32 destinations
Permanent residence, compared.
The years of residence, tests and conditions that turn a temporary permit into the right to stay for good.
Europe
AustriaLong-term resident – EU (Daueraufenthalt – EU)5 years (Long-term resident – EU)BulgariaLong-term or permanent residence after five years5 years of legal residenceCyprusImmigration Permit for investors (Regulation 6(2)) · Long-term resident status5 years for long-term resident statusDenmarkPermanent residence permit8 years; 4 if all supplementary criteria are metEstoniaLong-term resident's residence permit5 years on a temporary residence permitFinlandPermanent residence permit (P)4 or 6 years on a continuous (A) permit, by routeFranceEU long-term resident card (carte de résident de longue durée-UE)5 years (EU long-term resident card)GermanySettlement permit for the self-employed (section 21(4) Residence Act) · Settlement permit (section 9 Residence Act) · EU long-term residence permit (Daueraufenthalt-EU, section 9a)3 years (section 21 settlement permit)IrelandLong Term Residency · Without Condition as to Time (Stamp 5)Long-term residency at 5 years; Stamp 5 at 8 yearsItalyEU long-term residence permit (permesso di soggiorno UE per soggiornanti di lungo periodo)5 years (EU long-term residence permit)LatviaEuropean Union long-term resident status5 years of legal residenceLithuaniaPermanent residence permit (five years of lawful residence)5 years of uninterrupted lawful residenceMaltaLong-term residence · Malta Permanent Residence Programme (MPRP)5 years; MPRP grants permanent residence directlyNetherlandsPermanent residence permit5 consecutive years on a valid residence permitPortugalPermanent residence permit5 years of legal temporary residenceSpainLong-term residence (residencia de larga duración)5 years of continuous legal residenceUnited KingdomIndefinite leave to remain (Innovator Founder)3 years (indefinite leave to remain)
Americas
BrazilIndefinite-term residence for individual investors (CNIg Normative Resolution 13/2017)Residence granted for an indefinite termCanadaQuébec-selected investors, entrepreneurs and self-employed persons · Start-up Visa permanent residence (files already accepted)Direct PR route, now paused to new applicantsChileResidencia Definitiva24 months of temporary residence (12 in some cases)United StatesEB-2 National Interest Waiver · EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program · Gold Card program (Form I-140G)No direct route; needs NIW, EB-1A, EB-5 or Gold Card
Asia-Pacific
AustraliaBusiness Innovation and Investment (Permanent) visa (subclass 888) · Resident Return visa (subclass 155)Immediate on visa grantHong KongRight of abode for persons not of Chinese nationality · New CIES: permanent residency or unconditional stay7 years of continuous ordinary residenceJapanPermanent Resident via Highly Skilled Professional points · Permanent Resident (general route)1 or 3 years via HSP points; 10 years otherwiseMalaysiaEntry Permit (permanent resident status)No set period; discretionary Entry PermitNew ZealandBusiness Investor Resident Visa · Permanent Resident VisaResident visa in 1–3 years; PRV after 2 moreSingaporeSingapore Permanent Residence (ICA application) · Global Investor Programme (GIP)No fixed period; ICA decides case by caseSouth KoreaF-5 permanent residence for D-8-4 founders · F-5 through the Immigrant Investor Scheme for Public Business3 years on D-8-4 with KRW 300 million and 2 hiresTaiwanAlien Permanent Resident Certificate (standard route) · APRC for Gold Card holders and foreign special professionals · Investment immigration (Plum Blossom Card)5 years; 3 for Gold Card holdersThailandResidence permit (permanent residence) · Investment, business and expert categories3+ years of non-immigrant extensions; annual quota
Middle East
In short.
What permanent residence requires
Permanent residence usually depends on continuous lawful residence over a set number of years, with limits on time spent abroad. Many countries add language and integration tests, proof of stable income and health insurance, and a clean criminal record. For founders, the type of permit held along the way matters: in some countries every year on a startup permit counts in full, in others only part of it does.
A small group of countries grant permanent residence at the point of approval for certain founder or investor routes. Others have no permanent residence at all and rely on long-term renewable visas instead. Each country page explains which applies.
Find the right country for your company.
Share your plans and an advisor will help you compare the startup visa, residence and citizenship routes that fit them.