By October 2026 the federal routes that used to bring entrepreneurs to Canada are mostly closed. Companies and founders are being pointed at provincial nominee streams and at a short list of work permits. Processing times for those permits are in personalized processing times.
What closed
New Start-Up Visa intake ended on December 31, 2025. The program itself was paused on June 30, 2026. The Self-Employed Persons Program is also closed to new applications. The 2026–2028 Immigration Levels Plan caps federal business-category admissions at about 500 people a year. Employer-specific permits, which many of these firms still use, now require a fairness letter before a genuineness refusal, as set out in the September instruction on summary refusals.
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What is still open
The remaining routes are narrower. People already working in Canada are covered separately in temporary workers already in the country. For a new business entry, the practical list is:
- A provincial nominee entrepreneur stream, tied to a province’s own rules.
- A C11 work permit, for an owner who can show a significant benefit.
- An intra-company transfer, for staff of a multinational.
- The Global Skills Strategy, for TEER 0 and 1 workers.
- An LMIA exemption that a trade agreement actually provides.
What employers have to keep
The Immigration and Refugee Protection Act still requires records of wages, duties, and working conditions. A breach can mean a fine, a ban on hiring foreign nationals, and a public listing as a non-compliant employer. Those records are the part of the file an officer will ask for if the offer is questioned.
The Global Skills Strategy
For TEER 0 and 1 occupations the Global Skills Strategy still advertises two-week processing. It does not replace the closed founder programs. It moves an employee who already has a job offer. A company that needs an owner, rather than an employee, is in the provincial or C11 lane, not this one.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are federal business programs still open?
The Start-Up Visa and the Self-Employed Persons Program are closed to new applications. Provincial nominee programs and specific work permits are what remains.
What is the Global Skills Strategy?
A faster work-permit lane for highly skilled workers in TEER 0 and 1 jobs, with a stated two-week processing time for eligible files.
What if an employer breaks the rules?
Fines, a ban on hiring foreign nationals, and a public listing as a non-compliant employer.
