the CanadaVisa Team - 18 April, 2012
Canadian Immigration and Culture Minister, Jason Kenney, announced today that consultations have begun regarding the possible creation of a new program for immigrant entrepreneurs.
“Our government’s top priority remains jobs, growth and long-term prosperity. Canada cannot afford to lose out in the competition for foreign entrepreneurs among immigrant-receiving countries,” he said in Toronto. “We need to proactively target a new type of immigrant entrepreneur who has the potential to build innovative companies that can compete on a global scale and create jobs for Canadians”.
Exactly how the government will target these entrepreneurs is the focus of upcoming consultations. Citizenship and Immigration Canada will begin meeting with industry associations to craft a visa program that will bring in desired groups of businesspeople. A key element to this program will be connecting entrepreneurs to private sector organizations that can assist them in successfully navigating the Canadian business environment.
The “start-up” visa is one of a series of changes being made to bring Canada’s immigration system in line with its economic needs. This is an example of a possible short term program, which could be implemented for a probationary period of five years, with application restricted to no more than 2,750 a year.
