How to Get Business Visa in Canada in 2024

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In 2024, Canada positioned itself as an attractive destination for many foreign entrepreneurs, investors, and start-ups. For this reason, the Canadian government has created various business visa pathways through which foreign residents can gain permanent residence in Canada. On this page, you will learn all the up-to-date information about Canadian business visa programs, requirements, costs, how to apply, processing times, and much more.

This page should not be confused with the business visitor visa allowing foreign entrepreneurs to visit Canada on a business trip.

What is a Canadian Business Visa in 2024?

Canada offers several business visa programs that were created to attract different types of foreign investors. There is no one-fit-all program. Instead, various federal and provincial programs can be used to gain permanent residence for yourself and your family in Canada. Each program is tailored to attract a specific type of foreign investment and respond to the particular needs of business immigrants.

Once approved for a program, you can operate your business in Canada on a work permit, while your family will obtain open work permits (for spouses) and study permits (for school-age children). Then, depending on your business visa program, you and your family will become eligible for permanent residence in about 1 to 2 years.

Graphic Business Visa Canada

2024 List of the Best Canadian Business Visa Programs

Currently, Canada has 3 federal and numerous provincial business visa programs. Below is a summary of each program:

Intra-Company Transfer (ICT) Program โ€“ this visa program is tailored toward businesses with existing operational foundations abroad that want to expand to Canada. Although the programโ€™s name refers to โ€œa transfer,โ€ you are actually expanding your business to Canada while transferring yourself as an employee from your home countryโ€™s operations to your businessโ€™s new Canadian operations.

The Start-Up Visa Program is ideal for owners of established start-up companies with working concepts and some existing financial backing. This immigration program requires start-ups to obtain a letter of support or investment funds from a designated Canadian organization. For this reason, your start-up must already generate revenue and have a clear business plan, amongst many other requirements. This program is available to start-ups, and up to 5 founders and their families may become permanent residents through this program.

Entrepreneur Visa (C11) โ€“ if you want to purchase or invest in an existing Canadian business, this program is for you. This program is also suitable for foreign investors who want to start a new company in Canada. As with other programs, you and your family could become eligible for permanent residency later.

Provincial Nominee Program (PNPs) โ€“ provinces in Canada also have immigration programs for foreign entrepreneurs. There are over 17 business immigration streams available to choose from. Regarding business visas, PNPs are unsuitable for all business immigrants, and you may have an easier and more efficient business visa pathway through one of the above federal programs.

5 Canada Business Visa Requirements

Each business visa program has its requirements because each was developed to cater to a specific type of foreign investment. However, in general, there are top 5 common requirements:

  1. You should have anywhere between CAD $100,000 to CAD $350,000 to start your Canadian business;
  2. You must have experience and skills to be able to operate your business successfully;
  3. You must have an existing successful business or be willing to start or invest in one in Canada;
  4. You must have a well-thought-out, practical, and realistic business plan for your Canadian business;
  5. You must have extensive knowledge of immigration regulations and the Canadian immigration framework.

Business Visa Canada Investment Amount Chart

How to Apply for Business Visa in Canada

The application process for a business visa will vary depending on your business immigration program. It is crucial to consult with an experienced business immigration lawyer to select the most suitable pathway for you and your business. The general application process can be broken down into the following steps:

Step 1: Create or purchase a Canadian company;

Step 2: Develop a business plan (at any stage before work permit submission);

Step 3: Become employed by your Canadian company;

Step 4: Submit an application for a work permit along with appropriate applications for your family members;

Step 5: Operate your business;

Step 6: Apply for permanent residency after 1 or 2 years of business operations (depending on your business immigration program); and

Step 7: Become eligible for Canadian citizenship.

Visa Processing Time

It can take 1 โ€“ 8 months for your business visa application to be approved. The processing time largely depends on your business immigration program. While some federal programs can take 3 months on average, provincial programs usually take around 8 months. Please note that this processing time refers to processing the work permit, allowing you to work for your Canadian company.

Business Visa Costs

The business visa costs can range between CAD $2,140 to CAD $4,355. The low-end cost is if you are immigrating by yourself, and the higher-end one is if you are immigrating with your spouse and one child, then $230 per additional child. These costs only refer to application fees set by the government of Canada. In practice, you are likely to incur additional charges for legal services and procedural expenses, which can vary depending on your situation. You can estimate your total immigration cost using our Fee Calculator, specifically created to give you some certainty about the associated costs.

Frequently Asked Questionsย 

Below, you will find answers to the most asked questions about Canadian business visas:

How can I get a business visa for Canada?

To get a Canadian business visa, you must choose and apply to one of the investment immigration programs. Each program has its requirements and is tailored to a specific type of foreign investment. For this reason, it is crucial to consult a knowledgeable business immigration lawyer. Once approved, you will gain a work permit, your spouse will gain an open work permit, and your children will receive open work permits. You may become eligible for permanent residency after operating your business for 1 โ€“ 2 years.

Can I get a business visa from India to Canada?

Yes, you can get a short-term visitor visa with no permanent residency option or a business visa through business immigration with a permanent residency option. Indian nationals are eligible for various business immigration options, which allow them to expand their business from India to Canada, buy or invest in an existing Canadian business, or create a start-up, amongst other options. Remember that PR business visa requirements are more rigorous than visitor business visas because they are a long-term option for you and your family.

