Northway
BusinessClosedFederal program

Federal Start-up Visa

The federal Start-up Visa closed to new applicants in 2026 amid a very long backlog — consider provincial entrepreneur streams instead.

Who it's for

  • Previously: founders with support from a designated organization.

Estimated processing time

Not accepting new applicants. Existing inventory faces a very long backlog.

Official source
Open the official program page

Northway is an assessment tool, not legal advice. Only IRCC and the provinces make binding decisions.