What's the difference between C11 and C10?

C11 is the code for business owners who will control at least 51% of a Canadian business and are seeking temporary residence only (normally up to 18 months). C10 is the general significant-benefit provision: no ownership test, but reserved for unique or exceptional cases where the benefit reaches beyond the applicant and their employer. Both are administrative codes under the same regulation, R205(a); the difference is the eligibility criteria, not the law.

Does time on a C11 or ICT permit count toward permanent residence?

They differ. C11 holders are self-employed or entrepreneurs, and IRCC states that experience does not count toward the Canadian Experience Class. ICT holders are employees of the Canadian entity, so their experience can qualify, subject to the usual CEC rules. In either case, permanent residence is a separate application.

Do you file the immigration application?

No. GenesisLink is a business consulting firm, not an immigration firm. We don't provide immigration advice or represent clients before IRCC — that work belongs to licensed immigration lawyers and Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultants. We build the business substance their filings rest on, and we work alongside your existing representative.

How long does an immigration business plan take?

Typically three to four weeks from engagement, assuming your intake documents arrive within the first few days. Rush timelines are available.

Do you guarantee approval?

No — and be cautious of anyone who does. Across 300+ files since 2020, none where we completed the business-side work have been refused on business substance. That comes from selective intake and disciplined preparation, not from a guarantee.

What do I receive with a business plan engagement?

The final business plan as a PDF and editable Word document, the financial model as a PDF and editable Excel workbook with live formulas, the signed CPA cover letter, and two rounds of revisions.

Can I start with just a business plan?

Yes. Every stage can be engaged independently. Many clients begin with the business plan and continue once they've seen how we work.

Federal Business Immigration Services | ICT, C11 & C10

Compare the pathways

Three federal work permits. One right fit.

All three are LMIA-exempt work permits under R205(a). (Nationals of countries with a trade agreement covering intra-company transfers may use the R204(a) route instead.) They differ in who qualifies, what the business has to look like, and what the officer is testing for.

ICT

Intra-Company Transfer

For multinational companies — already operating in at least two countries — transferring an executive, manager, or specialized-knowledge employee to a Canadian parent, branch, subsidiary, or affiliate. A company expanding outside its home country for the first time does not qualify.

OwnershipNot required — owners of a non-multinational company are not eligible

NeedsQualifying corporate relationship; 1 year full-time with the foreign entity in the last 3; same capacity in Canada

DurationUp to 1 year to open a new entity (C61); up to 3 years initially for executives/managers (C62) or specialized knowledge (C63), renewable to a 7-year cap (5 for specialized knowledge)

Full program details

C11

Entrepreneur / owner-operator

For business owners seeking temporary status only, who will control at least 51% of a Canadian business delivering significant benefit. Applicants planning permanent residence are directed to provincial (C60) or Start-up Visa (A77) work permits instead.

OwnershipAt least 51% control

NeedsGenuine business; separate support funds (LICO × 18 months) and business funds; a credible plan to leave

DurationNormally up to 18 months; longer only with a documented hand-off plan. Extensions must show continued significant benefit.

Full program details

C10

Significant benefit

For applicants whose work delivers clear, demonstrable economic, social, or cultural benefit, with no ownership test. Reserved for unique or exceptional cases where the benefit reaches the broader community, region, or country — beyond the applicant and their employer.

OwnershipNot tested

NeedsDemonstrable significant benefit

DurationCase-specific

Related program details

IRCC rewrote the C11 instructions on May 27, 2025: the category now covers business owners seeking temporary residence only, with a normal 18-month limit and a 51% ownership threshold. For all three permits, officers must be satisfied the applicant will leave Canada at the end of their authorized stay — a long-standing requirement, not a new one. Every file we build addresses this directly.

Our services

Five stages. Take the ones you need.

Every stage can be engaged independently. Most clients start at stage one and continue through — but if you're mid-file with a specific gap, we can start anywhere.

01

Business viability & planning support

Before you spend anything on legal fees: does this business actually work in Canada?

What's included

Commercial feasibility assessment
Scalability analysis
Market demand validation
Competitive positioning review
Canadian regulatory alignment
Honest go / no-go recommendation

You receive

A comprehensive business justification study giving you a clear picture of the real potential for your business in your target location — including whether it's viable at all.

Applies to ICT · C11 · C10

02

Immigration-grade business plans

A business plan built to survive officer scrutiny — not a template with your name on it.

What's included

Full business plan and pitch deck
City and sector-specific market study
CPA-reviewed 3-year financials
Job creation and wage benchmarking
Use-of-funds schedule and exit strategy
Two revisions + walkthrough meeting

You receive

Final plan as PDF and editable Word, financial model as PDF and editable Excel with live formulas, and the signed CPA cover letter.