How much money is required for a business visa in Canada?

To get a business visa in Canada, you are not required to invest a specific minimum amount. Instead, the amount that will make you eligible for a business visa depends on your business type. One of the critical elements in determining whether your investment amount is sufficient is whether it will be enough to make your Canadian business viable and operations โ€“ and this depends mainly on the business you are in. Thus, an investment of $150,000 may be enough to start an e-commerce business; however, if you were to create a delivery business, then you might need an investment that is more than $350,000.

Does owning a business in Canada give you a visa?

No, owning a business does not give you a visa in Canada. You gain no residency rights if you do so. However, if you own a business in Canada, you could become eligible for a business visa through business immigration programs. Under these programs, you could gain a work permit to work for your company and reside in Canada with your family. Additionally, after operating your business anywhere between 1-2 years, you and your family could become eligible for permanent residency.

Can I immigrate to Canada if I buy a business?

Buying an existing business in Canada is a viable business immigration option for foreign investors and entrepreneurs. You can either invest in an existing business, purchase an existing business or even purchase a franchise. Depending on your business and background, various immigration options will be available. You can immigrate to Canada through the C11 Entrepreneur work permit, Intra-company transfer, or another program. It is always beneficial to consult a knowledgeable business immigration lawyer to handle your immigration professionally.

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Immigration to Canada can be very complicated for businesses, business owners, and foreign employees. Hiring business immigration lawyers with the skill, experience, and patience is often crucial to successfully navigating this complex process. The experienced professionals at Sobirovs Law Firm offer tailored legal services in all business and corporate immigration matters. Contact us for more information on how we can help you meet your immigration needs.

We have worked with & represented clients from all walks of life. Always just one call โ€“ or click โ€“ away, weสผre happy to help you begin your & your familyสผs journey to Canada.

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Yemi Okunbor
Yemi Okunbor
From the initial consultation to the successful acquisition of my permanent resident card, the entire process was seamless and stress free.A big thank you to the entire Sobirovs team, especially Yulia, and Farouk. They demonstrated exceptional expertise and professionalism throughout, guiding me with precision and clarity. Their commitment to providing personalized and thorough assistance made a significant impact on my overall experience. Thank you, Sobirovs law firm for your exceptional service and for making my journey to permanent residency a smooth and gratifying experience.
Kenneth Leong
Kenneth Leong
I must say that SOBIROVS has an excellent team to guide us to getting our work permits approved. I want to personally thank Feruza, Judy, Owen and Medina in getting us "pass the gates". Not to mention the entire team that is behind the scene. My family and I are deeply grateful for their excellent work and professional advice. A special thanks to Ms Judy for her untiring dedication to making this opportunity a reality for my family and I. We have full confidence in Feruza and her team and I will continue to use their services for the next step of our application for PR status later on.
Siarhei Vasilyeu
Siarhei Vasilyeu
My family (5) have chosen Sobirovs for our ICT visa application, and now we confidently recommend them! Right from the start you will be assigned a special team within their firm who will be busy with your plans, needs and documents. The process is organized very efficiently, what is crucial when you run your own business on your side. Once the documents submitted to IRCC, the pre-submission team entrust your case to post-submission group, who monitor the progress and keep you constantly updated what's going on with the case. As a result, our ICT application was approved in just several weeks from submission, just wooow. Thank you and thumbs up for Monique, Mariam, Owen, Madina, and Ms. Feruza who was our lead lawyer. Sobirovs is your smart choice, they know how to do the rest.
Muzammil Habib
Muzammil Habib
I would like to thanks Sobirovs Law Firm team especially Monique, Mariiam Jamal, Owen and Ms. Feroza. They done a great job and help me to get ICT work permit. Their team work was excllent and they worked professionally. Here I would like to present my special thanks for Monique who communicated with me nicely. She respond me quickly whatever I have questions in my mind. She is so nice I like her working style. In the end I can say that all of them are really professional. Thanks for all this. Hope to see you soon.
Rahul C
Rahul C
Exceptional service of the utmost quality and professionalism. I extend my heartfelt gratitude to the entire team, with special acknowledgments to Nity, Judy, Feruza, Owen, and Medina, for their invaluable assistance in securing the approval of my application. I am sincerely appreciative of the outstanding service and unwavering support provided. This is by far the best immigration law firms in Canada who work with complete transparency.
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Ulugbek Holmatov
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Thomas Bulmer
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Jason Tsarouhas
Mariam and her team have helped us migrate our entire workforce from Australia to Canada. We couldn't have been more prepared by the time we made it to the border. The team were accessible, informative and detail orientated which is exactly what you want when you have stresses of moving your company and life to the other side of the world! A HUGE thank you to the team for their efforts so far and future work we'll be doing together! Jason, Learning Online!
Victor Arakaki
Victor Arakaki
We're incredibly grateful for the fantastic work done by the entire Sobirovs team!. While our work permit application had its share of challenges, Feruza, an outstanding lawyer with extensive expertise in business immigration, played a pivotal role. Her leadership and guidance were so important in getting our Work Permits approval. We must also acknowledge the exceptional contributions of Judy Lee, Nitty, Monique, Rachel and the rest of the team who supported us on this journey. It's clear that we'll continue to entrust Feruza and her team with any of our future legal needs. We have full confidence in Feruza and her team and highly recommend their services.
Hardik Vyas
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