Startup Visa Program Timeline

[uhani0115]

Is there anyone who applied for the SUV last year? It has been almost a year, and we have not even receivced the AOR. We you have recently received the AOR, please share when you applied and if your DO is priority.

 

[Fiat@fifo]

Is there anyone who applied for the SUV last year? It has been almost a year, and we have not even receivced the AOR. We you have recently received the AOR, please share when you applied and if your DO is priority.

We applied in Sep 2021 and got AOR in August 2023 , almost 2 years . So don't worry

 

[uhani0115]

We applied in Sep 2021 and got AOR in August 2023 , almost 2 years . So don't worry

Thank you for sharing your information. Can you let me know if your DO was one of the priority organizations and if you got any other updates so far?

For others, especially for those who have applied after we did, we applied in September 2024 with a LOS from a non-priority DO and as of September 2025, we have not heard anything from the IRCC.

 

[Fiat@fifo]

Thank you for sharing your information. Can you let me know if your DO was one of the priority organizations and if you got any other updates so far?

For others, especially for those who have applied after we did, we applied in September 2024 with a LOS from a non-priority DO and as of September 2025, we have not heard anything from the IRCC.

Back in 2021, there was no priority/non-priority system for applications. This classification started sometime around mid-2023 or 2024. Your situation is entirely normal - since your application is still relatively new and the processing time from application received and decision is 53 Months.

 

[uhani0115]

Back in 2021, there was no priority/non-priority system for applications. This classification started sometime around mid-2023 or 2024. Your situation is entirely normal - since your application is still relatively new and the processing time from application received and decision is 53 Months.

Thank you for sharing. Did you get the PR or COPR by any chance?

 

[Fiat@fifo]

Thank you for sharing. Did you get the PR or COPR by any chance?

Still waiting

 

[kenkenk]

Is there anyone who applied for the SUV last year? It has been almost a year, and we have not even receivced the AOR. We you have recently received the AOR, please share when you applied and if your DO is priority.

I submitted my Startup Visa SUV project last year, in February. What month did you submit yours? I haven't received an AOR yet. Do you know what stage the 2023 SUV projects are currently at? I'm trying to see when they might start processing the 2024 SUV projects.

 

[Fiat@fifo]

I have heard that the primary driver behind the increased refusals in 2025 appears to be IRCC's suspension of the peer-review system effective August 1, 2024, which transferred decision-making authority entirely to visa officers—resulting in more stringent eligibility evaluations and the elevated refusal rates that immigration firms have documented in 2025.

 

[Aleem123]

I have heard that the primary driver behind the increased refusals in 2025 appears to be IRCC's suspension of the peer-review system effective August 1, 2024, which transferred decision-making authority entirely to visa officers—resulting in more stringent eligibility evaluations and the elevated refusal rates that immigration firms have documented in 2025.

I don’t think the refusals have anything to do with Peer review being removed, Peer review’s were far and few historically

My feel is refusals are basically due to role of founders being ambiguous, less Credible and less scalable business plan, not able to demonstrate significant benefit to the economy/country, business not being unique.

I think many are getting Procedural fairness letters which are not addressed to the satisfaction of IRCC, and also cases of Misrepresentation, not enough financial backing etc are adding to refusals

Last but not least, with reduced targets, IRCC is too picky on which to approve and which to reject and rejecting also counts towards processing, I feel more rejections also helps bring down processing times

Any contrarian view is welcome

Let’s share our views and help ourselves to get through this difficult wait

 

[Fiat@fifo]

I don’t think the refusals have anything to do with Peer review being removed, Peer review’s were far and few historically

My feel is refusals are basically due to role of founders being ambiguous, less Credible and less scalable business plan, not able to demonstrate significant benefit to the economy/country, business not being unique.

I think many are getting Procedural fairness letters which are not addressed to the satisfaction of IRCC, and also cases of Misrepresentation, not enough financial backing etc are adding to refusals

Last but not least, with reduced targets, IRCC is too picky on which to approve and which to reject and rejecting also counts towards processing, I feel more rejections also helps bring down processing times

Any contrarian view is welcome

Let’s share our views and help ourselves to get through this difficult wait

Most of the points you mentioned — like ambiguous founder roles, credibility and scalability of the business plan, and even the “significant benefit” angle — were actually the main focus of the peer review stage. That’s why I feel the suspension of peer review has shifted that same scrutiny fully onto visa officers, making refusals more visible now.

 

[kenkenk]

We got ADR, 5 times with these questions
Provide updated proof of settlement funds.

Submit recent bank statements for all applicants.
Provide proof that your start-up is currently active.
Submit updated incorporation documents.

Provide evidence of your ongoing role in the business.
Clarify your current country of residence with proof.
Submit recent communication with your Designated Organization.

Provide an updated business plan/pitch deck.
Show evidence of revenue, customers, or contracts (if any).
Provide details of your current occupation and work activities.

Submit proof of collaboration among all four co-founders.
Provide product development updates (screenshots, links, reports).
Clarify whether you or your co-founders are engaged in other employment.

Provide future business establishment plans in Canada.
Also my twin daughters turned 18, so we had to update their information before PAL 2, I don't know if it counts as an ADR.
They asked for my PCC as well as my spouse but not my daughters.
Most of the ADRs with questions were super fast after PAL 1 and between PPR.
Haven't included anything like Schedule A again, just other documents.

Hi there,
Thanks a lot for your sharing, really helpful! I have a couple of questions about the SUV process:

1. After receiving the AOR, at what stage does IRCC usually ask for more details about the startup plan or business progress?
2. I see terms like AOR, ADR, PAL1, PAL2 in the SUV process. Are these meant to be step-by-step milestones in a sequence, or more like parallel tasks handled by IRCC? And regarding the startup info or ongoing business operation details, does IRCC keep asking for them throughout all stages, or is it more like a workflow where you only need to provide updates at certain points and then you’re done?

Thanks in advance!

 

[kenkenk]

Is there anyone who applied for the SUV last year? It has been almost a year, and we have not even receivced the AOR. We you have recently received the AOR, please share when you applied and if your DO is priority.

me too,