Relocate your business to Canada
North America
Thinking about business immigration to Canada? Below are the residency routes for founders, investors and startups, and the set-up services a foreign-owned business needs: company registration, a bank account, tax, payroll, trademark and licences. Set-up comes first, because a company does not grant residency on its own. See also business immigration explained and relocating your business abroad.
243,000 km
coastline, the longest of any country
2
official languages
10
provinces and 3 territories
- Capital
- Ottawa
- Population
- About 40 million
- Currency
- Canadian dollar (CAD)
- Languages
- English, French
Best things about doing business in Canada
- Free trade access to the US and Mexico through CUSMA
- A large, stable economy that welcomes skilled newcomers
- Strong start-up and tech hubs in Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal
Fun facts
- Canada is the second-largest country in the world by area.
- Most Canadians live within about 160 km of the border with the United States.
Figures are rounded and approximate.
Business Setup Services
Company, bank, payroll, brand and licencesNot a residency routeWe handle company incorporation, bank account and payroll set-up, trademark filing and the licences and permits your business needs. Tell us what you need.
Cards without a "last verified" date have not been independently checked yet. Confirm the details with the official source before you act.
Warning: These do not grant residency on their own. A separate visa is required.
Company Registration
Set up your legal entity so you can operate, hire and pay tax.
Federal/Provincial Business Registration
Last verified October 2026 · Official source: canada.ca
Not-for-Profit Corporation / Registered Charity
Official source: ised-isde.canada.ca
Business Bank Account
Opening an account with a bank in Canada
Open a business bank account for your new company. ORBIZLY prepares the application, and the bank decides.
Official source: osfi-bsif.gc.ca
Employer and Payroll Registration
Registering as an employer in Canada
Register as an employer so you can hire and run payroll. Handled by the Canada Revenue Agency (payroll account) and the provincial workers' compensation board.
Official source: canada.ca
Trademark Filing
Trademark Filing (CIPO)
Last verified October 2026 · Official source: ic.gc.ca
IP and Patent Filing
IP and Patent Filing (CIPO)
Protect your invention with a patent. Filed with the Canadian Intellectual Property Office.
Official source: ised-isde.canada.ca
Licences
Permits that let your products and business operate legally: import permits, tax and goods/services registration, sector-specific permits, export licences, drug and health, food safety, lab test reports and product trials.
Import Permits and Importer Registration
Register as an importer and get permits for regulated goods. Handled by the Canada Border Services Agency and Global Affairs Canada (for controlled goods).
Official source: cbsa-asfc.gc.ca
Tax and Goods/Services Registration
Register for tax and for goods and services tax. Handled by the Canada Revenue Agency (Business Number and GST/HST registration).
Official source: canada.ca
Sector-Specific Permits
Permits for regulated industries. Overseen by the provincial or federal regulator for your sector, found through BizPaL.
Official source: bizpal-perle.ca
Export Licence
Get permission to export controlled goods. Handled by Global Affairs Canada (export and brokering permits) and the Canada Border Services Agency.
Official source: international.gc.ca
Drug and Health Product Licence
Approval to sell medicines, devices and health products. Handled by Health Canada.
Official source: hc-sc.gc.ca
Food Safety Licence and Registration
Register your food business and get approval to import or sell food. Handled by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (Safe Food for Canadians licence).
Official source: inspection.canada.ca
Lab Test Reports and Product Certification
Get your product tested and certified for the market. Overseen through laboratories accredited through the Standards Council of Canada.
Official source: scc-ccn.ca
Product Trial and Sample Approval
Approval to trial a new product before launch. Handled by Health Canada (clinical trials) and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency for agricultural products.
Official source: hc-sc.gc.ca
Residency & Visa Pathways
Programs that grant residenceThese grant a right to live and work in the country. Talk to an expert before you apply.
C11 Significant Benefit Work Permit
Canada's primary federal route for founders since the Start-Up Visa closed. No fixed investment minimum — enter, operate for 12+ months, then apply for PR.
Last verified September 2026 · Official source: ircc.canada.ca (IRPA Regulation 205(a))
PNP Entrepreneur Streams
Provincial entrepreneur immigration, now the main active route in several provinces. Requirements and status vary by province — check yours specifically.
Last verified September 2026 · Official source: Each province's individual PNP website (e.g., BC PNP, Alberta AAIP, Manitoba MPNP, Nova Scotia NSNP)
No longer available
Start-Up Visa (SUV) · Closed to new applicants, since January 1, 2026
Final applications closed on June 30, 2026. The C11 work permit and provincial streams are now the main routes for founders.
Self-Employed Persons Program · Paused, since April 2024
No reopening date has been announced.
Questions about moving a business to Canada
What business immigration options are there for Canada?
ORBIZLY lists business and entrepreneur routes (C11 Significant Benefit Work Permit and PNP Entrepreneur Streams). Each is shown on this page with its status, the official source and when it was last verified. Rules change, so confirm the details with the official source before you apply.
Can I relocate my business to Canada?
It depends on your business and the route you choose, and it is really two separate things: setting up or moving the business, and getting the right to live there. Company registration, a bank account, tax and licences are the set-up side. A visa or residence permit is the residency side. Start with the free eligibility check to see which routes fit your business.
Does registering a company in Canada give me residency?
No. Registering a company does not give you the right to live in Canada on its own. Residency needs a separate visa or residence permit.
What do I need to set up a business in Canada?
The usual order is: plan, register the company, open the tax and bank accounts, register as an employer, protect your brand, then get any licences and permits. For Canada, ORBIZLY lists drug and health licences, export licence, company registration, food safety, ip and patent filing, import permits, lab test reports, business bank account, product trials, employer and payroll registration, sector-specific permits, tax and goods/services registration, and trademark filing. Government fees are paid to the authorities and are separate from ORBIZLY's fees.
How do I start moving my business to Canada?
Take the free eligibility check, which takes about three minutes, or book a free 15-minute discovery call. ORBIZLY then shows which routes look like a fit and what to do first. ORBIZLY gives directional guidance and is not a law firm or immigration adviser.
Dreaming of Canada?
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Brands built in Canada
Well-known companies from Canada, including unicorns and businesses that grew a global presence.
Shopify
E-commerce platform used by millions of merchants
Lululemon
Athletic apparel sold in dozens of countries
Cohere
UnicornEnterprise AI language models
Clio
UnicornLegal software used worldwide
Bombardier
Business jets and rail equipment
Examples only. Logos belong to their owners and are shown to identify the companies. A unicorn is a private start-up valued above US$1 billion at some point.
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