Why is Canada delaying entrepreneur work visas?

Canada is delaying or not processing some entrepreneur or business-related work visa applications primarily because of significant backlogs, new caps, and increased scrutiny within the relevant immigration streams.

Here’s what’s contributing to the delays:

1. Start-Up Visa (SUV) Program Backlog and Caps

• As of mid 2025, Start Up Visa applications are facing long delays—processing times range from 31 to over 35 months, with some estimates nearing 50 weeks to several years depending on case complexity.

• From April 30, 2024, IRCC began limiting applications accepted per designated organization to no more than ten start ups, and giving priority processing only to those backed by Canadian capital or incubators in Canada’s Tech Network.

2. Pause on Self Employed Persons Program

• A complete moratorium on new applications under the Self Employed Persons program (which includes cultural or athletic entrepreneurs) was introduced from April 2024 through the end of 2026, due to inventory growing over four years and causing processing times exceeding 41 months.

3. Reduced Caps on Work Permits

• Related immigration streams such as the C11 Entrepreneur Work Permit, which grants temporary access while SUV applications are in process, are impacted by a broader reduction in work permit caps. The overall ceiling under the International Mobility Program drops from 285,750 in 2025 to around 128,700 in 2026, making approvals more selective.

4. Broader IRCC Backlog Pressures and Policy Shifts

• As of mid 2024, IRCC had over 1 million applications outside standard service thresholds—showing general processing bottlenecks and escalating backlogs.

• Canada’s government has recently shifted immigration policy to slow growth in temporary entries while tightening scrutiny on foreign work permit and business immigration approvals.

Summary:

Canada appears to be limiting or delaying entrepreneur-type work visa applications because of:

• Annual caps on SUV and self employed streams

• Prioritization for high funded start ups only

• A full pause on new Self Employed Persons applications

• Reduced quotas for related work permits (C11, etc.)

• Overall backlog and policy shifts reducing intake for business immigration

If your application does not meet the new priority criteria—such as support from Canadian venture capital or a recognized incubator—or if the stream is paused, chances of processing are minimal or delayed.