Federal Business Immigration Programs - Current Intake Update
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Canada's federal business immigration landscape has changed significantly. The Start-Up Visa Program and the Self-Employed Persons Program are no longer broadly open to new applicants.
As of 1 January 2026, the Start-Up Visa Program is paused for most new applications. Limited transitional applications may still be possible where the applicant has a valid 2025 commitment certificate and applies within IRCC's deadline. The Start-Up Visa optional open work permit is also closed to new applicants, except limited extension situations for those already holding this work permit.
The Self-Employed Persons Program is also paused. IRCC stopped accepting new applications on 30 April 2024, and later extended the pause until further notice.
At Halani Immigration Services Inc., we do not market closed or paused programs as active pathways. Instead, we assess each entrepreneur's business background, investment capacity, nationality, business model, province, and long-term permanent residence strategy to identify the most realistic current pathway.
Realistic Alternatives to Closed Federal Streams
Depending on the facts, alternatives may include the pathways below. Our role is not simply to prepare forms. We help clients understand whether a pathway is legally open, practically viable, and strategically suitable before they invest time and money.
Work-permit-first options
- C11 Entrepreneur / Significant Benefit Work Permit
- C10 Significant Benefit Work Permit
- Intra-Company Transfer
- Regular LMIA-based options, where there is a genuine employer-employee structure
PR-pathway options
- Provincial Entrepreneur Streams
- Treaty investor or trader options, where applicable
- Future federal entrepreneur pilot options, once officially announced
What we handle
- Honest pathway assessment - is a federal business program legally open and practically viable for this client?
- Mapping out alternatives (C11, C10, ICT, Provincial Entrepreneur, LMIA, treaty) when the federal door is closed
- Monitoring IRCC's intake announcements and transitional rules for SUV and Self-Employed
- SUV transitional applications - where the applicant already holds a valid 2025 commitment certificate
- SUV open-work-permit extensions for clients who already hold the permit
- Long-term PR strategy planning, not just one-off forms
Our Process
Pathway viability check
Before any retainer is signed, we assess whether the federal program the client is interested in is actually open to their case under current IRCC rules. We do not market closed programs.
Alternative pathway mapping
Where SUV or Self-Employed is closed to a client, we compare PNP entrepreneur, C11, C10, ICT, treaty investor/trader, and regular LMIA options against the client's business, capital, sector, family, and timeline.
Documentation and submission strategy
Once a viable pathway is chosen, we prepare the supporting documents, legal submission, and any required business plan or designated-organization coordination.
Application and post-submission
We file the application and manage IRCC correspondence through to decision, including any procedural fairness response.
Why Choose Halani Immigration Services Inc.
Federal business immigration is in flux. Many websites still advertise closed or paused programs as if they were open. We do not. We tell clients early when a program is closed to them and redirect to the strongest available pathway based on their facts.
- RCIC-IRB licensed (CICC R711322)
- Honest, current-state assessment of every federal business program
- Strong working knowledge of provincial entrepreneur alternatives when the federal door is shut
- Long-term PR planning integrated with the work-permit application from day one
Start-Up Visa Program - Where It Stands
The Start-Up Visa Program is paused for most new applications as of 1 January 2026. New SUV applications are limited to applicants with a valid 2025 commitment certificate who apply within IRCC's deadline. The optional open work permit linked to SUV is also closed to new applicants as of 19 December 2025, with limited extension situations for those already holding the permit. Innovative founders with designated-organization support should review the current intake rules carefully before assuming the program remains open to them.
Self-Employed Persons Program - Where It Stands
The Self-Employed Persons Program is also paused. IRCC stopped accepting new applications on 30 April 2024 and later extended the pause until further notice. We continue to monitor IRCC announcements; until the program reopens, we direct cultural, athletic, or farm-management entrepreneurs to alternative pathways such as PNP, C11, or treaty options where appropriate.
Fees
Halani's professional fees are separate from IRCC government fees and designated-organization due-diligence fees. Because most federal business programs are currently paused or closed to new applicants, we charge first for a pathway-viability assessment, and only then for application preparation against whichever pathway is actually open to the client (typically a work-permit-first route such as C11 or ICT, or a provincial entrepreneur stream).
See full fee schedule