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Canada Immigration

Canada Start-Up Visa: An Overview for Entrepreneurs

Are you a businessperson looking to start your own venture? Do you intend to migrate to Canada and launch a company there? If so, the Canada Startup Visa Program could be your best choice.

The Canada Start-Up Visa program is designed to attract entrepreneurs from other nations  with the skills required to start and run a successful company in Canada. Through this initiative, qualifying business owners may lead towards Canadian citizenship by receiving funds and support from a reputable Canadian organization.

How does the program work?

If you’re a business owner looking for a Canada Start-Up Visa, you must show that your idea for a company is original, viable, and likely to lead to employment in Canada. A credible Canadian venture capital fund, angel investors, or the startup accelerator has to invest at least $130000/- to $ 200000/- CAD in the business if it still needs to be in the early phases of development.

Entrepreneurs may use the program to seek permanent residence in Canada after making this investment. They and their immediate family members may immigrate to Canada and begin setting up their firm if their application is accepted.

Who may participate in the program?

  1. Possess a unique, scalable company concept with the potential to create jobs in Canada.
  2. Be backed by a recognized Canadian entity, such as an angel investor group, venture capital fund, or business incubator.
  3. Possess a basic level of French or English language ability.
  4. Have the funds to relocate to Canada before their firm starts to turn a profit.
  5. Pass the medical and security tests.

What are the program’s advantages?

The Canada Start-Up Visa program offers company entrepreneurs and their families several benefits, including:

  1. Obtaining Canadian citizenship
  2. Access to Canada’s top-notch healthcare and education systems
  3. The chance to start and expand a company in a secure atmosphere
  4. The prospect of eventually obtaining Canadian citizenship
  5. Using Canada’s trade agreements, access to international markets

How many people have been approved for the program?

According to Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), 1,167 principal petitioners and 2,254 dependent family members have achieved clearance for the Canada startup visa process as of December 2020.

Source – https://www.imidaily.com/datacenter/canada-startup-visa-statistics/

Which nations consistently provide the most applicants?

India is leading the chart with the most applications for Canada Start-Up Visas, followed by China, Iran, the United States, and Nigeria.

Source – https://www.imidaily.com/datacenter/canada-startup-visa-statistics/

What types of businesses have been approved under the program?

The Canada Start-Up Visa program has approved a wide range of business ideas, including:

  1. Software development and IT services
  2. E-commerce platforms
  3. Health-tech and medical devices
  4. Clean energy and environmental technology
  5. Food and beverage manufacturing and distribution
  6. Biotechnology and pharmaceuticals
  7. Advanced manufacturing and robotics

What is the success rate of businesses started under the program?

Even though there is no official data on the success rate of businesses started under the Canada Start-Up Visa program in terms of their success, anecdotal evidence suggests that many of these businesses have gone on to become very successful. 

For instance, ShopLocket, an e-commerce site that PCH International purchased in 2014, pioneered the program. Nymi, a wearable technology firm that has garnered over $20 million in investment and has collaborations with significant businesses like Mastercard and TD Bank, is another success story.

The Canada Start-Up Visa program has helped Canada draw in many innovative businesspeople. The initiative has been so effective in drawing investors to Canada that the Canadian government recently revealed its intentions to expand it. The government will increase the number of recognized organizations that may provide program assistance to entrepreneurs as part of this expansion. This will make it simpler for company owners to get the funding and assistance they want to launch and expand their enterprises in Canada.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the Canada Start-Up Visa program is an exceptional opportunity for savvy businesses to relocate to Canada and launch their companies in a friendly and safe setting. Many business owners find the program appealing because of its advantages, such as permanent residence, access to markets globally, and the chance to become Canadian citizens, despite the difficulties of starting up a company overseas. The Canada Start-Up Visa can be your best choice if you wish to launch a company in Canada and have a strong business plan.

If you still have any queries, connect with our experts, and we will be more than happy to assist.

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Canada

Canada experiencing high job demand and shortage in labour market. Now is the perfect time to move to Canada !!

High job vacancies coupled with low unemployment make for a tight labor market in Canada.

Job vacancies in Canada climbed to 957,500 in the first quarter, the highest quarterly number on record according to Statistics Canada.

