Startup Visa Program Timeline

[Fiat@fifo]

https://open.canada.ca/data/en/dataset/9b34e712-513f-44e9-babf-9df4f7256550

So, there’s still a bit of hope for the lucky applicants this year.

 

[Fiat@fifo]

Dear All,

Please, I need clarification: For the Start-Up Visa and Self-Employed programs, the upcoming annual quota is reported as 500. Does this refer only to principal applicants, or does it include their families as well?”

 

[RonaldoNazario]

Please confirm your source.
I didn't't find any publicly available data to verify count 2115 PRs. Skilled Worker + SUV are economic contributors, but splitting exactly how many landings came from each is not straightforward with publicly reported data.
And, SUV will be certain to be a very small slice of 2025 admissions.

Dear All,

Please, I need clarification: For the Start-Up Visa and Self-Employed programs, the upcoming annual quota is reported as 500. Does this refer only to principal applicants, or does it include their families as well?”

Family are included in that numbers.
Let’s say, If you are approved and apply with 2 kids and a partner. Then, 4 places are allocated to you and 496 remaining

 

[Fiat@fifo]

Family are included in that numbers.
Let’s say, If you are approved and apply with 2 kids and a partner. Then, 4 places are allocated to you and 496 remaining

I had the same understanding until yesterday, when I met someone who had been working at an immigration agency and debated with me about the numbers, slightly convincing me that it’s just the principles. Now I’m really confused and unsure.

 

[RonaldoNazario]

I had the same understanding until yesterday, when I met someone who had been working at an immigration agency and debated with me about the numbers, slightly convincing me that it’s just the principles. Now I’m really confused and unsure.

What does he mean it’s just principles?
Sounds interesting
The main thing is why they reduced the numbers to 500? If they want to cancel the program just pause the intake and then cancel it.
I don’t understand them tbh.

 

[Fiat@fifo]

What does he mean it’s just principles?
Sounds interesting
The main thing is why they reduced the numbers to 500? If they want to cancel the program just pause the intake and then cancel it.
I don’t understand them tbh.

Yes, according to him it’s principal applicants only. I’m not 100% sure, but the logic is actually very convincing.


Let’s use simple math to see what the “500” would mean if IRCC counted dependents inside that number:

• Assume 30% of the 500 goes to SE → 150 SE
• The remaining 70% → 350 SUV

Now look at a real example:
Our group has 4 principal applicants, all married and each with children → 19 people total.


If IRCC counted dependents, then:


350 total spots ÷ 19 people per application = 18.4 SUV applications per year.


Even if we reduce the family size by half, the number still stays under 40 SUV applications.
That’s almost nothing.


Now compare that to the actual intake reality:

• Annual new application cap: 10 per DO
• There are about 79 DOs
• Even if each DO uses only half of their allowance → 5 applications each

That alone is:
5 × 80 ≈ 400 new SUV applications per year,
not including backlogs, which are already massive.


So mathematically it is impossible that the “500” includes families.
It only makes little sense if the quota refers to principal applicants only.

 

[nanoxide]

Dear All,

Please, I need clarification: For the Start-Up Visa and Self-Employed programs, the upcoming annual quota is reported as 500. Does this refer only to principal applicants, or does it include their families as well?”

Hello,


Initially, I was under the impression that principal applicants and dependents are considered within the Quota of 2000 / 500. But when I spoke with an immigration agent and another ex-immigration officer I got the clarity.


500 Quota is for the principal applicants, and dependents will be issued from the Spousal category.

 

[RonaldoNazario]

Yes, according to him it’s principal applicants only. I’m not 100% sure, but the logic is actually very convincing.


Let’s use simple math to see what the “500” would mean if IRCC counted dependents inside that number:

• Assume 30% of the 500 goes to SE → 150 SE
• The remaining 70% → 350 SUV

Now look at a real example:
Our group has 4 principal applicants, all married and each with children → 19 people total.


If IRCC counted dependents, then:


350 total spots ÷ 19 people per application = 18.4 SUV applications per year.


Even if we reduce the family size by half, the number still stays under 40 SUV applications.
That’s almost nothing.


Now compare that to the actual intake reality:

• Annual new application cap: 10 per DO
• There are about 79 DOs
• Even if each DO uses only half of their allowance → 5 applications each

That alone is:
5 × 80 ≈ 400 new SUV applications per year,
not including backlogs, which are already massive.


