Government

Changes to the Start-up Visa and Self-Employed Persons programs to help reduce backlogs and improve processing times

Canada is taking steps to reduce immigration processing times and backlogs, particularly for federal business programs. As of April 30, 2024, changes to the Start-up Visa Program will prioritize applications with Canadian capital backing and limit permanent residence applications to those associated with no more than 10 start-ups per designated organization.
The Self-Employed Persons Program will pause new applications to focus on clearing a backlog, which has caused processing times to exceed four years. This program targets individuals with experience in arts, culture, sports, and recreation.
These measures aim to improve wait times and maintain the integrity of
Canada’s immigration system, with the ultimate goal of attracting

talented, innovative entrepreneurs. Currently, immigrants make up one- third of business owners with paid staff in Canada, and the country is ranked as the top destination for start-up founders according to a 2023 OECD report.
https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/news/ 2024/04/changes-to-the-start-up-visa-and-self-employed-persons- programs-to-help-reduce-backlogs-and-improve-processing-times.html

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