Starting a Business in Canada?
If you are interested in starting a business in Canada, consider the Significant Benefit Work Visa. This is a good work permit for entrepreneurs or people who want to establish a business in Canada and its LMO exempt. This means that if you qualify for this visa, you will NOT have to go through Service Canada to prove your job is not negatively impacting Canadian labor. This is a huge benefit to applicants.
What are the requirements for Significant Benefit Visas?
There is a lot of “paper work” for these visas. Here is a general list of some of the requirements. However, for any specific case, you should consult with a lawyer before submitting your application.
- Get a business plan. Having a business plan will help structure you not just in terms of the steps you need to to establish or grow your business but also will help the immigration officer understand your business. A business plan will go a long way to showing credibility.
- Copies of your resume, identification documents (passports, birth certificates, marriage certificates)
- copies of any educational documents
- any documents showing you have taken steps towards establishing your business eg. incorporation documents, office lease, website pages, bank account etc.
- information about how you plan to hire Canadians or create jobs for Canadians. This is really important because Canada immigration wants to know if your business will create a “significant benefit” for Canadians.
- ties to your home country. Remember this is a work permit and all work permits are temporary so you have to show you are not giving up your life in your home country
- if you have a criminal record, you need to disclose it. If it’s serious you may been a Temporary Resident Permit (TRP) to overcome any inadmissibility due to your criminal record.
Can you renew your work visa?
The great thing about significant benefit work permits is that they can be renewed indefinitely.
Can I apply for Permanent Resident Status?
Significant Benefit Work Permits do not lead to Canadian PR. But you can apply for PR separately  if you qualify.
Do you want to start a business in Canada and need a work permit?
Get the help you need and contact us at  or email us contact@visaplace.com or call us at 1-877-296-0874
President & CEO
Michael Niren
Mr. Niren is CEO of VisaPlace LLC and the President and Managing Partner of VisaPlace Legal Canada, an immigration law firm based in Toronto, and VisaPlace Legal US a law firm registered in The District of Columbia, USA. Mr. Niren is a graduate of Osgoode Hall Law School in Toronto, a member of the Law Society of Upper Canada, the Canadian Bar Association’s Citizenship and Immigration Section, American Lawyers Association, and an Associate Member of the American Bar Association.
