Canada Start-Up Visa vs EB-5 Immigrant Investor Visa
A factual side-by-side comparison of two residency programmes. All figures are drawn from the canonical program pages — follow either link in the table header for sources and the full profile.
Key Differences at a Glance
- ›Canada Start-Up Visa is faster: 14 months vs 30 months for EB-5 Immigrant Investor Visa.
- ›Faster to citizenship: Canada Start-Up Visa at ~3 years, vs 5 for EB-5 Immigrant Investor Visa.
- ›EB-5 Immigrant Investor Visa requires a 800,000 USD investment; Canada Start-Up Visa does not.
Canada Start-Up Visa Canada · entrepreneur | EB-5 Immigrant Investor Visa United States · investment | |
|---|---|---|
| Country | Canada | United States |
| Category | Entrepreneur | Investment |
| Application Fee | $1,575 | $3,675 |
| Minimum Income | — | — |
| Minimum Investment | — | $800,000 |
| Processing Time | 14 months | 30 months |
| Family Included | Spouse/common-law partner and dependent children are included and receive permanent residency simultaneously | Spouse and unmarried children under 21 included at no additional investment |
| Path to PR | Yes — 0 years | Yes — 0 years |
| Path to Citizenship | Yes — 3 years | Yes — 5 years |
| Physical Presence | Must be physically present in Canada; PR holders must reside 730 days in 5 years to maintain status | Must reside in the US after receiving conditional green card; 6-month continuous absence voids residency |
| Dual Citizenship | Allowed | Allowed |
| Tax Impact | Permanent residents are subject to Canadian worldwide income tax from landing date | Grants US lawful permanent resident status; worldwide income subject to US taxation from day of admission |
| Tax Residency Trigger | 183 days/yr | 0 days/yr |
| Worldwide Taxation | Yes | Yes |
| Renewal Cost | — | — |
About Canada Start-Up Visa
Canada's Start-Up Visa Program grants permanent residency to innovative entrepreneurs who secure a commitment from a designated Canadian venture capital fund, angel investor group, or business incubator. Up to five founders per qualifying business can apply together, making it one of the few immigration pathways designed for co-founding teams. Applicants must also demonstrate sufficient language proficiency and settlement funds to support themselves upon arrival.
Full Canada Start-Up Visa profile →About EB-5 Immigrant Investor Visa
The EB-5 Immigrant Investor Visa grants US lawful permanent residency to foreign nationals who invest a minimum of $800,000 in a Targeted Employment Area (TEA) or $1,050,000 elsewhere, creating at least 10 full-time US jobs. Investors receive a conditional two-year green card, which can be converted to permanent residency after demonstrating job creation requirements have been met. After five years as a permanent resident, EB-5 holders may apply for US citizenship.
Full EB-5 Immigrant Investor Visa profile →Gotchas to Watch For
Canada Start-Up Visa
- ⚠2024 IRCC announced 2-3 year processing target; inventory caps prioritise certain applications
- ⚠Business must be actively operated in Canada post-PR; inactive companies risk review
- ⚠Multiple founders (up to 5) can share one Letter of Support — but all must be essential
- ⚠Designated organizations have varying reputations; due diligence critical
EB-5 Immigrant Investor Visa
- ⚠EB-5 Reform Act 2022: thresholds raised to $800k (TEA) / $1.05M (non-TEA); reserved visa categories added
- ⚠Mainland China + India face multi-year visa retrogression after I-526E approval
- ⚠Green card = US tax resident from day 1 = worldwide income taxation + FATCA/FBAR obligations
- ⚠Investment must stay "at risk" — guaranteed returns disqualify
- ⚠Regional Center selection critical — bankrupt/fraudulent RCs have caused total loss of both investment AND visa
Neutral reference — we don't recommend one programme over another. Programmes change: always verify each detail against the official source linked on the individual program pages.