Canada Creates New Class of Visa to Attract Tech Entrepreneurs to Launch Startups Here

Canada today revealed that it plans to create a new class of visa, according to Reuters. Officials hope it will attract technology entrepreneurs to immigrate to the country to start new companies. According to an advisory issued by Citizenship and Immigration Minister Jason Kenney’s office yesterday, the Canadian government is expected to announce in Toronto today the next step in launching a Startup Visa program.

Canada seeks young, ambitious, innovative immigrants who will contribute to Canada’s job growth and further drive our economy,” Kenney’s press secretary, Alexis Pavlich, is quoted as saying. “The start-up visa is an initiative that the government of Canada is exploring to assist in transforming our immigration system into a fast, fair and flexible system that will meet the needs of our economy and help grow our country.”

Venture investment funds would choose entrepreneurs in whom they would invest, and the government would try to clear them for entry into Canada within weeks. The idea is to unite Canadian money and foreign brains. An initial source of candidates could be frustrated foreigners in the high-tech sector in the United States who have not been able to land resident status there.

This program will link brilliant, job-creating, immigrant entrepreneurs with Canadian investors. We want the world’s best and brightest to come to Canada – to start businesses and to create jobs in Canada,” Alexis added