InterAksyon.com
The online news portal of TV5
TORONTO -- Canada is looking at opening up a new visa program for innovative start-up entrepreneurs who intend to invest in Canada, Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Minister Jason Kenny said here Wednesday. Kenny said his ministry would consult with industry associations about the possible program in the coming months and find ways to link immigrant entrepreneurs with private sector organizations with expertise to help newcomers navigate the Canadian business environment more successfully. If it goes ahead, the program would run for five years, but be capped at 2,750 applications a year. If the five-year trial turns out successful, Citizenship and Immigration Canada could introduce it formally through regulatory changes. "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," Kenny said in a news release. He also said the new effort was aimed at transforming Canada's immigration system into a fast and flexible system, which focuses on job creation, economic growth, and long-term prosperity. The Canadian government has pledged to build a more flexible and faster immigration system in its Economic Action Plan 2012 unveiled March to meet the new and emerging needs of the Canadian economy.
According to the action plan, the Canadian government will target more active investment in Canadian growth companies and more innovative entrepreneurs.
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