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What? An Open work permit for Startup Visa co-founders? Is this real, a scam, or a trap? Is it good for your startup visa PR approval? Will existing Startup visa co-founders be eligible? What about renewals for existing closed work permit holders? When will these changes be released? And what if your Letter of Support has expired – can you still apply for this open work permit?
This is what we are covering in this short article today.
If you’re interested in applying for the Canada Startup Visa, at INGWE we will guide and support you throughout the endorsement letter or Letter of Support process and the entire immigration process, including work visas and Canada PR. Get a FREE email assessment with one of our Business Immigration consultants. Fill out the form, click here.
If you already have a Letter of Support, already applied for your PR, but did not apply for a work permit yet, and your Letter of Support has expired – how would you apply for this new open work permit program?
Answer: You can ask your designated organization to re-issue the Letter of Support with a new validity. This is 100% possible, and we have done this for our clients who started their Startup journey with us. If your designated organization says this is not possible, or immigration won’t accept it – this is false. It’s doable, and it has been done for groups even after a year from the original Letter of Support date while their PRs are under process – if you are not in the IRCC request letter stage yet.
At INGWE we are EXPERTS in the Canada and UK Startup Visa. We will guide and support you throughout the endorsement letter or Letter of Support process and the entire immigration process including work visas and permanent residencies. Get a FREE email assessment with us, fill out our form, click here.
What if you are a non-essential member from a Letter of Support that was issued before these changes were announced? Will you be eligible to apply for the new open work permit?
Answer: You will be eligible for an open work permit if your Letter of support is still valid (i.e., within 6 months of the official issue date) – no matter if you are an essential or non-essential member of the Startup Visa group.
If you’re interested in applying for the Canada Startup Visa, at INGWE we will guide and support you throughout the endorsement letter or Letter of Support process and the entire immigration process, including work visas and Canada PR. Get a FREE email assessment with one of our Business Immigration consultants. Fill out the form, click here.
When can existing and new Startup visa co-founders apply for an open work permit?
Answer: Although no specific date is announced, we must use common sense. IRCC officers and the main decision-makers don’t work much during July and August – this is their main holiday season. We expect either September, October, or November of this year to have the new open work permit changes for the Startup Visa implemented. We expect that the open work permit will be the first real change in the Startup Visa program after the Minister of Immigration’s announcement of all the future upcoming modifications.
At INGWE we are EXPERTS in the Canada and UK Startup Visa. We will guide and support you throughout the endorsement letter or Letter of Support process and the entire immigration process including work visas and permanent residencies. Get a FREE email assessment with us, fill out our form, click here.
This is probably the most common question that every Startup co-founder is asking.
Answer: No clear answer has been published by IRCC. However, as most of the changes will be retroactive, our experience shows that this open work permit will be also retroactive to allow existing co-founders to switch to open work permits (either before, after, or during a renewal). This is based on other programs which IRCC has changed or announced, and how they have affected previous applicants inside Canada with various statuses.
Answer: Yes. But there may be some strings attached that IRCC has not told us yet – which may affect your Startup Visa PR processing. We’re going to cover this key point in the next question.
Remember that we’re always posting about these key details for Startup Visa & investment immigration programs– and if that’s what you are interested in, you can subscribe to our YouTube channel for more deep dive videos.
Answer: This is a great question. If you apply for an open work permit, that by itself is no reason for a PR refusal. If you find a full-time job with another company, then there will be several factors that may affect your PR processing such as how much traction and progress in your Startup you can show, how much you have invested, if you have hired Canadians, and which type of officer you receive. If you don’t know what we’re talking about then watch one of our previous LIVE streams where we discuss the various officers making decisions on your PR under the Startup Visa program.
If you want to prove that you are fully invested in your Startup and have an active role, we suggest paying yourself 30 hours a week on payroll from your own startup, not working full-time for another employer but rather part-time if you really have to, as well as investing funds in your startup and hiring Canadians.
As we have mentioned in our previous videos, this open work permit can be a double-edged sword: it can help you with more flexibility inside Canada or it can really hurt your final IRCC PR processing. What if one of your essential co-founders goes and finds a full-time job with another firm and spends 99% of their time there – how do you prove to IRCC that all essential members are proactive and fully invested in this Startup? Food for thought before you bring the whole family over to Canada with an open work permit under the new program for the Startup Visa.
At INGWE we are EXPERTS in the Canada and UK Startup Visa. We will guide and support you throughout the endorsement letter or Letter of Support process and the entire immigration process including work visas and permanent residencies. Get a FREE email assessment with us, fill out our form, click here.
Answer: The answer is ‘No’. Open work permit applications are exempt from the employer compliance fee, although the actual application fee with IRCC is $100 higher than a closed work permit.
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