Read 7 reasons why Canada is meant for you

The number of job vacancies has spiked by more than 72% representing about 401,900 positions compared to the first quarter of 2020. Job vacancies in Q1 2022 surpassed the previous record high numbers recorded in Q4 2021 by nearly 3%, representing 24,900 more vacant positions.

The healthcare and social assistance sector reached another all-time high at 136,800 vacancies. Labor shortages in this sector were high before the pandemic, but COVID-19 pushed up demand even further. Compared with the first quarter of 2020, vacancies rose nearly 91% (65,100 positions) in the first quarter of 2022.

The construction sector is also seeing record-high numbers of vacancies. In Q1, Permanent Residence Canada construction employers were seeking to fill 81,500 vacant positions. Quarter-over-quarter, the construction sector saw an increase of over 7% (5,400 positions) from Q4, 2021.

Job vacancies are continuing on an upward trend in the manufacturing and retail trade sectors. Vacancies in manufacturing peaked at 87,400 last quarter, and retail trade employers were seeking 114,600 jobs.

There was little change in professional, scientific, and technical services. Employers in this sector were looking to fill 68,800 positions, little changed from the record high reached last quarter.

Accommodation and food services had about 133,800 vacant positions in Q1. Despite the large number, it had actually decreased by about 12% from the previous quarter.

On a national level, the unemployment-to-job vacancy ratio was 1.3 in the first quarter, down from 2.2 in the same quarter of 2020. Before the pandemic. This means the pool of unemployed workers has shrunk as job vacancies continue to grow.

The unemployment-to-job vacancy ratio also varied across Canadian provinces. While there was less than one unemployed person for every job vacancy in Quebec and British Columbia, there were almost four unemployed people for every vacancy in Newfoundland and Labrador. A lower ratio indicates a tighter labor market and possible labor shortages.

Canadian employers are facing significant hiring challenges. In the first quarter, there were nearly 34 newly hired employees for every 100 job vacancies. By comparison, in Q1 of last year, there were about 48 new hires for every 100 vacancies and 82 in the first quarter of 2016 when comparable data first became available.

When looking at sectors with high demand, accommodation, and food services employers hired about 23 new employees for every 100 vacancies. Health care and social assistance also hired about 23. Professional, scientific, and technical services employers hired about 50.

According to the Canadian Survey on Business Conditions from January 4 to February 7, recruiting skilled employees was expected to be an obstacle for nearly two-fifths of businesses, and retaining employees was expected to be an obstacle for about 30%.

With the Canada startup visa, you, your spouse, and your children can move to Canada and take advantage of the high labor demand.

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Canada

7 reasons why Canada is meant for you.

Who doesn’t dream of living in Canada? I certainly have this dream and if you are reading this, I am guessing you do too.

Canada is a blissful country with excellent diversity and inclusion policies, healthcare, education, and career opportunities to name a few but as if you do not already know this, I would love to give you detailed reasons why Canada is a boss country and you should apply for a Canada start-up visa today.

Read more: Canada experience high job demand & shortage in labor market

1. Economy

There is unlimited opportunity and potential to be found in Canada’s fast-growing and industrialized economy.

As one of the richest countries, Canada also offers the highest standard of living while decreasing taxes and strengthening their economy with a 2.3% inflation rate.

Canadians also get to keep an increasing amount of their income each year, with the average annual income being around $40,000.

The economy continues to improve with the lowest unemployment rate since 1976 (6.8%) and hundreds of thousands of new jobs created annually. Aside from the economic facts and statistics, the currency in Canada is truly awesome.

They use colorful paper money, one-dollar coins (Loonies), and two-dollar coins (Toonies).

2. Health

Canadians consider health care to be a fundamental right. This is why free healthcare is such an important part of what makes Canada awesome.

While the process may be slower, the quality of health care is among the highest in the world, and everyone has access to the medical treatment that they need.

The cost of recovery is never a concern, no matter what health challenges you face. Access to social assistance programs and affordable housing also contribute to the overall well-being and health of the nation that takes care of its people.

Aside from free health care, there is a social health consciousness that can be seen in traditions like the Wednesday yoga class on the lawn of the nation’s capital.

Every Wednesday in the summertime, yoga enthusiasts can join in on this one-hour yoga class tradition that has included as many as 2,500 people at one time, and averages 1,000 participants per class.

3. Education

Canada spends more money on the education of their citizens than any other nation. Primary and secondary education are free along with post-secondary studies.

