News Analysis
Federal and provincial governments have announced measures to crack down on immigration fraud by toughening regulations and even closing entire programs. But what if these moves are merely scratching the surface of a much larger problem?
This past December, Canada’s immigration department announced a halt on applications for the Start-up Visa (SUV) Program, which had allowed foreign entrepreneurs to move to Canada to start new businesses.
While many applicants were genuine entrepreneurs, the SUV program was known among immigration analysts as being particularly prone to fraud.
In August 2025, immigration consultancy firm Bluewater Immigration rang the alarm bell over the high rate of “fake startup ventures” applying under the SUV program—startups conjured out of thin air to obtain permanent residency under false pretences….