Attracting entrepreneurs through Canada’s Start-up Visa
August 14, 2014
Kitchener, ON
Minister Alexander meets with local business leaders in Kitchener-Waterloo
Canada’s Citizenship and Immigration Minister, Chris Alexander, met with Kitchener-Waterloo-based business incubator Communitech and other business leaders to discuss the Start-up Visa and its potential for attracting entrepreneurs to Canada who have the vision and ability to build innovative companies that can create jobs and long-term prosperity.
The roundtable aimed to build on the momentum of Alexander’s visit to GrowLab Ventures in Vancouver last month, where he welcomed the first two successful applicants under Canada’s Start-up Visa Program. Alexander discussed the importance of the program with a number of local business leaders and encouraged organizations to continue their efforts in identifying exciting start-up opportunities, as well as the dynamic entrepreneurs behind them, with the help of the Start-up Visa.
Launched last year, the Start-up Visa Program brings together Canadian venture capital funds, angel investor groups and business incubators with entrepreneurs from abroad.
The Start-up Visa Program is an important part of the government’s plan to build a fast and flexible economic immigration system, with a primary focus on meeting the new and emerging needs of the Canadian economy.
Quick facts
- The Start-up Visa Program, the first of its kind in the world, links experienced Canadian private sector firms with innovative foreign entrepreneurs who want to launch their start-up companies in Canada.
- In July, the first successful applicants were welcomed to Canada after gaining the support of GrowLab Ventures of Vancouver.
- In January 2015, CIC will launch a new electronic application management system called Express Entry, which will offer a faster and more effective way to welcome economic immigrants to Canada than ever before.
