I wanted to know if anyone here has success with "Canada Start-up visa" program:
http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/immigrate/business/start-up/index.asp<p>And if so can you share your experience here? they time it took or any info that you think it is useful for others interested in this program?<p>Thanks
Very, very few people have been awarded visas under this program. This article from two months ago says that in the 21 months the program had been running only five people were accepted: <a href="http://www.techvibes.com/blog/canadas-startup-visa-program-2015-01-08" rel="nofollow">http://www.techvibes.com/blog/canadas-startup-visa-program-2...</a>.<p>Here's another article from the summer in which the government trumpeted their acceptance of a total of two people in the first sixteen months of the program: <a href="http://metronews.ca/news/canada/1098581/immigration-minister-promotes-entrepreneur-visa/" rel="nofollow">http://metronews.ca/news/canada/1098581/immigration-minister...</a>.
The visa just got started recently but last I heard they are still working out the details.<p>I applied for CEC (Canada Experience Class), paid >$4k for lawyer fees but application got rejected saying quota is fulfilled even though the website notes that its less than half filled.<p>Trying now on express entry but I doubt I'll get anywhere. I feel its a broken system which caters to very expensive lawyers as they know the hacks.
I don't see why the startup capital should be limited to Canadian investors.<p>I thought about it, but noticed that I had enough points to qualify for the Federal Skilled Worker program, so went for that prior to the revamp.<p>The stability offered by Canadian PR visas are much better than almost any other visa I have read about.
Can anyone say if there's a benefit to moving my startup to BC? I'm currently registered in Delaware, but I plan to move to BC within a year (my wife is Canadian and sponsoring me).<p>The tax situation looks better, but I'm wondering if someone with actual experience running a business in both countries could give me some insight.
Feel free to shoot me an email (on profile) and I can share details / connect you with some involved.<p>I'm an Australian who has been in Canada since 2009. The current iteration of the startup visa has some odd restrictions on Canadian capital imo.<p>You are generally better doing WHP to FSW<p>Disclaimer: ianal
If you'd like to immigrate to Canada for any reason whatsoever, I cannot possibly recommend my own immigration attorney M. Lee Cohen highly enough:<p><a href="http://www.mleecohen.com/" rel="nofollow">http://www.mleecohen.com/</a><p>His main focus is human rights work (political asylum and refugees) however he finances that by charging completely reasonable fees for regular immigration applicants such as myself.<p>Real nice guy and he knows his stuff.