Though Canada closed its Begin-Up Visa (SUV) Program on January 1, 2026, immigrant entrepreneurs searching for everlasting residence (PR) will not be out of choices.
Whereas international nationals await the launch of the brand new focused pilot supposed to switch the SUV, they’ll discover various enterprise immigration pathways, akin to sure Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) streams or an entrepreneur-focused TR to PR pathway.
Uncover if You Are Eligible for Canadian Immigration
This text will cowl
Immigrate by way of an entrepreneur-focused PNP stream
Pursuing PR by way of a PNP stream particularly designed for entrepreneurs is probably going the most effective guess for worldwide entrepreneurs following the SUV’s closure.
At present, there are 9 PNPs with entrepreneur, enterprise, or investor streams that will likely be accepting purposes in 2026 (see under).
International nationals ought to be conscious that some entrepreneurial PNP streams are extra energetic than others. British Columbia, for instance, held 16 entrepreneur-focused attracts in 2025, and has already performed one in 2026 on January 13.
Basic observe for all streams: Sometimes, PNPs require candidates to determine and/or run their enterprise for a set variety of months on a work permit previous to getting a provincial nomination—which they’ll solely obtain in the event that they fulfil particular enterprise improvement commitments as agreed to within the enterprise settlement signed with the province.
Entrepreneurs additionally usually enter right into a enterprise efficiency plan (various by province), which requires them to fulfill sure benchmarks. If your corporation fails after getting a nomination however earlier than acquiring PR, the nomination could also be revoked.
Alberta (4 streams)
Graduate Entrepreneur Stream: Worldwide pupil graduates (from qualifying in-province post-secondary establishments) wanting to start out a brand new enterprise or buy an present enterprise within the province (34% possession).
International Graduate Entrepreneur Stream: Skilled international pupil graduates from out-of-Canada establishments searching for to launch a start-up enterprise or enterprise in Alberta, prepared to take a position at the very least $50,000 or $100,000 relying on location of the enterprise.
Farm Stream: Entrepreneurs (web price $500,000+) with ample farm administration expertise and ample monetary assets wanting to start out a brand new farm or buy an present one inside the province; should make investments $500,000 fairness.
Rural Entrepreneur Stream: Skilled entrepreneurs (web price $300,000+) from outdoors Canada searching for to start out a brand new enterprise or buy an present enterprise in a rural Alberta group, prepared to take a position $100,000.
British Columbia (three streams)
Base Stream: Skilled international entrepreneurs intending to determine a brand new enterprise or take over and enhance an present enterprise anyplace in BC, with a private web price of at the very least $600,000 and willingness to take a position $200,000 within the enterprise.
Regional Stream: Skilled international entrepreneurs wanting to start out a brand new enterprise in a small (and collaborating) group, with a private web price of at the very least $300,000 and willingness to take a position ($100,000) within the enterprise.
BC additionally has a Strategic Tasks Stream, by way of which international companies wishing to determine operations within the province (and have recognized funding alternatives there) can suggest key employees members to handle the corporate’s operations there.
Manitoba (one stream, one pilot)
- Entrepreneur Pathway: Lively enterprise house owners/senior administration professionals (web price $500,000+) with three years of labor expertise searching for to determine, buy, or grow to be companions in an present enterprise in Manitoba.
- Farm Investor Pathway: International nationals (web price of $500,000+) who need to set up a farm in rural Manitoba, have at the very least three years of farm possession and operation expertise, and are prepared to take a position $300,000 within the farm.
Worldwide Pupil Entrepreneur Pilot: People who graduated from a Manitoba designated studying establishment (2+ 12 months program) searching for to pursue entrepreneurship over employment; should function the enterprise for six months as a senior supervisor earlier than nomination.
Nova Scotia (two streams)
Entrepreneur Stream: Skilled enterprise house owners/senior enterprise managers (web price of $600,000+) wanting to start out a brand new enterprise or buy an present enterprise in NS with, related expertise a willingness to take a position $100,000 to $150,000 relying on location of their enterprise.
