VNIS Investment

Canada immigration

Canadian Immigration 2026: Start-up Visa, Express Entry and Provincial Nomination

Canada is tightening immigration policy across 2025–2027, yet the path to permanent residence remains clear and family benefits remain among the strongest anywhere. Two changes define 2026: the Start-up Visa has paused intake of new files, and Express Entry has added further priority categories.

Figures updated 08/2026

Start-up Visa
New intake paused from 01/01/2026
Letters of support issued in 2025 may be filed until 30/06/2026
Express Entry
Category-based selection plus CRS
2026 adds physicians, researchers and senior managers
PNP
80+ provincial nomination streams
Allocations reduced under the 2025–2027 levels plan
Path to citizenship
3 of the last 5 years of residence after PR

Overview

From 01/01/2026, the Start-up Visa programme has paused intake of new applications. Investors holding a valid letter of support issued by a designated organisation during 2025 have until 30/06/2026 to file for permanent residence. IRCC has indicated that an entrepreneur pilot will be announced during 2026, with a lower quota and a selective invitation mechanism.

Express Entry continues to select by category in 2026: healthcare, STEM and research, trades, education, and French language. New categories include physicians, researchers and senior managers with prior Canadian work experience, alongside a transport occupations group. The minimum experience requirement for category-based selection rises from six months to one year.

Provincial nomination remains an important door for skilled Vietnamese applicants and for those planning to run a business outside Ontario and British Columbia, even though total PNP allocations have been cut under the 2025–2027 Immigration Levels Plan. Each province operates its own entrepreneur and skilled streams, on different terms.

Policy is moving quickly. We advise against filing through any unofficial channel, and recommend that you verify the position on canada.ca before making a decision.

Programmes

Routes currently open

Start-up Visa (SUV) — 2026 transition period

Source: canada.ca

A permanent residence programme for start-up founders backed by a designated organisation — a venture fund or an incubator. New intake has been paused from 01/01/2026; the programme remains available only to those holding a letter of support issued during 2025.

Investment / cost
No statutory minimum capital; in practice you need funding to build the start-up plus settlement funds proportionate to family size
Estimated timeline
Files already submitted: several years (substantial backlog); new files: awaiting the entrepreneur pilot expected to be announced during 2026
Benefits
  • Direct permanent residence for the whole family if the application is approved
  • No minimum net worth requirement, unlike the former investor programmes
  • A work permit may be available while the application is assessed (subject to conditions)
Key requirements
  • A valid Letter of Support issued during 2025 (filing deadline 30/06/2026)
  • An innovative business in which the founder plays a genuine operating role
  • English or French at CLB 5 minimum
  • Settlement funds proportionate to family size (updated annually on canada.ca)

The pause and the replacement programme are to be reconfirmed before publication

Express Entry — Federal Skilled Worker / Canadian Experience Class (category-based selection)

Source: canada.ca

A points system, the CRS, that invites skilled candidates to apply for permanent residence. In 2026 selection favours healthcare, education, trades and French language, together with new categories requiring prior Canadian work experience.

Investment / cost
No investment required; costs cover the application, language testing and settlement funds proportionate to family size
Estimated timeline
Roughly six months to process after an invitation to apply (ITA), per the IRCC service standard; time in the pool before an invitation depends on your CRS score
Benefits
  • The fastest and most transparent permanent residence route in Canada
  • No job offer required (though a job offer improves the chance of an invitation)
  • Open work permit for your spouse; children attend public school free of charge
Key requirements
  • At least one year of skilled work experience (category-based selection requires one year in the category from 2026)
  • English or French test results (IELTS/TEF) — higher scores raise the CRS total
  • An Educational Credential Assessment for qualifications obtained outside Canada
  • A competitive CRS score — candidates outside Canada without local experience should consider studying or working there first

Provincial Nominee Program (PNP)

Source: canada.ca

Each province runs its own nomination streams for skilled workers, graduates and entrepreneurs. A provincial nomination adds 600 CRS points — in practice a near-certain invitation to apply for permanent residence.

Investment / cost
Entrepreneur streams commonly require net worth of C$300,000–800,000 and investment of C$100,000–600,000 depending on the province; skilled streams require no investment
Estimated timeline
Provincial nomination: 6–18 months depending on the province; the federal PR application then takes roughly 6–12 months
Benefits
  • A route to PR for candidates who fall short on federal Express Entry points
  • Entrepreneur streams suit owners of small and medium Vietnamese businesses
  • Many provinces prioritise occupations facing local shortages
Key requirements
  • Meet the province's own criteria (points, occupation, commitment to reside)
  • Entrepreneur streams: usually an exploratory visit, a signed Performance Agreement, and operation of the business before nomination for PR
  • A commitment to live in the nominating province

Net worth and investment levels differ by province — these are aggregated figures, to be checked province by province before advising a client

How we work

The Canada case path

  1. 01

    Assess your eligibility

    1–2 working sessions

  2. 02

    Select the programme

    1–3 weeks

  3. 03

    Prepare the file

    2–6 months, depending on the programme

  4. 04

    File and monitor

    Per the processing schedule of the adjudicating authority

  5. 05

    Settlement and beyond

    A long-term relationship

Further reading

Updates on Canada

Định cư Canada cần chứng minh bao nhiêu tiền năm 2026?

Đề cử tỉnh bang PNP: Cửa định cư Canada thực tế cho doanh nhân Việt 2026

Express Entry 2026 thêm nhóm ngành mới: Cơ hội nào cho lao động Việt?

Answers

Frequently asked questions

Is the Canada Start-up Visa still accepting applications in 2026?

No. From 01/01/2026, IRCC paused intake of Start-up Visa applications. Only those holding a valid letter of support issued during 2025 may file for permanent residence, with a deadline of 30/06/2026. IRCC expects to announce an entrepreneur pilot during 2026 on stricter criteria.

What does the skilled route to Canada require in 2026?

Through Express Entry you need at least one year of skilled work experience, an English or French test result, an Educational Credential Assessment, and a CRS score competitive enough to receive an invitation. In 2026, IRCC prioritises category-based invitations: healthcare, education, trades and French language, together with new categories such as physicians and senior managers with prior Canadian work experience.

Which provincial nominee streams suit Vietnamese entrepreneurs?

The entrepreneur streams of Saskatchewan, Manitoba, British Columbia and the Atlantic provinces commonly require net worth of C$300,000–800,000 and investment of C$100,000–600,000, together with a commitment to run the business in person. Most follow a work permit first, nomination for permanent residence once the business commitments are met. Provincial terms differ and change frequently, so verify the province's official page before filing.

How long after permanent residence can you apply for Canadian citizenship?

You need at least three years of physical presence in Canada — 1,095 days — within the five years preceding the application, together with tax filing obligations and language requirements according to your age. Canada permits dual citizenship: under Canadian law, a Vietnamese national is not required to renounce Vietnamese citizenship.

How much do you need to show in settlement funds for Canada?

For Express Entry under the Federal Skilled Worker class, the settlement funds requirement is updated annually by family size; a family of four needs a little over C$27,000, and the current figure is always published on canada.ca. PNP entrepreneur streams require substantially higher net worth, together with evidence of the lawful origin of the entire sum.

This information is provided for reference and does not constitute legal advice. Immigration policy may change at the discretion of each country. Contact VNIS Investment for an assessment based on your actual circumstances.

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