From April 30, 2024, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) will implement changes to federal business programs to reduce processing times and application backlog. The Start-up Visa Program will cap the number of applications to ten start-ups per organization and prioritize those backed by Canadian capital or a member of Canada’s Tech Network. The Self-Employed Persons Program, offering permanent residence to individuals with notable experience in art, culture, recreation, or sports, will pause applications to focus on the existing backlog. During the pause, IRCC will finalize existing applications and reassess the program.