Worldwide Graduate Entrepreneur Stream: Current worldwide graduate entrepreneurs (of an eligible NS studying establishment) which have already established or bought a NS-based enterprise (1/3 possession), which they’ve operated for at the very least one 12 months.
Newfoundland and Labrador (two streams)
Worldwide Entrepreneur Stream: Skilled enterprise house owners/managers (web price of $600,000+) wanting to purchase a brand new enterprise or buy an present NL enterprise, prepared to take a position $200,000.
Worldwide Graduate Entrepreneur Stream: Pupil graduates from Memorial College or Faculty of the North Atlantic who’ve already began or purchased a neighborhood enterprise, and managed it for one 12 months.
New Brunswick (one stream)
NB Enterprise Immigration Stream: Entrepreneurs wanting to determine, function, and handle a brand new enterprise in NB, with a web price of at the very least $500,000 and expertise in enterprise possession or senior administration.
Prince Edward Island (one stream)
Enterprise Affect Class – Work Allow Stream: International nationals with enterprise possession expertise or senior administration expertise trying to put money into or run a enterprise in PEI, with a private web price of $600,000.
Yukon (one program)
Yukon Enterprise Nominee Program: International nationals trying to set up and handle a enterprise within the province with at the very least three years of entrepreneurial or enterprise administration expertise, 5 years of related work expertise, and minimal web price of $500,000.
Northwest Territories (one stream)
Enterprise Stream: People searching for to start out or buy a enterprise within the NWT, with a web price of $250,000+ to $500,000+ and a capability to take a position at the very least $100,000 to $250,000—each depending on location of the enterprise.
All above PNP streams can even produce other eligibility standards international nationals should meet to qualify, together with language skill, training, and different stream-specific necessities.
Uncover if You Are Eligible for Canadian Immigration
Immigrate by way of a Quebec Enterprise Program
When you plan to settle in Québec as a international entrepreneur, there are three enterprise applications accessible, every with distinct eligibility standards, together with:
An investor pathway: For prime-net-worth people with two years of administration expertise, in a position to make $1.2 million risk-free funding by way of an authorized monetary middleman.
An entrepreneur pathway: For people searching for to start out an progressive enterprise or mission, function their already present enterprise, or takeover an present enterprise in Quebec, in an eligible sector. Internet price, minimal expertise, and different eligibility standards fluctuate by intent.
A self-employed employee pathway: People (web price of $100,000+) with two years of expertise of their occupation, searching for to apply this occupation in Quebec alone or with others, in an eligible sector.
A vital element of all these applications and their respective streams is having the ability to meet a Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadiens (NCLC) stage 7, amongst different eligibility necessities.
Construct PR eligibility with a C-11 work allow
The C11 work allow, additionally known as the “vital profit allow,” is a Labour Market Affect Evaluation (LMIA)-exempt choice underneath Canada’s Worldwide Mobility Program (IMP) for international nationals who need to begin, buy, or function a enterprise in Canada.
The C11 allow is usually used as a “work allow first” pathway: entrepreneurs can use it to launch and function their firm in Canada and later pursue PR by way of *applications they might qualify for, akin to by way of a PNP or the Federal Expert Employee Program underneath Specific Entry, or different PR applications that do not exclude work expertise gained whereas self-employed.
It’s generally utilized by founders and owner-operators when the enterprise can present it’ll present a vital profit to Canada—akin to job creation, innovation, abilities switch, progress in exports, and significant financial exercise in a area; it is a requirement.
Along with demonstrating that your corporation will present vital profit to Canada, to qualify, you will need to additionally
- Personal at the very least 51% of their enterprise;
- Present the enterprise have to be prepared (or almost prepared) to start out operations;
- Present you’ve gotten the funds to assist your self and your loved ones (if relevant) as soon as in Canada;
- Plan to actively handle and develop a Canadian enterprise; and
- Have administration experience and related expertise within the sector you’re coming into.
*Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) explicitly states that self-employed work expertise doesn’t rely in the direction of Canadian Expertise Class work expertise necessities.
