'New' Entrepreneur Program for Immigration in Canada

Canada’s Minister for Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Hon. Jason Kenney disclosed that the system for immigrating to Canada under the Entrepreneur stream of Business immigration will be re-introduced by the end of the year. The new program allows the overseas Canadian consulate to be able to attract the type of business immigrant “who can do much more in terms of adding value to the economy than opening up a convenience store.”, thus creating a win-win for both the economy and the immigrant.

Canada's business immigration program includes Immigrant Investor and Entrepreneur streams. The entrepreneur program was suspended in July, 2011 in advance of introduction of a revamped program.

The new Entrepreneur program, though not final yet, is being conceived for "folks with brilliant ideas that are going to generate sustainable jobs for a long time to come”, according to the Minister. He wants the program to attract "the next Bill Gates or the next Steve Jobs". He added, “We want to create a policy which is more likely to attract entrepreneurs in areas like technology, energy and environmental innovations".

The earlier version of the program accepted immigrants on a conditional basis. The conditions were 'removed' upon their establishing a successful business of specified criteria in Canada. The program was plagued by administrative delays in initial assessments as well as removal of conditions.

The government would also promote the program in a broad range of countries, as according to the ministry, the majority of immigrants under the former entrepreneur class came from just four places: China (and Hong Kong), Egypt, India and Korea.