Setting Up a Business in Canada

An in-depth guide for foreign entrepreneurs and companies looking to enter the Canadian market — a large, federal economy where genuine variation between provinces shapes incorporation, taxation, and, increasingly, the practical route into the country.
This guide covers legal structures, business taxation, company formation, the cost of labor, and immigration routes for executives, investors, and entrepreneurs — including the 2026 immigration landscape, where the federal Start-up Visa closed permanently on 1 January 2026, leaving the C11 work permit as the main federal entry point and shifting real activity to the provincial nominee programs. Includes a dedicated directory covering all 12 provinces and territories (Quebec excluded, with a note pointing to Thelème Confidential’s dedicated Quebec guide), each with its own flag, economic profile, combined tax rate, incentive programs, and registration steps, an operational checklist, and useful contacts.
Available in French and English.