A Federal Court decision in Tousi v. Canada (2025) has established new guidelines for Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) regarding Start-Up Visa application processing times. The ruling affects approximately 38,000 applicants whose cases have been pending since 2020-2021, allowing them to pursue legal action through Mandamus when processing exceeds 40 months. The court emphasized that IRCC must provide specific evidence to justify delays, particularly regarding security checks, marking a significant shift in how prolonged application processing times can be challenged.
Federal Court rules on Start-Up Visa processing delays
