Startup Visa Program Timeline

[Fiat@fifo]

Has anyone heard any solid rumours about new IRCC policies for the Start-Up Visa after New Year? An immigration agency mentioned that changes might be coming but they did not share any official documents or clear details so right now it feels more like gossip than confirmed news.

Still, if one consultant is talking about it there might be something circulating in the industry which is why I wanted to ask here. I also heard talk that IRCC could ask existing SUV files to submit extra documents to show the current status and real operations of the projects so I am curious if anyone has actually received that kind of request yet.

I have heard similar rumours, possibly from the same source. An immigration agency mentioned that IRCC sent a survey to TCN incubators only, with a response deadline around mid‑January 2025 (as far as I remember). This is very similar to what happened in 2023, when IRCC sent a survey shortly before the major Start‑Up Visa changes announced in April 2024. This is what I heard, but there is no way to verify it yet, so it should still be treated as unconfirmed information.

What seems more certain is that, if IRCC acts rationally, some form of change or intervention is almost unavoidable at this stage (not necessarily negative for everyone, but likely affecting at least part of the SUV inventory). The current situation is not sustainable: the backlog is reported to be above 42–44,000 files, while annual admissions are around 500, and new intake has been several times higher than the yearly quota. In just the last couple of months, roughly 1,200 new SUV cases appear to have been added to the inventory, which would mean something in the range of 7,000+ per year against only 500 spots, creating effectively “infinite” waiting times for non‑priority files if nothing changes

Regarding your question about IRCC possibly asking existing SUV files to provide extra documents to prove current business activity and real operations: this actually needs some clarification. IRCC already issues “additional document requests” (ADR for business) for most groups, where they ask for updated business information and evidence of activity. This is part of the usual processing for many files. The rumor some people are mentioning seems to go beyond the standard ADRs and suggests a more systematic re‑screening of all or many pending SUV files, but so far there is no official confirmation that such a broad exercise has started.

 

[Ash134]

The Federal Court has affirmed that, in a work permit application submitted under the Start-Up Business Class, a Designated Organization’s commitment certificate and letter of support stating that an applicant’s entry to Canada is urgent is “only an expression of opinion for an officer’s consideration.”

When this jurisprudence is combined with IRCC’s current treatment of Start-Up Business Class applicants, it places applicants in an increasingly difficult, and arguably untenable, position.

Processing times for permanent residence under the Start-Up Business Class now exceed ten years. Applicants who wish to begin building their business in Canada sooner must repeatedly demonstrate that their presence is urgent, including on each subsequent work permit extension. At the same time, applicants who choose to wait rather than uproot their lives and relocate to Canada risk later being accused that their proposed business is a sham undertaken primarily to obtain permanent residence.

This dynamic leaves applicants navigating a narrow and uncertain path. They must continually justify urgency over many years, or avoid the perception that waiting undermines the genuineness of their business, despite the extraordinary processing delays.

Source :-

https://twitter.com/x/status/2000249260856471751