What is letter of support? Business plan support by a reputable organization
To confirm and register the company in Canada as a startup, you must receive a letter of support from one of the 3 specified organizations of this country. These 3 organs are:
- Incubators (incubators)
- Venture capital fund (venture capital funds)
- Angel Investor Group (angel investor groups)
According to the type of business plan, these organizations provide startups with basic, financial and educational resources. If the business plan presented by one of these organizations is approved, they will send a letter of support to the applicant under the title of Canadian Startup Visa support letter. Note that up to 5 entrepreneurs can apply for support under the same commitment. The designated organization must submit a letter from each of these entrepreneurs upon acceptance.
In this support letter, which has a validity date of 6 months, the information of the institution that accepted the project is written along with the applicant's details. Startup applicants must submit this letter of support along with the specified documents to the immigration office to receive a Canadian startup visa.
Who should write the sponsorship request letter for designated organizations?
Usually, the support request should be written by the person who manages the project. This person may be the project manager or project expert or the main owner of the startup. But it is important that the person writing the request has sufficient mastery of the plan. This mastery is important in the following ways:
- Highlighting the importance of the project to supporting organizations
- A person's ability to convince investors to invest
- Complete and clear answers to the questions raised by organizations (in some cases, the applicant is asked to present and explain the goals, results, and the difference that the launch of this project will make in society.)
Also keep in mind that the author of the request must have respect and sufficient conditions to immigrate to Canada. This is why it is important to choose a writer who is respected and influential in the community. Because the support of these specific organizations in Canada can increase the credibility of the project and increase the chances of funding.
Do you no longer need a visa after receiving the Canadian startup visa support letter?
Some people think that if their startup business plan can get a letter of support, they don't need a Canadian investment visa or a residence visa. This notion is completely wrong and we must say that getting a visa and a letter of support are related, but they do not have a positive effect on each other. For example, receiving a letter of support does not lead to receiving a residence visa 100%. Because each of these two needs their own documents and conditions.
In some cases, it is possible that your plan will be approved and supported by relevant organizations. However, due to security reasons or lack of documents, the startup visa will not be issued to you.
Framework for writing applications for financial support from approved organizations in Canada
A problem, solution and impact framework is usually used to write a support request letter. In this way, you will first introduce the problem that exists in starting the project. Then you will describe the proposed solution and finally you will talk about the expected impact of this project in Canada. Using this framework will clearly define the problem and request you have.
Of course, there are two other examples of frameworks, which are called personal and evidence-based communication. In the context of personal communication, the author of the request emphasizes the relationship between himself and the project or organization. This type of framework is effective when the applicant has a personal and proprietary relationship with the presented project. But in the evidence-based framework, the author emphasizes on providing evidence to support the project's goals and outcomes in Canada. This framework should include statistics to demonstrate better understanding.
How long should the Canadian startup visa support letter be?
There are no strict rules for letter length. But it is better that the length of the letter is between 1 and 2 pages and its text should be written completely accurately and concisely. Because long letters are boring and short letters lack information. Also, short letters may not provide enough detail to convince the organization to fund.
The difference between the commitment certificate and the supporting letter; Is the sponsorship letter of the Canadian startup visa the same as the commitment certificate?
In general, incubator member organizations, angel support group or venture capital fund provide a letter of support and a commitment certificate for startups. The difference between these two letters is that the commitment certificate will be sent to the Karafriti team (up to 5 people). But the supporting letter is provided for each team member.
The following information is also available in the business commitment certificate:
- Designated entity information
- Complete details of the applicant
- The name and identification information of the members of the entrepreneurial team
- Business business plan
- Business structure
- General information
- Work permit for essential applicants
It should be noted that the sponsoring organization will send the Letter of support to the applicant and the immigration office in Canada. While the certificate of commitment is sent directly to IRCC (Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada). The commitment certificate is valid for 6 months and during this period the applicant must apply for permanent residence and work permit (if necessary).
What are the conditions for obtaining a sponsorship letter for a Canadian startup visa?
Various companies and organizations are members of 3 supporting organizations that should support Canada's nascent economic projects. For this reason, the rules, conditions and requests of each of these organizations are different. For example, some of these organizations, in addition to studying and reviewing the business plan, request the applicant to personally explain the concept of the business he wants to start.
To find out about the conditions for obtaining a support letter for a Canadian startup visa, one should refer to the website of the designated organizations or companies. Such organizations have explained their requested information and accepted conditions in detail. If you have the necessary conditions to cooperate with these organizations, send your request. If your plan is accepted and the documents are complete, a letter of support will be sent to you. You must submit this letter of support with your other documents to obtain a Canadian work visa and establish a startup. Of course, the designated organization will also send a letter of support to the Immigration Department.
