Paused / on hold
Start-Up Visa Intake Suspension and 2026 Replacement
Effective: October 3, 2024 (3-year OWP); April 30, 2024 (10-startup cap per designated entity); December 19, 2025 (intake suspended)
TL;DR
Each designated entity capped at 10 startups/year (820 total); SUV PR target cut to 3,000 (2025) and 2,000 (2026/27); applicants gained 3-year open work permit; new application intake suspended December 19, 2025. Final commitment-certificate submissions accepted until June 30, 2026; new entrepreneur pilot launching 2026.
What changed
- Per-entity cap of 10 startups/year (820 total).
- SUV PR target cut to 3,000 (2025) and 2,000 (2026/27).
- 3-year open work permit for SUV applicants.
- Intake suspended December 19, 2025.
- New entrepreneur pilot launching 2026.
Who is affected
Foreign entrepreneurs and Canadian designated organizations (incubators, VCs, angel groups).
Verify on canada.ca
Always confirm policy details, dates, and exact eligibility on the Government of Canada source page before acting:
https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/start-visa.html ↗Related immigration topics
Other recent policy changes