In a surprise pre-holiday announcement, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) confirmed it is shutting the Start-Up Visa (SUV) program to new applications after 23:59 ET on 31 December 2025 and has stopped issuing SUV-linked work permits with immediate effect. Officials say the pause will give the department breathing room to clear a backlog that had swelled to more than 5,200 files at the end of October and to design a “more focused” pathway for high-potential founders.
The SUV—launched in 2013 to attract foreign entrepreneurs backed by Canadian venture capital funds, angel investors or incubators—had become a cornerstone of business immigration marketing. Yet processing times drifted beyond 37 months and critics argued that many endorsed projects lacked scalability or Canadian job-creation potential. Last year only 1,090 permanent-resident visas were issued under the stream, well below its 2,750-visa annual cap.
![Canada Halts Start-Up Visa Program, Paves Way for Targeted Entrepreneur Pilot in 2026]()
Entrepreneurs facing this uncertainty can turn to VisaHQ’s Canada team for help securing interim visitor, business or alternative work visas. The platform (https://www.visahq.com/canada/) offers real-time requirement checks, document-preparation tools and concierge services, ensuring founders, investors and their staff continue to reach board meetings, demo days and on-site collaborations while Ottawa redesigns its programs.
Under the new plan, commitment certificates dated in 2025 will remain valid, but candidates must file by 30 June 2026. IRCC also extended its freeze on the Self-Employed Persons Program, signalling a broader rethink of legacy business immigration models. Officials hint the forthcoming pilot—expected in the first half of 2026—will require higher verified investment, clearer commercialization milestones and third-party due-diligence audits.
For multinational companies, the pause means founders already working under SUV work permits may renew, but no fresh work-permit applications will be accepted. Employers scouting international talent should consider alternative routes such as the Global Talent Stream or C-11 significant-benefit work permits until details of the 2026 pilot emerge. Venture funds are advising portfolio companies to accelerate permanent-residence filings before year-end or prepare contingency staffing plans.
The SUV—launched in 2013 to attract foreign entrepreneurs backed by Canadian venture capital funds, angel investors or incubators—had become a cornerstone of business immigration marketing. Yet processing times drifted beyond 37 months and critics argued that many endorsed projects lacked scalability or Canadian job-creation potential. Last year only 1,090 permanent-resident visas were issued under the stream, well below its 2,750-visa annual cap.
Entrepreneurs facing this uncertainty can turn to VisaHQ’s Canada team for help securing interim visitor, business or alternative work visas. The platform (https://www.visahq.com/canada/) offers real-time requirement checks, document-preparation tools and concierge services, ensuring founders, investors and their staff continue to reach board meetings, demo days and on-site collaborations while Ottawa redesigns its programs.
Under the new plan, commitment certificates dated in 2025 will remain valid, but candidates must file by 30 June 2026. IRCC also extended its freeze on the Self-Employed Persons Program, signalling a broader rethink of legacy business immigration models. Officials hint the forthcoming pilot—expected in the first half of 2026—will require higher verified investment, clearer commercialization milestones and third-party due-diligence audits.
For multinational companies, the pause means founders already working under SUV work permits may renew, but no fresh work-permit applications will be accepted. Employers scouting international talent should consider alternative routes such as the Global Talent Stream or C-11 significant-benefit work permits until details of the 2026 pilot emerge. Venture funds are advising portfolio companies to accelerate permanent-residence filings before year-end or prepare contingency staffing plans.
