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Federal Business Immigration

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Federal work permits

Federal business immigration: the business side, handled

ICT, C11, and C10 work permits are assessed on one question: is the business real, and does it genuinely benefit Canada? We build the business substance that answers it.

300+ files supported20+ RCIC and legal partnersZero refusals attributed to weak business substanceThat record comes from selective intake and disciplined preparation, not a guarantee of approval.
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Before you choose

Read this before you sign anywhere

Choosing who handles the business side of your immigration file is one of the biggest decisions of the year for your family.

With GenesisLink

Every price published
300+ files, zero business-side refusals since 2020
An honest viability study first
Full plan review in week one
Financials signed off by a CPA
Help buying an existing business
12 months of support after the permit
Introductions to Canadian networks
Works alongside your lawyer or RCIC

Usually elsewhere

“Contact us for a quote”
A vague “high success rate”
Every idea gets a green light
You figure it out as you go
An in-house drafter, no accountant
You handle it, or hire a broker
File closes when the permit lands
You start from scratch
Wants to be your only representative
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 that covers intra-company transfers may use the R204(a) route instead. The three permits differ in who qualifies, what the business must look like, and what the officer assesses.

ICT

Intra-Company Transfer

For multinational companies that already operate in at least two countries and are 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.

Ownership
Not required. Owners of a company that is not multinational are not eligible.
Needs
A qualifying corporate relationship, at least 1 year of full-time work with the foreign company in the last 3 years, and the same role in Canada
Duration
Up to 1 year to open a new entity (C61). Executives and managers (C62) and specialized-knowledge employees (C63) receive up to 3 years initially, renewable to a maximum of 7 years (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 that delivers significant benefit. Applicants planning for permanent residence are directed to provincial (C60) or Start-up Visa (A77) work permits instead.

Ownership
At least 51% ownership control
Needs
A genuine business, personal support funds (LICO × 18 months) kept separate from business funds, and a credible plan to leave Canada
Duration
Normally up to 18 months, and 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 a clear, demonstrable economic, social, or cultural benefit, with no ownership test. This permit is reserved for unique or exceptional cases where the benefit reaches the wider community, region, or country, beyond the applicant and their employer.

Ownership
Not assessed
Needs
A significant benefit to Canada that can be clearly demonstrated
Duration
Case-specific, decided by the officer
Related program details
Policy updateMay 27, 2025

IRCC revised the C11 instructions. The category now covers only business owners seeking temporary residence, with a normal 18-month limit and a 51% ownership threshold. For all three permits, officers must be satisfied that the applicant will leave Canada at the end of their authorized stay. This is a long-standing requirement, not a new one, and every file we build addresses it 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.

  1. Stage 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 toICT · C11 · C10

  2. Stage 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 toICT · C11 · C10

  3. Stage 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 toICT · C11 · C10

  4. Stage 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 toICT · C11 · C10 · Start-Up Visa

  5. Stage 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 toICT · C11 · C10 · Start-Up Visa

Everything, coordinated

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.

You save $10,25033% less than engaging the five stages separately

  • 01Business viability & planning support
  • 02Immigration-grade business plans
  • 03Business valuation & acquisition support
  • 04Business execution & operational readiness
  • 05Performance tracking & compliance
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.

Related reading

Insights on federal pathways

Blog

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

A side-by-side breakdown of the three LMIA-exempt routes and where each one breaks.

Read the articleBlog

Immigration business plan Canada: what IRCC reviewers actually assess

Section by section, what officers read first and what gets a file flagged.

Read the articleBlog

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

What's possible while the SUV backlog holds, and what to avoid.

Read the article

Not sure which federal pathway fits?

Book a consultation and we'll give you an honest read — including whether a provincial program would serve you better.

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