So mathematically it is impossible that the “500” includes families.
It only makes little sense if the quota refers to principal applicants only.

I’ve heard like 5 consultants saying that family members are counted in the numbers.
The math you’re doing is based on applicants not people.
In your example would be 80 new applications not 400 because each application regardless of number of people is counted as 1.
However the number of permanent residents ( family members for each applicant) are counted directly to the target of 500.
They are counted like this since they need to know public services would be available for each person.
Hopefully, your understanding would be right. Would be in a better and quicker position to be processed.
However my understanding makes more sense to me.

 

[Kang Wanli]

I had the same understanding until yesterday, when I met someone who had been working at an immigration agency and debated with me about the numbers, slightly convincing me that it’s just the principles. Now I’m really confused and unsure.

It's not only the principal applicants. 500 includes all the applicants as well as their family members. Thats why it is showing it takes longer than 10 years on the government website.

 

[Fiat@fifo]

I’ve heard like 5 consultants saying that family members are counted in the numbers.
The math you’re doing is based on applicants not people.
In your example would be 80 new applications not 400 because each application regardless of number of people is counted as 1.
However the number of permanent residents ( family members for each applicant) are counted directly to the target of 500.
They are counted like this since they need to know public services would be available for each person.
Hopefully, your understanding would be right. Would be in a better and quicker position to be processed.
However my understanding makes more sense to me.

As far as I know, each DO is capped at 10 SUVs, not 10 applicants. So, 10 SUVs could mean anywhere from 10 to 50 applicants. Each applicant might have between 0 and several dependents. If there are about 400 new SUV applications per year and each SUV averages 2.5 applicants, that’s roughly 1,000 applicants. If each has a spouse and one child, that’s about 3,000 people—a very conservative estimate. Assuming the program is new, after one year the backlog could be 2,500 (5 years), and in the second year it could grow to 5,000 (10 years), and so on. That’s the basic logic in simple math, though I’m still unsure if the 500 is for principals only, as I’m caught between logic and illogic.

(Effective April 30, 2024, IRCC will implement a cap on the number of permanent residence applications it will accept for processing each year under the Start-up Visa Program to 10 start-ups per Designated Organization."

 

[Ash134]

As far as I know, each DO is capped at 10 SUVs, not 10 applicants. So, 10 SUVs could mean anywhere from 10 to 50 applicants. Each applicant might have between 0 and several dependents. If there are about 400 new SUV applications per year and each SUV averages 2.5 applicants, that’s roughly 1,000 applicants. If each has a spouse and one child, that’s about 3,000 people—a very conservative estimate. Assuming the program is new, after one year the backlog could be 2,500 (5 years), and in the second year it could grow to 5,000 (10 years), and so on. That’s the basic logic in simple math, though I’m still unsure if the 500 is for principals only, as I’m caught between logic and illogic.

(Effective April 30, 2024, IRCC will implement a cap on the number of permanent residence applications it will accept for processing each year under the Start-up Visa Program to 10 start-ups per Designated Organization."

agreed and the backlog 43,800 is principal applicants . there is almost 12000-17000 SUV Cases . if you calculator 12000x 4 average principal applicants 48000 and if count spouse and child it will cross 100k +.

 

[Fiat@fifo]

It's not only the principal applicants. 500 includes all the applicants as well as their family members. Thats why it is showing it takes longer than 10 years on the government website.

It’s possible, I’m not saying I know. But I want to comment on your statement:

“That’s why the government website shows it takes longer than 10 years.”

Actually, the logic of that statement implies the opposite of what you’re suggesting.

If the 500-cap were only principal applicants, and dependents were not included, then the official processing time should be showing "more than 10 years.

If dependents were counted in the 500, the government website should show close to a century, not just over 10 years.

Here’s why:

43,800 ÷ 500 = 87.6 years

 

[Ash134]

jan 2023 to 2025 feb they issued 8000+ LOS

 

[Fiat@fifo]

agreed and the backlog 43,800 is principal applicants . there is almost 12000-17000 SUV Cases . if you calculator 12000x 4 average principal applicants 48000 and if count spouse and child it will cross 100k +.

We will send an email to our lawyer requesting clarification on both the backlog numbers and the intake numbers.

 

[Fiat@fifo]

jan 2023 to 2025 feb they issued 8000+ LOS

Wow, that’s unbelievable.