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Canada Start Up Visa for Filipino Nationals

The Canada Start Up Visa offers permanent residence to entrepreneurs backed by a designated Canadian organisation. Filipino founders are eligible in principle, but the intake position changed for 2026, so confirm the current status before you plan.

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Reference
Official authorityImmigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC)
ProgrammeCanada Start Up Visa
For nationalityFilipino
Information current as ofJune 2026
Official source →

Information, not advice. Figures are indicative and current as of June 2026. Always confirm the present rules with the official program authority and a licensed professional before you act.

Reviewed by the Passports for Kings editorial team. Last reviewed 23 June 2026.
This route is reported closed, paused or not currently available: IRCC paused new Start Up Visa submissions tied to fresh intake from 1 January 2026 as part of wider intake limits. Applicants who already held a valid letter of support from a designated organisation in 2025 were given until 30 June 2026 to apply for permanent residence. Confirm the current intake position with IRCC before acting.. We publish this page so the position is clear. Do not rely on older figures.

Eligibility for Filipino nationals

Filipino founders are not excluded by nationality. The core tests are a qualifying business, support from a designated organisation, language ability at the required benchmark and sufficient settlement funds.

Because the intake was paused for 2026, the practical question for a Filipino applicant now is whether the route is accepting new candidates again. Confirm this with IRCC.

Routes

Support can come from a designated venture capital fund, a designated angel investor group or a designated business incubator. Each type of organisation has its own commitment level and assessment process.

You and the designated organisation together must hold the required share of voting rights in the business, and applicant groups are capped in size.

Timeline

Processing time has historically run to several years and depends on intake policy. Confirm the current expected timeline and intake status with IRCC.

Costs

Minimum committed investment depends on the type of designated organisation. Government and biometrics fees apply separately. The figures below are indicative only.

What to watch

Watch for IRCC announcements on when or whether new submissions reopen, any change to designated organisation lists and any change to the minimum commitment levels.

ItemIndicative amountNotes
Venture capital fund commitment200,000 Canadian dollarsFrom a designated venture capital fund
Angel investor group commitment75,000 Canadian dollarsFrom a designated angel investor group
Business incubatorNo set sumAcceptance into a designated incubator programme
LanguageConfirm the current figure with the official authorityMinimum benchmark set by IRCC

Figures are indicative and current as of June 2026. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) publishes the binding detail. Verify before you act.

Common questions

Is the Canada Start Up Visa open to Filipino nationals right now?

Filipino founders are eligible by nationality, but IRCC paused new intake from 1 January 2026. Confirm whether new submissions have reopened before you plan.

What deadline applied to existing applicants?

Applicants who held a valid letter of support from a designated organisation in 2025 were given until 30 June 2026 to apply for permanent residence. Confirm your own deadline with IRCC.

Who runs the programme?

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, known as IRCC.

Information, not advice. Figures are indicative and current as of June 2026. Always confirm the present rules with the official program authority and a licensed professional before you act.

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Information, not advice. Figures are indicative and current as of June 2026. Always confirm the present rules with the official program authority and a licensed professional before you act.

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