routes rather than federal ones. Most provinces operate entrepreneur streams requiring a minimum net worth, an investment in a provincial business, active management and job creation, usually with a work permit first and nomination only after business milestones are met. Quebec runs its own separate business programs.
What does a business immigration application cost in 2026?
A principal applicant under a federal or Quebec business stream pays $2,495 including the $600 right of permanent residence fee, or $1,895 without it. An accompanying spouse or partner costs $1,590 including the RPRF, and each dependent child $270. Provincial entrepreneur programs charge additional fees of their own.