Last Updated: May 2026  ·  Nihang Law Professional Corporation

Quick Answer: Is the Ontario Entrepreneur Stream Closed?

If you had been tracking the Ontario Entrepreneur Stream as your pathway to building a business and a life in the GTA, the past two years have brought difficult news. The Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) Entrepreneur Stream — for years one of Canada’s most sought-after business immigration routes — first paused new applications in December 2023, then formally closed on November 4, 2024. Then, on December 31, 2025, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), the federal department that manages Canada’s immigration system, also closed the federal Start-Up Visa program to new applicants.

With two of the most prominent entrepreneur immigration pathways now unavailable, the landscape has genuinely shifted. But it has not closed. Active programs remain open across Canada, a federal pathway is still available for qualifying Ontario-based business owners, and a new federal entrepreneur pilot is expected later in 2026. Here is where things stand — and what you can do right now.

What Exactly Closed — and When

The OINP operates under the Ontario Immigration Act, 2015, which authorizes the province to nominate foreign nationals for permanent residence based on Ontario’s economic and labour market needs. The Entrepreneur Stream first paused intake on December 4, 2023, citing application backlogs extending well beyond normal processing timelines. Ontario then passed Ontario Regulation 439/24 (General) and Ontario Regulation 438/24 (Approvals) — together referred to as the wind-down regulations — which formally closed the stream and established the legal framework for completing remaining files.

If you had already submitted an OINP Entrepreneur Stream application before the closure date, your application may still be processed under those amended regulations. Eligible candidates may still receive a provincial nomination for permanent residence, provided they meet the business commitments they outlined in their original application. If you are in this position, contacting the OINP directly or consulting an immigration lawyer is the recommended first step.

At the federal level, the Start-Up Visa program — a pathway for innovative entrepreneurs to obtain permanent residence through support from designated Canadian investors or incubators — also closed to new applicants on December 31, 2025, after accumulating a backlog of approximately 43,200 applications. IRCC separately paused the federal Self-Employed Persons Program in April 2024; that program also remains unavailable for new applications.

Pick Your Path: Which Route Fits Your Situation?

Before reading through each alternative in detail, find the scenario below that most closely matches your situation. Each one points you toward the most relevant section of this article.

Active Entrepreneur Pathways in 2026: Your Real Options

An Expression of Interest (EOI) system — used by several of these streams — is a process where candidates submit a profile to an online pool and receive a score based on factors like net worth, business experience, language ability, and proposed business type. The highest-scoring candidates receive invitations to apply in periodic draws. Understanding how each stream scores applicants matters as much as knowing the minimum requirements.

Receiving a provincial nomination from British Columbia, New Brunswick, or another province does not prevent you from settling in Toronto or the GTA once you obtain permanent residence. The nomination is a step toward federal PR status — and once you hold PR, you are entitled to live and work anywhere in Canada.

IRCC has signalled the upcoming launch of a new targeted federal entrepreneur pilot program as part of the 2026–2028 Immigration Levels Plan, but full eligibility details have not yet been published. Applicants should monitor canada.ca and consult a licensed immigration lawyer as that program takes shape.

The C11 Owner-Operator Work Permit: Ontario’s Remaining Federal Option

A Labour Market Impact Assessment — commonly called an LMIA — is a government process that employers normally must complete before hiring a foreign worker, demonstrating that no Canadian citizen or permanent resident was available for the role. The C11 exemption bypasses this requirement for qualifying business owners.

To be considered eligible, an applicant typically needs to own at least 50% of an active Canadian business, hold an active management role within that business, and demonstrate that the business provides — or will provide — a tangible benefit to Canada. That benefit may take the form of job creation, economic activity, or innovation. IRCC assesses each C11 application individually on the facts presented; there is no fixed checklist that automatically qualifies any applicant.

The C11 is a work permit, not a permanent residence document — it does not directly lead to PR status. However, C11 holders who accumulate Canadian work experience may become eligible to pursue permanent residence through other channels, including Express Entry. Structuring your ownership documentation, business role, and corporate setup correctly from the outset matters significantly; consulting with Qasim Ali, Principal Lawyer at Nihang Law, early in the process can help ensure your application meets IRCC’s case-by-case significant benefit standard.

Your Step-by-Step Roadmap: From Closed OINP to Active Application

Once you know which pathway fits your situation, these five steps take you from confirming your status to having an active application in a viable stream.

