Important note: we have currently paused our intake for SUV Applications, please visit Startup Visa Services for more information about other designated business incubators, angel investor groups, and venture capital funds.

Apply for the Start-up Visa Program

If you are an international entrepreneur and are looking for a Canadian Start-Up Visa Designated Angel Group, you are in the right place for your application to be assessed.

York Angel Investors is a designated angel organization in Canada that can support applications for a Start-up Visa (SUV) Program. As a designated angel group participant in the SUV program of the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), we can provide the first level of assessment of your intention to apply.

Canada welcomes innovative business ideas and invites entrepreneurs from other countries to benefit from the strong Canadian economy. The SUV Program, launched by the IRCC, targets foreign start-ups with novel and new technology that have the potential to build innovative businesses within Canada and can help to further innovate within our entrepreneurial ecosystem.

The process is intended to allow for the expedited migration of foreign entrepreneurs or technology start-ups looking to establish and operate their own business in Canada by providing up to five (5) founders or core team members with a permanent residency; provided that they meet the criteria established under the program and IRCC’s normal requirements for immigration.

Applying to York Angels

Founders, or their representatives, are welcome to apply to the SUV Program through York Angel Investors website. The process begins by filling in an initial validation. No emailed applications will be reviewed.

Initial Validation

This initial validation is a thorough evaluation of your start-up to determine its potential of obtaining a Letter of Support through a $75,000 angel investment from York Angel Investors. Completing the initial validation form is the first step and does.

NOTE: completion of the form does not guarantee a Letter of Support.

Validation Fee

York Angel Investors is working exclusively with Startup Visa Services (SVS), a 3rd party application processing company, for the initial application vetting. SVS will review all application and assess if the applicant qualifies to the further review stage. After the review, SVS may contact you with the reasons why your application may be disqualified or if further information is required.

There is no application fee charged to the entrepreneur or startup by York Angel Investors to review the application. You may choose to engage SVS to help you with refining your file for an extra cost.

Please Note: By submitting your application, York Angel Investors makes no promise of successful entry to the Start-up Visa Program. This is only an initial validation of the worthiness of your start-up as a potential for angel investment. York Angel Investors is not accredited by the Government of Canada to make any promises of success of an applicant at this early stage of assessment. York Angel Investors or Startup Visa Services cannot comment or suggest on any immigration related issues and can only comment on viability of the applicant’s business venture.

Preparing to Apply for Validation

Before proceeding to the validation application, please ensure that you are prepared with the following information:

  • about your founder(s)
  • market problem
  • novel solution
  • market
  • path to profit
  • business model

The minimum requirements that you should include:

  1. Each co-applicant must hold at least 10% voting rights for all outstanding shares of the business venture post investment from York Angel Investors.
  2. Pass admissibility to Canada tests of criminality, medical and entrance eligibility.
  3. Score at least Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 5 or higher in each test component an approved English or French language proficiency test.
  4. At the time of receiving permanent residence, the applicant(s) must be actively managing the business from inside Canada on an ongoing basis, and an essential part of its operations must take place within Canada.
  5. NOT rely only on York Angel Investors for capitalisation and ongoing business and immigration funds – thus Have sufficient funds to support oneself and accompanying dependents (if any) after arriving in Canada.

What to Expect After Validation Submission

If your start-up meets the validation criteria, Startup Visa Services will reach out to you directly with possible next steps.

The SUV Program is highly competitive. We receive a very high volume of applications. We attempt to give feedback to all applicants, but unfortunately we are unable to respond to all. If you have not received a response from Startup Visa Services within 15 business days, you should assume that your start-up did not pass our validation requirements. Please do not email or call us about the status of your application.

For Immigration Consultants or Agents

York Angel Investors does not accept application for membership strictly for the purpose of investing in Start-up Visa companies. This program is not intended to create a path to permanent residence for the purpose of investing. It is intended for Canadian investors to help identify and support start-ups with novel technology and help them move their start-up to Canada for further diversification in our technology sector and job creation.

If you believe that you have a client that fits our investment criteria, after reviewing all the information on our website regarding the Start-up Visa Program, then we invite you to have the founder apply below.



Dear international Startups.

Please fill out to your best ability the form below and we wish you luck with your Canadian Startup Visa path.