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Canada welcomes business owners, investors, and self-employed people who want to build something here. These programs don’t ask for a job offer. They ask for business experience, investment, or a skill you already have.
At Canus Immigration, we help you figure out which route actually fits your situation right now.
Business immigration programs change often. The government reviews them, pauses them, and sometimes replaces them with something new. Right now, two federal programs are closed to new applicants: the Start-Up Visa Program and the Self-Employed Persons Program.
This doesn’t mean business immigration is closed. It means the federal route needs a fresh look before you plan around it. If you already have an application in progress, we can review your file and tell you where things stand. If you’re just starting out, we’ll point you to what’s actually open today.
Federal programs may be paused, but business immigration in Canada is far from closed. Two routes stay active no matter what happens at the federal level, and both give business owners a real path forward.
Most provinces run their own entrepreneur programs. These sit outside the federal system, so they keep working even when federal programs pause.
To qualify, you usually need to show:
Requirements shift from province to province. Some provinces focus on specific industries. Others target smaller cities that need more business activity. A provincial nomination carries a lot of weight and often moves faster than federal options.
Some entrepreneurs choose to start operating in Canada before they get permanent residence. A work permit tied to your own business lets you do this. You run your company, build a track record, and apply for permanent status once you’re established.
This route suits founders who want to prove their business works before committing to a long wait abroad.
If you hold a valid work permit or a commitment certificate under either program, don’t assume your file is stuck. Processing continues for existing applications, and the rules around them can shift. We check your file against the current guidelines and tell you exactly what to expect next.
If your plans depended on either program and you haven’t applied yet, we’ll help you look at provincial routes or a business work permit instead. Your business background usually transfers well to these options.
Business immigration takes more paperwork than most people expect. You need a solid business plan, proof of funds, and documents that show your experience clearly. A weak submission gets flagged fast, even when the applicant is qualified.
Our team at Canus Immigration reviews your background first. We look at your investment capacity, your industry, and your long-term goals before we recommend anything. Then we help you build your application step by step, from your business plan to your supporting documents.
We also stay on top of program changes. When a federal program pauses or a province updates its entrepreneur stream, we know before most people do. That means you get advice based on what’s true today, not what used to be true.