Canadian colleges and universities are known for their superb reputations throughout the world.

Canada is also the most educated country in the world with the highest proportion of college graduates at 51% (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development Report on Global Education).

4. Culture

Canada is a truly multicultural country with a rich ethnic diversity… and we’re proud of it! Multiculturalism was even adopted in Canada as a national policy.

For example, Canada recognized dual citizenship, it supports media such as newspapers, etc. in several languages (Portuguese, Italian, Arabic, Chinese…), it encourages minorities representation in the workforce and in education and it offers support and help for newcomers in Canada (translation services, immigration advice, etc.).

Canada is a country that is entirely multicultural and even has an official national policy of multiculturalism.

Some examples of this policy include having media (like newspapers) in several languages, including Italian, Chinese, Portuguese, Arabic, etc. Canada also encourages immigrants and minorities to hold onto their cultures and represent their nationality in education and the workforce.

They offer services for translation and immigration advice to support newcomers.

Canada is a wonderful example to the world as a leader in cultural diversity, tolerance, peaceful society, and safety.

They legalized same-sex marriage in 2005 (4th country to do this), and they keep their citizens safer with the lowest crime rates that continue to decline thanks to a fair justice system, strict gun control laws, and community policing.

Because Canada is such a large country, their population is small in comparison with one of the lowest population densities in the world.

There are ten provinces and three territories with the motto of Ad Mari Usque Ad Mare (From Sea to Sea).

There is a whole lot of space across the mountains and prairies and between British Columbia and the Maritimes with numerous roads, mixed ethnicity neighborhoods, unique language quirks, and intriguing cultural diversity.

5. Scenery

Canada is famous for its gorgeous scenery and uninhabited land. The views of the untouched natural environment are breathtaking and composed of beautiful lakes and rivers.

There are three oceans, mountains, plains, and some of the most attractive cities in the world, like Toronto.

Then there is the view of the Aurora Borealis (Northern Lights) from sites like Yellowknife where the nights are clear, the landscape is flat, and the Northern Lights are perfectly visible.

You can also view the beauty of giant icebergs from shore or on a tour boat. Iceberg Alley is a famous location where icebergs from western Greenland glaciers float down an amazing path.

Then there is one of the most dynamic bays in the world where people can walk or paddle through an area where more than 100 billion tons of water flows in and out each day.

Fundy Bay stretches from Nova Scotia to New Brunswick and the powerful tides expose fossils and sometimes rise over 50 feet. There are some places, like Hopewell Rocks, N.B., where one can kayak in an area that will be dry ocean floor by the end of the day.

Canada is filled with famous attractions and awe-inspiring scenery that combine to make this country one of the most awesome places to live or visit in the world.

There are small towns like Balm Beach, Deep River, Niagara on the Lake, and Rapides-des-Joachims. There are large famous cities like Montreal, Toronto, and Vancouver.

There are attractions like the Thousand Islands and Niagara Falls. And of course, there are the Northern Lights and Ice, beautiful bays, mountain skylines, and enormous icebergs. When it comes to scenery, Canada is hard to beat.

6. Wildlife

Wildlife is a major part of the identity of Canada. When wildlife enthusiast leaves the cities, they will find polar bears, moose, whales, 462 species of birds, and much more.

The greatest diversity of birds can be found in Ontario and British Columbia, and the common loon is Canada’s national bird.

When it comes to whales, one of the most popular attractions is the springtime migration of around 20,000 Gray Whales which swim towards the western coast of Vancouver Island to get to the Bering Sea where they feed during the summer.

The round trip of the Gray Whales is 16,000 to 22,500 kilometers and they can be seen from shore or from tour boats. There is even an annual Pacific Rim Whale Festival celebrated in the middle of March by Tofino Ucluelet and Pacific Rim National Park Reserve.

Then you have the Orca (Killer Whales) who are fearsome and easily recognizable predators of belugas, seals, and other whales.

These animals are fast, moving up to 40 kilometers per hour with their aerodynamic bodies and black and white coloring being instantly recognized by anyone along the Inside Passage to Alaska or Vancouver Island.

If you happen to find yourself in Ontario, visiting Cochrane will give you the chance to get as close as you can to swimming with real polar bears.

There is a small wading pool which is right next to the polar bear pool and visitors get their pictures taken with 740-pound polar bears, with strong and thick plexiglass separating each person from the danger of a powerful bear.

