Start-Up Visa Program
CAIN partnered with Startup Canada to research and advocate for improvements to Canada's Start-Up Visa (SUV) program — the immigration pathway connecting immigrant entrepreneurs with designated organizations (DOs) including accelerators and incubators.
Joint with Startup Canada
Research on a critical pathway for international entrepreneurs
The SUV program is a critical pathway for international entrepreneurs, but stakeholders have identified significant challenges that limit its effectiveness. Through joint research, CAIN and Startup Canada developed evidence-based recommendations for improving the program.
The research drew on multiple sources to build a comprehensive picture of how the SUV program works in practice.
- Streamline communication between IRCC and designated organizations
- Standardize evaluation criteria across DOs
- Increase transparency in application processing
- Enhance post-landing support for entrepreneurs
- Establish stronger governance and oversight mechanisms
Bilingual content available — a French version of the SUV research exists, and all recommendations were developed with input from both English- and French-speaking stakeholders.