The department has also put an immediate pause on applications for the Home Care Worker Immigration pilots, with no timeline yet announced for their reopening.
Ottawa (Canada), December 21, 2025, BNN Web Staff— In a move aimed at easing processing backlogs and bringing immigration numbers under tighter control, Canada has announced the suspension of intake for two key economic immigration streams.
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) said on Friday that it will stop accepting new applications under the Start-Up Visa (SUV) program from January 1.
The department has also put an immediate pause on applications for the Home Care Worker Immigration pilots, with no timeline yet announced for their reopening.
In an official statement, IRCC said the caregiver programs have been temporarily closed because applications far exceed the number of available spots, resulting in prolonged processing delays. For 2025, intake under these pilots was capped at approximately 5,200 applications.
Introduced in 2013, the Start-Up Visa program was designed to draw global entrepreneurs to Canada by offering a pathway to permanent residence for those launching innovative, high-growth businesses.
The initiative was intended to generate employment opportunities and strengthen the country’s economy through foreign investment and innovation.
Alongside the suspension of new SUV applications, the department has also stopped accepting related work permit requests. The only exception applies to applicants already in Canada who are seeking extensions of their existing work authorisation.
The federal government said the decision aligns with its broader plan to maintain sustainable immigration levels while sharpening its focus on targeted talent attraction.
As outlined in the 2025 federal budget, Ottawa plans a one-time initiative to recruit more than 1,000 top international researchers and introduce faster immigration pathways to attract skilled professionals, particularly those currently working in the United States.
