Canada Start-Up Visa paused: 2026 status and deadlines
Suspended: this pathway is not included in active rankings.
Paused; no personal investment minimum, but a designated-organization commitment was required
Requirements at a glance
- Status
- Suspended
- Current figure
- Paused; no personal investment minimum, but a designated-organization commitment was required
- Route
- business
- Processing time
- Not confirmed
- Physical presence
- Not confirmed
- Citizenship path
- Not confirmed
Canada paused the Start-Up Visa pipeline for new designated-organization commitments from 1 January 2026. Existing certificate holders were required to apply by 30 June 2026.
The route did not use a personal investment floor like a golden visa. It depended on support from a designated organization and separate settlement funds, so presenting it as an active pay-to-enter program would be wrong.
Confirmedcanada.cachecked Jul 2026
Frequently asked questions
Is Canada's Start-Up Visa accepting new commitments?
No new designated-organization commitments were accepted after 31 December 2025 under the official pause.
Was there a personal investment minimum?
The route did not impose a personal investment minimum, but it required a qualifying designated-organization commitment and settlement funds.
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