Determine your eligibility - Start-up visa

Get your business idea funded

Before you apply for the Start-up visa, you must convince a designated angel investor group or venture capital fund to invest in your business idea. If the investor organization decides to fund your business idea, they will give you a letter of support.

You must include your letter of support with your application as proof that an angel investor group or venture capital fund supports your business idea.

Language requirements

Being able to communicate and work in English, French or both will help your business in Canada.

You must prove your ability in English or French in these four areas:

• speaking,
• reading,
• listening, and
• writing.

You must meet the minimum level of CLB 5 in either English or French for all four language abilities.

If you do not meet the minimum language skills, we will refuse your application.

You must take a language test from an agency approved by CIC and include the results when you apply. If you do not, we will not process your application and we will return your fees.

You will not have another chance to prove your language proficiency. The visa officer will only use test results that you provide when you apply.

Use your test results to find your CLB level.

Acceptable documents for language requirements

You must send us proof that you meet the language requirement for the start-up visa (Canadian Language Benchmark/Niveau de compétence linguistique canadien 5). An original of any of the following documents showing that you meet the language requirement will be accepted as proof:

1. Designated third-party test results that you already sent to CIC for a previous application as a Federal Skilled Worker or for the Canadian Experience Class, if the results are dated no earlier than two years before you apply.
2. New third-party test results, including:
   1. CELPIP General (Canadian English Language Proficiency Index Program General test); or
   2. IELTS – General training (International English Language Testing System); or
   3. Test d’Évaluation de Français (TEF) (in French only).

Education requirements

You must provide proof of your education with your application. Specifically, you will need:

• proof of having completed at least one year of post-secondary education
• proof that you were in good standing during at least one year while you were attending a post‑secondary institution

Your proof of education may be in the form of transcripts and a letter of good standing, or certificate or diploma or degree.

Have sufficient settlement funds

The Government of Canada does not provide financial support to new start-up business visa immigrants.

You must show that you have enough money to support yourself and your dependants after you arrive in Canada. You cannot borrow this money from another person. You must be able to use this money to support the costs of living for your family.

You will need to provide proof of your funds when you submit your application for immigration.

The amount of money you need to support your family is determined by the size of your family. These amounts are updated every year.

How much money should you bring?

Find out how much it costs to live where you are planning to settle in Canada.

Bring as much money as possible to make moving and finding a home in Canada easier.

Disclosure of funds

If you are carrying more than C$10,000, tell a Canadian official when you arrive in Canada. If you do not tell an official, you may be fined or put in prison. These funds could be in the form of:

• cash
• securities in bearer form (for example, stocks, bonds, debentures, treasury bills) or
• negotiable instruments in bearer form (for example, bankers’ drafts, cheques, travellers’ cheques or money orders).