Business Immigration Pathways for Entrepreneurs

Business Immigration Pathways for Entrepreneurs

Start-up Visa, self-employed, and entrepreneur streams for people building businesses, financing innovation, or bringing world-class skills to Canada.

Business immigration to Canada offers opportunities for investors, entrepreneurs, and self-employed individuals. Canada’s economy is strong, its political environment is stable, and the country offers excellent resources for new businesses.

Canada has both federal and provincial programs designed to attract business-minded individuals who want to contribute to the economy. Federal business immigration is currently in transition: the Start-up Visa Program and the Self-Employed Persons Program are both paused to new applications, and the federal investor programs have been closed for years. The active options today are provincial entrepreneur streams and Quebec’s own programs. Let’s take a closer look at where each program stands.

Last reviewed: October 2026.

Federal Business Immigration Programs

Canada’s federal government runs business immigration programs for entrepreneurs, self-employed people in culture and sport, and, in the past, passive investors. Each has its own requirements, but they share a common goal: to encourage economic growth by bringing in foreign businesspeople and innovators. Before planning around any of them, check the current intake status, because all three federal programs are now closed or paused.

Here are the three key federal programs and where they stand:

• Start-up Visa Program (paused): This program is designed for entrepreneurs who want to start an innovative business in Canada. IRCC stopped accepting new applications at 11:59 p.m. on December 31, 2025. Applicants who already held a valid 2025 commitment certificate had until June 30, 2026 to file, and the program is closed to all other applications. IRCC has said it will replace it with a new, targeted pilot program for immigrant entrepreneurs, but the criteria and opening date have not been published.
• Self-Employed Persons Program (paused): This program is for individuals with experience in cultural activities or athletics who can show they will make a substantial contribution to those fields in Canada. It does not require a set net worth or investment. New applications have not been accepted since April 30, 2024, and on December 19, 2025 IRCC extended that pause until further notice. Applications filed before the pause continue to be processed.
• Immigrant Investor Venture Capital (IIVC) Pilot Program (closed): This pilot required a personal net worth of CAD 10 million and a non-guaranteed investment of CAD 2 million held for approximately 15 years. It is closed, is not accepting applications, and no federal replacement has been announced.

Investor Programs in Canada

Canada no longer has an open federal investor program. The only passive investment route to permanent residence in Canada today is run by Quebec.

The Quebec Immigrant Investor Program (QIIP) reopened on January 1, 2024 with substantially stricter rules than the version described on many websites. To qualify, applicants must have a legally acquired net worth of at least CAD 2 million and at least two years of management experience in the five years before applying. The financial commitment has two parts: a five-year, government-guaranteed investment of CAD 1,000,000 made through an authorized financial intermediary, plus a non-refundable contribution of CAD 200,000. Applicants must also demonstrate oral French at level 7 and intend to settle in Quebec.

The federal Immigrant Investor Program, still marketed on some websites as the “Canadian Investor Visa”, is closed. It stopped accepting applications in 2012, was formally terminated in the 2014 federal budget, and the remaining backlog was cancelled in June 2014. It has no federal replacement. If you are offered this program today, you are being offered something that no longer exists.

For reference only, these were the program’s final requirements before it closed:

• Minimum investment: CAD 800,000, as an interest-free loan to the Government of Canada for five years
• Minimum net worth: CAD 1.6 million
• Must not intend to live in Quebec
• Must have two years of business or management experience in the last five years

Important: the five-year, guaranteed return of capital applied only to that closed program. No federal Canadian immigration program currently guarantees the return of an investment, and any agent promising a government-backed refund under a federal program is describing rules that ended in 2014.

Entrepreneur Programs in Canada

Canada’s entrepreneur programs are aimed at individuals who want to start a new business or invest in an existing one. With the federal route paused, the active entrepreneur pathways are provincial and Quebec programs.

The best known federal program is the Start-up Visa Program, designed for innovative entrepreneurs who have the potential to create jobs for Canadians and compete on a global scale. It is not accepting new applications. While it was open, applicants had to secure a letter of support from a designated organization, such as:

• A venture capital firm (CAD 200,000 minimum investment)
• An angel investor group (CAD 75,000 minimum investment)
• A business incubator (no investment required, but acceptance into the program is mandatory)

If you are aiming to start a new business now, the realistic pathways are provincial. Entrepreneurial streams under Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs) allow provinces to nominate businesspeople for permanent residency, and Quebec runs its own entrepreneur program. Each province has its own criteria, with varying requirements for minimum investments and business plans.

Self-Employed Programs in Canada

The Self-Employed Persons Program is paused. IRCC stopped accepting new applications on April 30, 2024, and extended the pause until further notice on December 19, 2025. Only applications filed before the pause are still being processed.

The program is for people with experience in cultural activities or athletics. To qualify, applicants had to show at least two years of relevant experience in the five years before applying, either as a self-employed person or by participating at a world-class level, and the intention and ability to contribute to Canada’s cultural or athletic life.

The farm management stream of this program is not part of it any more. IRCC stopped accepting applications based on farming experience on March 10, 2018 under Ministerial Instructions, and farming experience no longer qualifies anyone for this program.

Key highlights of the Self-Employed Persons Program:

• No specific investment or net worth required
• Experience in the arts or in sport required
• Must meet certain medical, security, and financial criteria
• Applicants are assessed based on experience, education, age, language abilities, and adaptability

Current intake status:

• Application intake paused: IRCC has halted the acceptance of new applications for the Self-Employed Persons Program. The pause began on April 30, 2024 and was extended until further notice in December 2025, with no announced reopening date, while the department works through its existing inventory and reviews the program’s future.

Provincial Nominee Programs for Business

Canada’s Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs) are tailored for individuals who want to start or invest in a business in a specific province. Each province has its own requirements and streams designed to meet local economic needs. For example, some provinces may prioritize sectors like technology, while others focus on traditional business industries.

The PNPs for business often require:

• A detailed business plan
• A minimum investment, which varies by province
• A net worth requirement, depending on the province
• The creation of jobs for Canadian citizens or permanent residents

Examples of provincial business immigration programs include:

• British Columbia PNP Entrepreneur Immigration: The Base stream requires a minimum personal net worth of CAD 600,000 and a minimum investment of CAD 200,000, for entrepreneurs looking to start or purchase a business in BC. The Regional stream lowers this to CAD 300,000 net worth and CAD 100,000 investment, but requires a community referral and an exploratory visit.
• Ontario PNP Entrepreneur Stream: Requires a minimum investment of CAD 200,000 outside the Greater Toronto Area, or CAD 600,000 inside the GTA, with a corresponding net worth of CAD 400,000 or CAD 800,000.
• Manitoba Business Investor Stream: Requires a minimum investment of CAD 150,000 to CAD 250,000 depending on where the business is located, with an emphasis on the economic development of regions outside the Winnipeg capital region.

Provincial requirements are reviewed and updated regularly, so confirm the current figures with the province before committing funds.

If you’re an international student looking to start a business, you may also need a Study Permit before beginning your business immigration process. Canada’s Study Permit allows you to study and pursue entrepreneurial activities in parallel while gaining residency eligibility in the future.

Are you ready to explore Canada’s business immigration opportunities? Whether you’re an investor, entrepreneur, or self-employed, SEP Immigration can guide you through the process and tell you honestly which routes are actually open. Contact us today to start your journey toward permanent residency and business success in Canada.