1. 1
   Confirm your current status.If you had an active OINP Entrepreneur Stream application before the closure, contact the OINP directly or consult an immigration lawyer to confirm how your file is being handled under Ontario Regulations 439/24 and 438/24. Eligible existing applicants may still receive a provincial nomination if they meet their original business commitments — but you need to know where your file stands before making other plans.
2. 2
   Assess your profile against active streams.Pull together your net worth documentation, years of active business experience, language test scores, and your business sector. These are the primary scoring variables across virtually every active PNP entrepreneur EOI system. Knowing your numbers before researching streams helps you quickly identify where your profile is competitive.
3. 3
   Choose between a federal C11 application and a PNP route.If you are already in Canada with an operating business, a C11 application may offer a faster path to a work permit than a PNP EOI submission. If you are outside Canada, submitting an EOI to an active provincial stream is typically the more appropriate starting point. Your immigration lawyer can help weigh the two routes based on your specific profile.
4. 4
   Submit your EOI or C11 application — with a compliant business plan.IRCC’s updated 2025 business immigration standards now require evidence of active business operations, not just projections. A business plan built on forward-looking numbers without current operational data may face increased scrutiny. EOI submissions require accurate, complete profiles — minor errors or omissions can affect your score.
5. 5
   Plan your permanent residence bridge before you apply.Whether you intend to pursue PR through a PNP nomination or through Express Entry after accumulating work experience on a C11 work permit, identify your PR pathway before filing your initial application. Your corporate structure, ownership documentation, and documented business role may need to be established in a specific way to support that eventual PR application — and those structures are harder to fix retroactively.

Common Mistakes Entrepreneurs Make After the OINP Closed

• ✕Waiting for the OINP to reopen. As of May 2026, no reopening date has been announced by the Ontario government. Every month spent waiting is time that could be spent advancing an application in an active program.
• ✕Assuming the federal Start-Up Visa is still open. The SUV closed to new applicants on December 31, 2025. The only individuals still eligible to file are those with a valid commitment certificate issued by a designated organization in 2025 — and only until June 30, 2026. This window does not apply to new applicants.
• ✕Choosing a PNP stream based solely on the minimum investment threshold. Pool size and draw frequency matter as much as entry requirements. A lower-investment stream with a large EOI pool may move more slowly than a higher-investment program in a smaller province where fewer applicants are competing.
• ✕Preparing a C11 application without legal guidance. IRCC assesses the “significant benefit to Canada” test case by case. An underprepared application — missing ownership documentation, corporate structure evidence, or a business plan anchored in current operations — is a common refusal ground.
• ✕Believing a provincial nomination permanently ties you to that province. It does not. Provincial nomination is a step toward federal PR status. Once you hold permanent residence, you may live and work anywhere in Canada, including Toronto and the GTA.
• ✕Submitting a business plan with projections only. IRCC’s updated 2025 business immigration standards require evidence of active operations. Applicants who submit forward-looking plans without current operational data face increasing scrutiny across all business immigration streams.

Frequently Asked Questions

Speak with an Ontario Business Immigration Lawyer

About the author

Qasim Ali

Principal Lawyer · Nihang Law Professional Corporation · Toronto & Scarborough, Ontario · Law Society of Ontario

Qasim Ali is the Principal Lawyer at Nihang Law Professional Corporation, serving clients across Toronto, Scarborough, and the broader Greater Toronto Area. He provides full-service legal representation across immigration, real estate, family law, criminal law, civil litigation, employment law, wills and estates, and business law.

Nihang Law is particularly recognized for its depth in immigration and real estate law — a combination that serves newcomers and growing families navigating both legal systems simultaneously.

Learn more about Qasim Ali →

Sources & References

1. IRCC — Update on Immigration Measures for Entrepreneurs (December 19, 2025): https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/news/notices/immigration-measures-entrepreneurs.html
2. IRCC — Start-Up Visa Program (current status): https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/start-visa.html
3. Ontario Regulation 439/24 (General) — OINP wind-down: https://www.ontario.ca/laws/regulation/240439
4. Ontario Regulation 438/24 (Approvals) — OINP wind-down: https://www.ontario.ca/laws/regulation/240438
5. Ontario Immigration Act, 2015: https://www.ontario.ca/laws/statute/15o06a
6. Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations (IRPR), s. 205(a): https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/regulations/SOR-2002-227/section-205.html
7. BC PNP Entrepreneur Immigration: https://www.welcomebc.ca/Immigrate-to-B-C/BC-Provincial-Nominee-Program/How-to-Immigrate/Entrepreneur-Immigration
8. New Brunswick Business Immigration Stream: https://www.welcomenb.ca/content/wel-bien/en/immigrating/content/HowToImmigrate/BusinessAndEntrepreneurs.html
9. Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program — Rural Entrepreneur Stream: https://www.alberta.ca/ainp-alberta-entrepreneur-stream
10. Manitoba PNP — Business Investor Stream: https://immigratemanitoba.com/immigrate-to-manitoba/bis/
11. PEI Office of Immigration — Business Program: https://www.gov.pe.ca/immigration/business
12. IRCC — 2026–2028 Immigration Levels Plan: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/news/notices/supplementary-immigration-levels-plan-2026-2028.html