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  3. Entrepreneur

Immigration routes for entrepreneurs

Dedicated founder routes are thinner on the ground than commentary suggests. The UK has Innovator Founder (endorsement-based); Ireland has STEP; France has Talent Passport; Germany has §21 self-employment; the US has International Entrepreneur Parole; Canada has Start-Up Visa. Each has genuinely different bars for capital, endorsement, and commercial viability.

Also searched as: startup founder, business owner, company director.

What decides which route fits

Entrepreneurs are not usually a licensed profession, so the route that fits you turns mostly on whether you have a qualifying job offer (for sponsored routes) and whether you meet each country's salary or points threshold.

By destination

  • 🇬🇧United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

    • Innovator Founder visa
  • 🇮🇪Republic of Ireland

    • Start-up Entrepreneur Programme (STEP)
    • Immigrant Investor Programme (IIP — closed)
  • 🇩🇪Federal Republic of Germany

    • Freelance / Self-employment residence permit (§21 AufenthG)
  • 🇵🇹Portuguese Republic

    • D7 visa (passive income / retirement)
    • D2 visa (entrepreneur / self-employment)
    • Portugal Golden Visa (residence by investment)
  • 🇪🇸Kingdom of Spain

    • Non-Lucrative Visa (NLV)
    • Entrepreneur Visa (Ley 14/2013)
    • Spain Golden Visa (ending April 2025)
  • 🇳🇱Kingdom of the Netherlands

    • Dutch-American Friendship Treaty (DAFT) entrepreneur
    • Startup Visa (Netherlands)
  • 🇦🇪United Arab Emirates

    • UAE Golden Visa
    • UAE Green Visa
    • UAE Investor / Partner residence visa
    • UAE freelance permit with residence
  • 🇨🇦Canada

    • Start-Up Visa (Canada)
  • 🇦🇺Commonwealth of Australia

    No closely-matching routes indexed yet — see all Commonwealth of Australia routes.

  • 🇺🇸United States of America

    • O-1 Individuals with Extraordinary Ability or Achievement
    • EB-1A Extraordinary Ability (Immigrant)
    • EB-2 National Interest Waiver (NIW)
    • EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program
    • E-2 Treaty Investor
  • 🇸🇬Republic of Singapore

    • EntrePass
  • 🇳🇿New Zealand

    • Active Investor Plus Visa
  • 🇫🇷French Republic

    No closely-matching routes indexed yet — see all French Republic routes.

  • 🇮🇹Italian Republic

    • Digital Nomad Visa (Visto per Nomadi Digitali)
    • Elective Residence Visa (Residenza Elettiva)
  • 🇯🇵Japan

    • Business Manager Visa (経営・管理)
  • 🇨🇭Swiss Confederation

    No closely-matching routes indexed yet — see all Swiss Confederation routes.

  • 🇸🇦Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

    • Premium Residency
    • Freelance Permit (Tashrih al-Amal al-Hurr)
  • 🇰🇷Republic of Korea

    • D-8 Corporate Investment Visa
  • 🇸🇪Kingdom of Sweden

    • Self-Employment Permit (Eget företag)
  • 🇦🇹Republic of Austria

    • Red-White-Red Card — Startup Founder
  • 🇩🇰Kingdom of Denmark

    No closely-matching routes indexed yet — see all Kingdom of Denmark routes.

  • 🇳🇴Kingdom of Norway

    No closely-matching routes indexed yet — see all Kingdom of Norway routes.

  • 🇫🇮Republic of Finland

    • Start-up entrepreneur residence permit
  • 🇧🇪Kingdom of Belgium

    • Professional Card for self-employment
  • 🇱🇺Grand Duchy of Luxembourg

    • Residence permit for self-employed workers
  • 🇨🇿Czech Republic

    • Long-term residence for business
  • 🇵🇱Republic of Poland

    • Temporary residence for business activity
  • 🇪🇪Republic of Estonia

    • Startup Visa
    • Digital Nomad Visa
  • 🇬🇷Hellenic Republic

    • Digital Nomad Visa
    • Golden Visa
  • 🇲🇹Republic of Malta

    • Nomad Residence Permit
  • 🇨🇾Republic of Cyprus

    • Cyprus Digital Nomad Visa
    • Visitor temporary residence permit
  • 🇲🇽United Mexican States

    • Temporary Resident Visa
  • 🇧🇷Federative Republic of Brazil

    • Residence authorization for investment
  • 🇦🇷Argentine Republic

    • Inversionista (Investor) Temporary Residence
  • 🇨🇱Republic of Chile

    • Temporary Residence - Investors and Related Personnel
  • 🇺🇾Oriental Republic of Uruguay

    No closely-matching routes indexed yet — see all Oriental Republic of Uruguay routes.