Applies to ICT · C11 · C10

03

Business valuation & acquisition support

For clients buying an existing Canadian business rather than building one.

What's included

Target screening and fit analysis
Indicative business valuation
Financial and operational due diligence
Offer negotiation support
Exploratory visit and location guidance
Immigration-aligned structuring

You receive

A valuation report, due diligence summary, and a purchase structure designed to carry the lowest possible risk to your immigration file.

Applies to ICT · C11 · C10

04

Business execution & operational readiness

The stage where approved files quietly fall apart. Getting the permit is not the same as having a business.

What's included

Incorporation and corporate structuring
Shareholder agreement and by-laws
Compliance and governance framework
Website, branding, 6 social posts/month
Bank account, bookkeeping, tax filing
GST/HST registration and filing

You receive

A fully incorporated, compliant, operating business with a live web presence and twelve months of managed support — evidence an officer can verify at any point.

Applies to ICT · C11 · C10 · Start-Up Visa

05

Performance tracking & compliance

Your permit has conditions, and they're audited. This is where files are kept alive.

What's included

Business and immigration performance analysis
Milestone and KPI tracking
Business plan adjustment as reality shifts
Pivot and mitigation strategy
PFL and IRCC request support
Work permit renewal support

You receive

Quarterly performance reviews and a maintained reporting file ready to produce on request — plus our team on hand whenever IRCC comes back with questions.

Applies to ICT · C11 · C10 · Start-Up Visa

Everything, coordinated

$25,000$21,250CAD

15% off

One team working one file from viability assessment through to post-approval compliance, rather than five separate engagements that have to be re-briefed each time.

Engaged separately and at full rate, these stages total $31,500. As a single coordinated engagement: $21,250 — a saving of $10,250.

Includes: All five stagesPayment: 50% on engagement · 50% on deliveryApplies to: ICT · C11 · C10

Book a consultation

Why work with us

Six years. 300+ files.

Zero refusals attributed to weak business substance — on selective intake, not a guarantee.

6+

Years

Supporting entrepreneurs structuring, launching, and scaling ventures in Canada.

300+

Business immigrants

Founders guided through Canada's business immigration ecosystem.

20+

Immigration partners

Regulated RCICs and lawyers who route business-side work to us.

0

Refusals on business substance

Zero refusals attributed to weak business substance, on selective intake.

FAQ

Common questions

C11 is the code for business owners who will control at least 51% of a Canadian business and are seeking temporary residence only (normally up to 18 months). C10 is the general significant-benefit provision: no ownership test, but reserved for unique or exceptional cases where the benefit reaches beyond the applicant and their employer. Both are administrative codes under the same regulation, R205(a); the difference is the eligibility criteria, not the law.
They differ. C11 holders are self-employed or entrepreneurs, and IRCC states that experience does not count toward the Canadian Experience Class. ICT holders are employees of the Canadian entity, so their experience can qualify, subject to the usual CEC rules. In either case, permanent residence is a separate application.
No. GenesisLink is a business consulting firm, not an immigration firm. We don't provide immigration advice or represent clients before IRCC — that work belongs to licensed immigration lawyers and Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultants. We build the business substance their filings rest on, and we work alongside your existing representative.
Typically three to four weeks from engagement, assuming your intake documents arrive within the first few days. Rush timelines are available.
No — and be cautious of anyone who does. Across 300+ files since 2020, none where we completed the business-side work have been refused on business substance. That comes from selective intake and disciplined preparation, not from a guarantee.
The final business plan as a PDF and editable Word document, the financial model as a PDF and editable Excel workbook with live formulas, the signed CPA cover letter, and two rounds of revisions.
Yes. Every stage can be engaged independently. Many clients begin with the business plan and continue once they've seen how we work.

Insights on federal pathways

Blog

Federal Business Immigration

Federal business immigration — the business side, handled

Three federal work permits. One right fit.

Intra-Company Transfer

Entrepreneur / owner-operator

Significant benefit

Five stages. Take the ones you need.

Business viability & planning support

Immigration-grade business plans

Business valuation & acquisition support

Business execution & operational readiness

Performance tracking & compliance

Everything, coordinated

Six years. 300+ files.

Common questions

Insights on federal pathways

C10 vs C11 vs ICT: which federal work permit fits your client's file?

Immigration business plan Canada: what IRCC reviewers actually assess

Can a Start-Up Visa PR applicant apply for a C10 work permit?

Not sure which federal pathway fits?