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Having seen just two completed applications in the Start-up Visa Program, a pilot program brought into being in early 2013, Canada\u2019s Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, Chris Alexander, has promised to speed up the process.<\/p>\n
It currently takes about a year to process applications, which has proven to irritate Start-ups, investors, and applicants alike. Under the Express Entry system, expected to be brought in on January 1, 2015, processing times will be reduced. “We are going to be moving to a six-month processing standard for economic immigrants, ensuring that we move at the speed of business,” said Alexander at a news conference in the Communitech Hub in downtown Kitchener last Thursday, August 14. “We have sent a message loudly and clearly around the world that Canada is open for business, Canada is accepting talented immigrants and that we are one of the best places in the world to do a Start-up.”<\/p>\n
With the tech sector in Canada competing globally for talent, not just with other countries, but also with business heavyweights who have the ability to match salaries, a streamlined Start-up immigration process is key. So far, a pair of Ukrainians working at the accelerator GrowLab in Vancouver represent the total number of applicants working in Canada under this program.<\/p>\n
Click here to learn more about the Entrepreneur Start-Up Visa Program and find out if you are eligible to apply.<\/p>\n