Despite a slowdown in overall immigration, Canada’s Start-Up Visa (SUV) entrepreneur immigration rose 17.4% in March, welcoming 505 new permanent residents, up 75 from February. This increase occurred when immigration to Canada dipped for the second consecutive month. The current level of SUV immigration suggests that Canada could welcome 5,760 new permanent residents through this business program by year’s end, a 294.5% increase from last year. The SUV program, launched in 2015, has grown in popularity, with Ontario and British Columbia being the most popular destinations. Despite the pandemic’s impact on immigration, the SUV program rebounded strongly in 2021 with 385 new permanent residents, improving by 48.1% over 2020. The SUV program allows candidates to come to Canada on a work permit supported by their designated Canadian investor before their application for permanent residence is finalized, a process currently estimated to take 37 months.
