As of December 19, 2025, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has ceased accepting new applications for the optional open work permit for Start-up Visa (SUV) applicants. Only those currently in Canada seeking to extend an existing SUV-specific work permit may still do so.
Furthermore, effective December 31, 2025, the SUV program has officially closed to new permanent residency applications. The only exception is for founders who hold a valid commitment certificate issued by a designated organization in 2025; these individuals have until June 30, 2026, to submit their applications. You can review the official IRCC announcement here.
For Permanent Residence Applicants:
IRCC will stop accepting commitment certificates from organizations after December 31, 2025.
Applicants with a valid 2025 commitment certificate must apply by June 30, 2026.
For Work Permit applicants:
As of December 19, 2025, IRCC is no longer accepting new applications.
If you already have a work permit under the Start-up Visa Program, you may be able to extend it while your permanent residence application is being processed.
For more information, please visit IRCC’s website.
For Eligible Founders: Important Requirements & Considerations
The Government of Alberta has additional eligibility criteria for immigration. See FGES (Foreign Graduate Entrepreneur Stream) for details. Participation in this program does not guarantee nomination for the Foreign Graduate Entrepreneur Stream.
Board Member
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Advisor
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Our association with trusted immigration and business professionals demonstrates our commitment to supporting your venture and strengthens your application's legitimacy. Our Partners and Pillar Team, including KPMG Law– are well-known, influential companies.
When you succeed, we succeed. We give entrepreneurs the tools they need to move, scale, and thrive in Calgary, and internationally.
Once you arrive in Calgary, we support you with access to the Platform Innovation Centre community, personalized accelerator programs, credits for outside workshops, and other startup development incentives.
Land Acknowledgement
We honour and acknowledge Moh’kinsstis and the traditional Treaty 7 territory and oral practices of the Blackfoot confederacy: Siksika, Kainai, Piikani, as well as the Îyâxe Nakoda and Tsuut’ina nations. We acknowledge that this territory is home to the Métis Nation of Alberta, Region 3 within the historical Northwest Métis homeland. We respect all Nations who live, work, play, innovate and build things on this land, and in so doing honour and celebrate the territory.
