Canada’s Start-up Visa Program targets immigrant entrepreneurs with the skills and potential to build businesses in Canada that are innovative, can create jobs for Canadians and can compete on a global scale. The SUV program is popular because it requires no minimum investment requirement for the immigrant, the applicant can live anywhere in Canada, and the language requirements are lower than other programs. Plus, after living in Canada for 3 years as a Permanent Resident, the immigrant can qualify for Canadian Citizenship.
There are a few basic requirements for the Start-up Visa program. You must:
Many of our clients reach out to us with a business idea but don’t know where or how to find a designated organization to support their business. During a consultation, we will recommend that our client reaches out to a local designated organization that aligns with their business.
A designated organization is a business group that has been approved by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada to invest in or support possible start-ups. By securing a Letter of Support from one of these organizations, you can demonstrate that your business is viable and is likely to succeed in Canada.
The Durham Region and Greater Toronto Area (GTA) are home to over a dozen designated organizations. Jade works closely with two designated entities in Durham - the Spark Centre (located in Oshawa) and the Innovation Cluster (located in Peterborough). Many of our clients who have created businesses in the tech industry have received a Letter of Support from one of these organizations to help them qualify for the SUV program.
Letter of Support for Immigration
In order to get a Letter of Support, you’ll need to contact the designated organization to find out how to get its support. In essence, you need to convince the organization that you have a business idea that is worth supporting. One way to do this is by providing a detailed business plan and pitching your idea in a way that appeals to the specific organization.
Once they assess your business idea and determine that it is worth supporting, the organization will provide you with a Letter of Support to include in your SUV application. The Letter of Support is valid for 6 months from the date of issue; so you must have your application ready to submit prior to the letter expiring.
Designated Organizations for the Start-up Visa in Durham Region
There are many designated organizations located throughout the Durham Region and Greater Toronto Area. We have listed local organizations below:
The Innovation Cluster (Peterborough)
Spark Centre (Oshawa)
Innovate Niagara (Niagara Falls)
LatAm Start-ups (Toronto)
NEXT Canada (Toronto)
PyCap Venture Partners (Toronto)
DMZ Ventures (Toronto)
The DMZ (Toronto)
Toronto Business Development Centre (Toronto)
TSRV Canada Inc. (operating as Techstars Canada)
The Entrepreneurship Hatchery (Toronto)
Creative Destruction Lab (Toronto)
Are you interested in the Start-Up Visa Program?
Contact us today to discuss your case.
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