Canada: Two Entrepreneurial Programs Paused; New Entrepreneur Pilot Expected

The Canadian government has issued a ministerial directive announcing that new applications under the Start-Up Visa (SUV) Program and the Self-Employed Persons Program will no longer be accepted as of January 1, 2026. Intake for both programs has been set to zero until further notice to manage existing backlogs. Only SUV applications supported by a valid commitment certificate issued by a designated entity in 2025 will be accepted, provided the application is submitted by June 30, 2026. All other new SUV and Self-Employed applications filed on or after January 1, 2026, will be returned without processing. Applications already in the system will continue to be processed, with priority given to SUV cases backed by designated investors and applicants already in Canada holding SUV-specific work permits. Effective immediately, the government has also stopped accepting new applications for the optional SUV work permit, except for extension requests from applicants already in Canada. According to the government, these measures are intended to reduce application inventories and support a transition to a new, more targeted pilot program for immigrant entrepreneurs, with further details expected in 2026. 

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