Are you a tech entrepreneur currently outside of Canada and interested in moving to British Columbia to establish your business? The Startup Visa Program has been designed to support your ambition.
Created by the Government of Canada, this program intends to attract foreign entrepreneurs who wish to establish new high-growth businesses in Canada that will support innovation and job-creation.
Alacrity will accelerate growth through a 12 month program that’s responsive to each entrepreneur’s or company’s needs. Companies will receive access to expertise, services, resources, mentors, and advisors so that they can conquer milestones, achieve goals, and overcome any challenges they may face in setting up a business in Canada.
The first step is to complete the application form. The Alacrity team will review all submissions, and if your application screens through, they will schedule a 30-minute call to discuss your proposed business and provide additional program details. If you successfully pass this initial stage, a thorough due diligence consideration of you and your proposed business and business plan is required before formal acceptance. Alacrity typically takes 1-3 months to approve an application; however, that is dependent on how quickly we can receive information and specific documents from you.
Immigration, Refugee and Citizenship Canada’s (IRCC) approval process is currently listed at 18 – 24 months. The Startup Visa Program application is accessible online through the link below.
Check your spam or promotion folders, and if you still haven’t received an email from us, it means that we are still in the process of reviewing your application and will get back to you soon. If it’s been more than two weeks, please contact us at suv@alacritycanada.com.
Alacrity does not offer any direct financial support or investment. However, we do provide introductions to potential investors.
The program and services start when you are able to come to Canada. This is either when you are approved by IRCC and receive your Permanent Residency or if you decide to apply for a work permit while IRCC is processing your application.
Yes, Alacrity does receive equity in the new business. Please view our Application Package for more information.
The closer you are to Alacrity Canada, the easier it is for meetings and receiving services and resources. While we prefer applicants to be in British Columbia as we are headquartered in Victoria, B.C., we will not restrict you if you wish to be somewhere else in Canada. The one limitation that the Government of Canada has imposed is that applicants cannot move to the province of Quebec.
A work permit grants applicant(s) the ability to come to Canada and work on their business while their application is being processed and reviewed by IRCC. You must notify Alacrity Canada if you wish to apply for a work permit. For more information and how to apply for a work permit, visit the IRCC’s Work permits for Start-Up Visa applicants page.
Alternatively, you do not have to apply for a work permit and can wait for the final decision from IRCC before moving to Canada to begin our program.
Alacrity Canada acknowledges and is grateful to be working on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territory of the Lkwungen peoples (Songhees and Esquimalt), where the Songhees, Esquimalt, and WSÁNEĆ peoples’ relationship with the land continues today.