IRCC Announces Pause to the Start Up Visa Program and Home Care Worker Pilot.

On December 19, 2025, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) announced a series of significant policy changes affecting both business immigration programs and caregiver pathways. These measures form part of the federal government’s 2026–2028 Immigration Levels Plan and are aimed at managing application inventories, reducing processing delays, and aligning immigration intake with Canada’s labour market and sustainability objectives.

Start-Up Visa (SUV) Program: Work Permit and Intake Restrictions

Effective immediately, IRCC has stopped accepting applications for the optional work permit available to Start-Up Visa (SUV) Program applicants. The only exception applies to applicants already in Canada who are applying to extend an existing SUV-specific work permit. New SUV applicants will no longer be eligible for this work permit option.

IRCC has also confirmed that, consistent with its objective of reducing Canada’s temporary resident population through transitions to permanent residence, it will prioritize permanent residence applications from individuals who are already in Canada and who hold a SUV-specific work permit, subject to annual levels targets. Existing prioritization criteria remain unchanged.

Further, effective December 31, 2025, at 11:59 p.m., IRCC will stop accepting new SUV permanent residence applications. An exception will apply for applicants who obtained a valid commitment certificate from a designated organization in 2025 but have not yet submitted their application. Those applicants may still proceed with filing.

Pausing Home Care Worker Immigration Pilot Intake

In a separate but related announcement on December 19, 2025, IRCC confirmed that it will pause intake under the Home Care Worker Immigration pilot programs until further notice.

Home care workers provide essential services to seniors, children, and individuals with disabilities, and many have already applied for permanent residence through existing pilot pathways. However, IRCC has acknowledged that demand for these programs has consistently exceeded the number of available spaces, resulting in growing inventories and extended processing times.

As part of the 2026–2028 Immigration Levels Plan, IRCC will pause new intake in order to prioritize processing of applications already received. Importantly, this means that the Home Care Worker Immigration pilots will not re-open in March 2026, as some applicants had anticipated.

IRCC has confirmed that it will continue processing applications submitted to date in accordance with annual immigration levels targets. The department has stated that this pause is intended to prevent further inventory growth and support the government’s broader objective of returning immigration intake to sustainable levels. Any future changes or re-opening of the program will be communicated publicly.

What This Means for Applicants and Employers

Taken together, these announcements reflect a clear policy direction: tighter intake controls, increased focus on clearing backlogs, and a shift toward more targeted immigration pathways. Entrepreneurs, caregivers, and employers should anticipate reduced program availability in the near term and plan accordingly.

Applicants affected by these changes should seek legal advice to assess alternative pathways, preserve status where applicable, and prepare strategically for future pilot programs or policy shifts. Our firm continues to closely monitor IRCC announcements and will provide updates as further details become available in 2026.