Steps to get a letter of support for a Canadian startup
There are no specific steps to receive a letter of support. It is enough to communicate with the desired and approved organization. Then send them your idea and business plan or present it in person. At the time of presentation, you should try to attract investors to invest in your plan. Then wait for a while until the confirmation and support letter is sent to you. If approved, a letter of support will be sent to you and your team members and a commitment letter to the Immigration Department.
Documents required to receive a Canadian startup visa support letter
The documents required to receive a letter of support from designated organizations vary, as do the conditions for receiving them. Because each organization and company may receive certain documents from the applicant. But in general, the general and common documents to receive a Canadian startup visa support letter are:
Personal documents of a person or persons | Business and corporate documents |
Copy of dated passport | Official documents of company shares |
Summary of work history | Financial statements of the company |
IELTS test score | Documents related to participation |
Personal financial statements | Documents related to shareholders' agreement |
After reviewing these documents, it is possible for the sponsoring company to request certain documents to check eligibility. These documents are:
- Documents related to customers and suppliers
- Corporate financing documents
- Company intellectual property control documents
- Financial contracts
These documents may be requested from the applicant at the last stage.
Investors issuing Letter of support in Canada
A large number of companies, organizations and institutions in Canada are under the 3 bodies of incubators, venture capitalists fund and angel investors of Canada. In most cases, these organizations are among educational organizations such as universities, educational-research and investment institutions. In the following, we will get to know some examples of them.
Incubators | Canadian angel investors | Venture capitalists |
Alacrity Foundation | Canadian International Angel Investors | 7 Gate Ventures |
VIATEC | York Angel Investors Inc | BDC Venture Capital |
Innovate Calgary | Golden Triangle Angel Network | Extreme Venture Partners LLP |
Alberta IoT Association | Oak Mason Investments Inc | iNovia Capital Inc |
Altitude Accelerator | Golden Triangle Angel Network | Arete Pacific Tech Ventures (VCC) Corp |
Bhive | Southeastern Ontario Angel Network | Intrinsic Venture Capital |
Biomedical Commercialization Canada Inc | TenX Angel Investors Inc | PRIVEQ Capital Funds |
Brilliant Catalyst | VANTEC Angel Network Inc | Real Ventures |
These are just a small part of the list of support organizations approved by Immigration Canada. To get more information about the types of support sets, consult with Rasam experts.
receiving more than one letter of support from designated organizations; What to do with several letters of support?
Getting support from several venture capital funds or angel investor groups is known as syndication. If the applicant has syndicate support, all investment organizations involved in the syndicate must be identified. In general, the Canadian immigration office only receives a certificate of commitment in electronic form. Also, only one supporting letter is provided to the applicant.
If a venture capital fund backs your business, you must invest at least 200,000 Canadian dollars; Even if an angel-backed fund supports your business. Also, if the group of angel investors supports your plan, you must invest 75,000 Canadian dollars.
Submitting an application and receiving a sponsorship letter for a Canadian startup visa with Rasam Holding
Carrying out administrative work related to immigration is difficult, time-consuming and complicated for most people. Also, due to the high sensitivities that exist in the preparation of requested documents and conditions, their presentation and adaptation. It is better to consult with experienced people in this field. For example, writing a letter requesting support for a startup is not difficult. But what is important is who writes it, in what tone and style.
A good, thorough and detailed sponsorship request that professionally defines the goal will receive a better response. For this reason, it is recommended to seek advice from Rasam experts to choose a sponsoring organization, submit documents and write a request. Use the following methods to contact Rasam immigration experts and lawyers:
- Visiting the Tehran office in person
- Contact number 02188566803
- Communication through the Instagram page
With years of experience in immigration to Canada, Rasam Holding will accompany you on this path.
Questions about Canada Startup Visa Support Letter
Is there a special form to write a support request?
no Applicants should write and send their application letter between 1 and 2 pages. To write the application, they can use the 3 general frameworks explained in this article.
Do we have to have a letter of support from an organization to get a Canadian startup visa?
Yes. The Canadian startup visa support letter shows that your plan has been accepted and investable by approved immigration continuation organizations. This letter of support is one of the most important documents required to be submitted to the embassy to receive a Canadian startup visa.
What is the difference between sponsoring 3 investors in Canada?
The difference between the support in the fund of angel investors and risk takers is in the amount of investment. Normally, angel investors accept plans with a minimum capital of $75,000 and venture capitalists accept plans with a minimum capital of $200,000. While plans accepted in incubators do not need initial capital.
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