Residency by Investment in Canada
- Live, work and study in Canada
- Route to Canadian citizenship
- Affordable and active investing
Minimum Investment Amount
$250,000
Processing Time
12-16 months
Key Residency Benefit
Route to Canadian citizenship
Why is Canada a popular investment location?
Canada is a member of the G7 and, over the last 10 years, has had one of the strongest economies in the world.
The North American country offers a modern, family-friendly way of life. It is home to numerous top-notch cities providing a wide variety of corporate settings, active social scenes, and a plethora of cultural activities.
Canada’s natural beauty is unparalleled, with stunning maritime coasts, vast forests, rugged mountains, expansive grasslands, and pristine seashores. With the second-largest oil reserves and the fourth-largest freshwater supply globally, Canada is a treasure trove of natural resources that inspires awe and appreciation.
About the Canada Residency by Investment programme
The Government of Canada launched the Start-up Visa (SUV) program in 2013. It was initially launched as a pilot program but was made permanent in 2018.
The program aims to attract talented entrepreneurs to Canada with innovative, technology-related ideas that may be successfully launched in Canada.
Investment capital requirements range between CA$350,000 and CA$250,000 in a new start-up business. The authorised Designated Organization (DO) must accept the business idea to ensure that start-ups meet the government’s criteria and make a minimum investment.
The SUV program is sector-agnostic as long as the start-up is innovative, unique and disruptive, thereby qualifying and meeting the government’s guidelines.
What are the Benefits of the Canada Start-up Visa?
Path to Canadian citizenship after five years
Access to the entire North American market
Active participation in your own business
Access to free universal healthcare
Exceptional standards of living
Permits dual citizenship
How to obtain the Canada Start-up Visa
Qualify business
Secure 10% or more of the shareholding of the corporation outstanding by investing between CA$250,000 and CA$350,000.
Letter of support from a Designated Organization (DO)
The government has trusted various Designated Organizations (DOs), such as incubators, angel groups and venture capital groups, to administer and mandate the SUV program.
Language requirements
The applicant must meet the minimum level of the Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 5 in English or French, as determined by the approved agencies.
Accredited investor
The applicant must be an accredited investor by satisfying one of the following criteria:
- Individual income of $200,000 or combined with spouse $300,000
- Financial assets of $1 million (including spouse’s)
- Net assets of at least $5 million (including spouse’s)
Key Benefit of the Canada Start-up Visa
The Canada Start-up Visa provides permanent residency (PR) from day one. However, to uphold the PR status, you must reside in Canada for 730 days (two years) within a five-year period.
Investors and their family members can apply for citizenship if they live in Canada for three out of the five years (1,095 days) preceding the citizenship application.
Canadian residents are taxed on their worldwide income at the federal and provincial levels. Non-residents are taxed on Canadian-sourced income and gains from the disposition of taxable Canadian property.
Frequently asked questions
While both are preferred, they are not mandatory to apply. However, you must pass the Canadian Language Benchmark 5 in reading, listening, writing and speaking in English or French to qualify for the SUV program.
The PR status is not tied to the success of the business. Therefore, if the business fails, it does not impact your permanent resident status.
While timeframes can vary, obtaining permanent resident status via the SUV program takes an average of two years. Applicants can then apply for citizenship after five years.
Canadian passports grant visa-free/visa-on-arrival/eTA access to 172 countries worldwide, including visa-free/180-day permit access to the United States of America. The Canadian passport has a global rank of 7th in the PASSPORT POWER RANK index.
Canada Application Process
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Step 1
Pass the initial due diligence. Sign the client agreement and make the initial payment
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Step 2
Business Concept Design. Consultation with a Designated Organization (DO) and pairing with the founder and 2-3 other applicants
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Step 3
Training to obtain a certificate from DO
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Step 4
Obtain a letter of support from a designated Angel Group
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Step 5
File preparation and documentation collection. File submission to IRCC
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Step 6
Medical and security verification. Permanent resident visa issuance
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Step 7
Upon landing in Canada, obtain your PR card
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Step 1Pass the initial due diligence. Sign the client agreement and make the initial payment
-
Step 2Business Concept Design. Consultation with a Designated Organization (DO) and pairing with the founder and 2-3 other applicants
-
Step 3Training to obtain a certificate from DO
-
Step 4Obtain a letter of support from a designated Angel Group
-
Step 5File preparation and documentation collection. File submission to IRCC
-
Step 6Medical and security verification. Permanent resident visa issuance
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Step 7Upon landing in Canada, obtain your PR card
Which programme is right for you?
| Citizenship or Residency Programme? | Citizenship or Residency Programme?Residency | ||
| Minimum Investment Amount | Minimum Investment Amount$250,000 | ||
| Minimum Stay Requirement | Minimum Stay Requirement12 months within a 24-month period | ||
| Initial Permit Duration | Initial Permit DurationN/A | ||
| Time to Residence | Time to Residence12-16 months | ||
| Time to Citizenship | Time to Citizenship5 years | ||
| Family Inclusion? | Family Inclusion?Spouse, common-law partner and dependent unmarried children under 22 | ||
| Right to Work? | Right to Work?Yes | ||
| Type of Document Received | Type of Document Received?Residency permit, leading to passport | ||
| No. of Visa-Free Countries with Passport? | No. of Visa-Free Countries with Passport?172 | ||