7. Food

Some of our favorite foods come from Canada, like Hawaiian Pizza which, as it turns out, isn’t from Hawaii at all.

With pineapple, ham, and even mushrooms sometimes, this pizza was created by a Canadian pizzeria owner in Sam Panopoulosof Chatham, Ontario in 1962.

Then, you’ve got Tim Hortons which has expanded into the United States and offers some of the best coffee and Maple Dipped Doughnuts in the world.

Does this sound like your ideal country of residence ? Well contact My Global Citizenship today to get started on your Canada Startup Visa and immigrate to Canada with your family via investment.

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Canada

Bringing your Spouse to Canada: IRCC back to 12-month processing for spousal sponsorship applications

After the pandemic slowed IRCC operations, spousal sponsorship is back to service standard, government says.

According to a government media release, efforts to modernize the Canadian immigration system have allowed Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) to get back on track. IRCC also launched a portal where spousal and child sponsorship applicants can track their immigration applications online.

The service standard of 12 months is the same whether spouses are applying as inland or outland applicants. In both cases, the processing time includes the time required for applicants to give biometrics, for IRCC to assess the sponsor and the person being sponsored, as well as the time needed to ensure applicants meet eligibility requirements.

Eligibility for spousal sponsorship

Canadians may be eligible to sponsor if they:

  • are at least 18 years old;
  • are a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, or they are an Indigenous person registered under the Canadian Indian Act;
  • demonstrate they are not receiving social assistance unless they have a disability; and
  • can provide for the financial needs of the sponsored person.

Also Read 7 reasons why Canada is meant for you

Eligibility to be sponsored

The person being sponsored needs to meet the following eligibility criteria:

  • Spouse: They must have been legally married to the sponsor at an in-person ceremony.
  • Common-law partner: They must have lived with the sponsor for at least 12 straight months.
  • Conjugal partner: They must have been in a relationship with the sponsor for at least one year, live outside of Canada, and cannot live with the sponsor in their country or marry them due to significant legal or immigration causes. For example, they live in a country where same-sex marriage or divorce is not allowed. Sponsors need to prove to IRCC they could not live together or get married in their partner’s country.

Foreign nationals must be at least 18 years old to be sponsored for immigration under all of these categories.

Also, foreign nationals must pass a health, security, and criminality screening and therefore be considered admissible to Canada.

How to apply

There are two types of sponsorship processes: inland and outland sponsorship. The key difference is that couples applying for sponsorship from within Canada are considered inland, while those whose foreign national spouse is abroad will be filed under outland.

To be eligible for inland sponsorship, the foreign spouse or common-law partner must also have valid temporary status in Canada, either as a worker, student, or visitor. During the inland sponsorship application process, the sponsored person will be able to continue to live, work or study in Canada. While pursuing inland sponsorship, the sponsored spouse may be able to get a Spousal Open Work Permit, which would allow them to work while they are waiting on the results of their application.

It is generally expected that inland sponsorship applicants will remain in Canada while their application is being processed. If the spouse or common-law partner does not plan to stay in Canada or needs to be able to travel outside the country while the application is being processed, outland sponsorship may be a better option.

Outland sponsorship is for foreign spouses who are not legally living in Canada at the time of the application. Applicants residing in Canada may also opt for outland sponsorship as it allows for travel to and from Canada while the application process is underway. It may be the best option for those whose work or personal situation requires them to leave the country.

Canadian permanent residents can sponsor their spouse as an outland applicant only if they are living in Canada, whereas Canadian citizens can sponsor their spouse as an outland applicant from abroad. If they do this though, they will have to demonstrate that they will return to Canada with their spouse if the application is approved.

In addition to married and common-law partners, is also possible to sponsor conjugal partners through outland sponsorship. Conjugal partners are couples who have been in an ongoing and committed relationship for a period of at least 12 months but, due to significant legal constraints or other factors beyond their control, they cannot live together.

Steps to submit a sponsorship application

Applicants will submit two applications together. One is for sponsorship and the other is a permanent residence application.

Step 1: Get an application package from IRCC.

Step 2: Pay the application fees to IRCC, which include processing fees, a right of permanent residence fee, and a biometrics fee. These fees need to be paid on IRCC’s website.

Step 3: Mail the completed application to IRCC.

IRCC’s processing standard is 12 months.