  • 🇿🇦Republic of South Africa

    • Business Visa
  • 🇲🇺Republic of Mauritius

    • Occupation Permit (Investor)
    • Occupation Permit (Self-Employed)
  • 🇰🇪Republic of Kenya

    • Class G Work Permit (Trade, Business or Consultancy)
    • Class A Work Permit (Prospecting and Mining)
  • 🇭🇰Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China

    • Quality Migrant Admission Scheme (QMAS)
    • Top Talent Pass Scheme (TTPS)
    • Immigration Arrangements for Non-local Graduates (IANG)
    • Entry for Investment as Entrepreneurs
    • Capital Investment Entrant Scheme (CIES)
  • 🇹🇼Taiwan (Republic of China)

    • Entrepreneur Resident Visa
  • 🇲🇾Malaysia

    No closely-matching routes indexed yet — see all Malaysia routes.

  • 🇹🇭Kingdom of Thailand

    • Long-Term Resident (LTR) Visa
    • SMART Visa
    • Destination Thailand Visa (DTV)
    • Non-Immigrant Visa "O-A" (Retirement / Long Stay)
  • 🇮🇳Republic of India

    No closely-matching routes indexed yet — see all Republic of India routes.

  • 🇶🇦State of Qatar

    • Investor Residence Visa
    • Real Estate Residence (Property Owner)
  • 🇮🇱State of Israel

    No closely-matching routes indexed yet — see all State of Israel routes.

  • 🇹🇷Republic of Türkiye

    • Turkey Turquoise Card
    • Turkey Citizenship by Investment
  • 🇮🇩Republic of Indonesia

    • Investor KITAS (Limited Stay Permit for Investors)
    • Golden Visa (5 and 10-year)
  • 🇵🇭Republic of the Philippines

    • Special Investor's Resident Visa (SIRV)
    • Special Visa for Employment Generation (SVEG)
  • 🇻🇳Socialist Republic of Vietnam

    • Investor Visa (DT1-DT4)
  • 🇨🇴Republic of Colombia

    • Visa M Inversionista / Socio o Propietario
  • 🇨🇷Republic of Costa Rica

    • Temporary Residence - Inversionista (Investor)
  • 🇵🇦Republic of Panama

    • Qualified Investor Permanent Residence (Inversionista Calificado)
    • Economic Solvency Residence (Solvencia Economica Propia)
  • 🇳🇬Federal Republic of Nigeria

    • Business Permit (foreign-owned company)
    • Investor Visa (multiple-entry)
  • 🇪🇬Arab Republic of Egypt

    • Citizenship by Investment (Egypt, Law 190 of 2019)
  • 🇬🇭Republic of Ghana

    • Work and Residence Permit (Missionaries / NGOs / GIPC / Shareholders)
    • GIPC Automatic Immigrant Quota
  • 🇧🇭Kingdom of Bahrain

    No closely-matching routes indexed yet — see all Kingdom of Bahrain routes.

  • 🇴🇲Sultanate of Oman

    • Investor Residency (Golden Visa)
  • 🇬🇪Georgia

    • Investment Residence Permit
  • 🇭🇷Republic of Croatia

    No closely-matching routes indexed yet — see all Republic of Croatia routes.

  • 🇭🇺Hungary

    • Guest Investor Programme (golden visa)
  • 🇷🇸Republic of Serbia

    • Residence via Company Founding / Self-Employment
  • 🇰🇳Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis

    No closely-matching routes indexed yet — see all Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis routes.

  • 🇦🇬Antigua and Barbuda

    No closely-matching routes indexed yet — see all Antigua and Barbuda routes.

  • 🇩🇲Commonwealth of Dominica

    No closely-matching routes indexed yet — see all Commonwealth of Dominica routes.

  • 🇬🇩Grenada

    No closely-matching routes indexed yet — see all Grenada routes.

  • 🇱🇨Saint Lucia

    No closely-matching routes indexed yet — see all Saint Lucia routes.

  • 🇧🇧Barbados

    No closely-matching routes indexed yet — see all Barbados routes.

