IRCC states that the Start-Up Visa Program was paused on June 30, 2026. Its processing dashboard describes an exception for applicants who obtained a valid commitment from a designated organization in 2025 and had not yet applied. Existing applications continue to be processed, and eligible applicants connected to existing files may still qualify for a Start-Up Visa open work permit.
Why it matters: A current designated-entity relationship or newly issued support documentation does not necessarily permit a new PR application.
Affected: Entrepreneurs, essential team members and designated entities.
Practice implications: Verify the commitment's issuance date, validity, essential-person designations and whether IRCC actually received the designated entity's commitment certificate. Do not accept a client based solely on a support letter without confirming the transitional intake rule. Separate PR eligibility from possible work-permit eligibility.