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Canada's Start-up Visa

cic.gc.ca

11–20 of 249 posts

Re: Canada's Start-up Visa

#11
I imagine that the one year of required secondary education will prevent a lot of founders from applying for this visa (I would be one of them) but I can understand why it's required.

Re: Canada's Start-up Visa

#13
proof of having completed at least one year of post-secondary education

Seems oddly arbitrary. Most visas with educational requirements go for the complete degree, not just one year of education. All the tales of "drop outs" who make it big force their hand? :-)

Re: Canada's Start-up Visa

#14
The bad part: The investment has to come from a canadian VC or angel firm. It doesn't clearly state if it is a requirement though [1].

The good part: As many have already mentioned, it is a permanent residency status and not just a temporary visa. It comes along with all the health care benefits and social benefits as what Canadian citizens get [2]. So even if your first business fails, you will have the opportunity to start another one or find a job.

[1] http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/helpcentre/answer.asp?q=653&t=6

[2] http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/newcomers/about-pr.asp

Re: Canada's Start-up Visa

#15

proof of having completed at least one year of post-secondary education Seems oddly arbitrary. Most visas with educational requirements go for the complete degree, not just one year of education. All the tales of "drop outs" who make it big force their hand? :-)

Excluding myself i know of five founders who fit this criteria, so its becoming more common nowadays.

Re: Canada's Start-up Visa

#16
Summary of the conditions:

- Secure $75k in angel funding or $200k in venture funding, from a list of designated Canadian funders.

- Score relatively highly on a language test in either English or French, for both verbal and written ability (note that everyone must take this test, even those coming from English- or French-speaking countries).

- Have satisfactorily completed at least one year of higher education (no degree required).

- Depending on family size, have a minimum of $11k-$30k in the bank initially to support yourself.

Re: Canada's Start-up Visa

#17

proof of having completed at least one year of post-secondary education Seems oddly arbitrary. Most visas with educational requirements go for the complete degree, not just one year of education. All the tales of "drop outs" who make it big force their hand? :-)

Post-secondary education is pretty much universally accepted as a good thing, but it doesn't pan out for everyone. This might be their way of both accepting that not everyone worthwhile gets their degree, but at the same time they don't want to motivate people not to go at all.

Re: Canada's Start-up Visa

#18

What's the possible reason for the education requirements? Shouldn't VC support and sufficient financing be enough?

It doesn't mention any particular reason for the education on the website.

I'm at least a little glad it isn't a requirement to hold a degree or diploma.

I'm assuming this is simply an empty requirement to weed out people during application. That said, if a few very intelligent hacker types who never went to college had successfully achieved all of the other three requirements, then I'd see no reason to deny that application.

I'm pretty sure this rule also extends from my countries intense fascination with secondary education.

See: http://newsfeed.time.com/2012/09/27/and-the-worlds-most-educ..., https://duckduckgo.com/?q=canada+most+educated+country

Re: Canada's Start-up Visa

#19

proof of having completed at least one year of post-secondary education Seems oddly arbitrary. Most visas with educational requirements go for the complete degree, not just one year of education. All the tales of "drop outs" who make it big force their hand? :-)

It could have been worse: "no more than 1 year of post-secondary education!". :)

Re: Canada's Start-up Visa

#20
The education requirements are strange especially considering they only require one year. e.g. I started my business in the final year of high school and although I got accepted, decided not to attend University. I would be denied a visa. However someone who decided to drop out at the end of their first year of University would be accepted for a visa.

Doesn't seem to make much sense. Does anyone know how strict these requirements are yet?

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