  • 🇧🇸Commonwealth of The Bahamas

    • Bahamas Economic Permanent Residence
  • 🇩🇴Dominican Republic

    • Residence by Investment - Investor
  • 🇰🇾Cayman Islands (British Overseas Territory)

    • Certificate of Permanent Residence for Persons of Independent Means
  • 🇨🇳People's Republic of China

    • K Visa (young science and technology talent)
  • 🇧🇬Republic of Bulgaria

    • Residence by Investment
  • 🇷🇴Romania

    • Residency by Investment / Business Activities (Romania)
  • 🇱🇰Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka

    • Digital Nomad Visa
    • Residence Visa (Investor Category)
  • 🇪🇨Republic of Ecuador

    • Temporary Residence - Investor (Inversionista)
  • 🇦🇲Republic of Armenia

    • Temporary Residence for Business / Self-Employment
  • 🇦🇱Republic of Albania

    • Unique Permit for Investors
  • 🇵🇾Republic of Paraguay

    • Permanent Residence for Investors (SUACE)
  • 🇲🇦Kingdom of Morocco

    No closely-matching routes indexed yet — see all Kingdom of Morocco routes.

  • 🇷🇼Republic of Rwanda

    • Investor Permit (Class A-1 / B-1)
    • Business / Entrepreneur Permit
  • 🇧🇼Republic of Botswana

    • Investor Work Permit
  • 🇰🇿Republic of Kazakhstan

    • Neo Nomad Visa (B12-1)
  • 🇰🇭Kingdom of Cambodia

    • EG Job-Seeking Visa (E-class job-seeking sub-class)
  • 🇺🇿Republic of Uzbekistan

    • Golden Visa (5-year residence for investment)
  • 🇳🇵Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal

    • Business Visa (foreign investors and representatives)
  • 🇲🇪Montenegro

    • Residence for Company Founders and the Self-Employed (Montenegro)
  • 🇲🇩Republic of Moldova

    • Temporary Residence for Investors (Moldova)
  • 🇸🇮Republic of Slovenia

    • Self-Employment Residence (Slovenia)
  • 🇵🇪Republic of Peru

    • Investor (Inversionista)
  • 🇸🇻Republic of El Salvador

    • Investor Temporary Residence
  • 🇯🇴Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan

    • Investor Residency (Qualifying Real-Estate Purchase)
  • 🇫🇯Republic of Fiji

    • Investor Permit for Non-Citizen Investors
  • 🇯🇲Jamaica

    No closely-matching routes indexed yet — see all Jamaica routes.

  • 🇹🇿United Republic of Tanzania

    • Residence Permit Class A (self-employed and investors)
    • Long-tenure Residence (high-value investors, discretionary)
  • 🇦🇿Republic of Azerbaijan

    • Temporary Residence Permit (investment, real estate or deposit)
  • 🇹🇹Republic of Trinidad and Tobago

    No closely-matching routes indexed yet — see all Republic of Trinidad and Tobago routes.

  • 🇮🇸Iceland

    • Residence Permit for the Self-Employed (Iceland)
  • 🇱🇹Republic of Lithuania

    • Startup Visa (Lithuania)
    • Temporary Residence for Business or Self-Employment (Lithuania)
  • 🇧🇿Belize

    No closely-matching routes indexed yet — see all Belize routes.

  • 🇬🇹Republic of Guatemala

    • Temporary Residence - Investor (Residencia Inversionista)
  • 🇳🇦Republic of Namibia

    • Investor Residence (qualifying investment)
  • 🇱🇻Republic of Latvia

    • Startup Residence Permit (Latvia)
    • Investor Residence Permit / Golden Visa (Latvia)
  • 🇸🇰Slovak Republic

    • Temporary Residence for Business / Self-Employment (Slovakia)
  • 🇻🇺Republic of Vanuatu

    • Residence Visa (Foreign Investor ground)
  • 🇲🇳Mongolia

    • Investor Residence (foreign-invested company)
  • 🇰🇼State of Kuwait

    • Investor Residency (long-term, up to ~15 years)
  • 🇧🇳Brunei Darussalam

    No closely-matching routes indexed yet — see all Brunei Darussalam routes.

  • 🇱🇮Principality of Liechtenstein

    No closely-matching routes indexed yet — see all Principality of Liechtenstein routes.

Frequently asked questions

Do entrepreneurs need a job offer to work abroad?+−

It depends on the route. Many countries offer skilled-migration or self-employment routes that do not require a job offer up front, while employer-sponsored work visas do. The country guides below flag which of each destination's routes need a sponsor.

Which countries have visa routes for entrepreneurs?+−

We map entrepreneur routes across all 109 destinations we cover, and 86 currently have at least one route that fits entrepreneurs directly. Open any country below for its specific routes and official sources.

This is not legal advice

We publish neutral, sourced information about immigration routes. Rules and thresholds change often — always verify details on the official government source linked on this page and consult a regulated immigration advisor before applying.