Entrepreneurs to get faster immigration processing

Entrepreneurs to get faster immigration processing: "Wency Leung, Vancouver Sun
Published: Wednesday, August 23, 2006
Immigration Canada and the B.C. Ministry of Economic Development announced a new pilot project Tuesday that aims to speed up the immigration application process for entrepreneurs wanting to settle in the province.
As part of the project, Citizenship and Immigration Canada will identify entrepreneurs interested in locating to B.C., then mail them information about the province's existing Provincial Nominee Program to encourage them to apply.
The Provincial Nominee Program, introduced in 2001, puts skilled workers and investors on a fast track to obtain permanent residency in B.C.
'In general, this will go much more quickly and make it possible for people to come here who might otherwise say, 'We want to go somewhere else,' ' Immigration Minister Monte Solberg said at a press conference in Burnaby.
'I think this is B.C.'s response to their own desire to bring more entrepreneurs here. This is a province that thrives on entrepreneurship.'
Solberg said there is no limit on the number of people who can enter the province under the program.
He said there are an estimated 4,000 people currently applying to immigrate to Canada who could qualify as entrepreneurs. About 1,000 of them have indicated they're eyeing B.C. as a destination, and could immediately be targeted under the new pilot project.
Those who apply to the Provincial Nominee Program as entrepreneurs would still have to meet a number of criteria, as outlined by the province, such as making a $1 million investment if they locate in the Lower Mainland, or investing a lower amount and creating a certain number of jobs if they intend to settle elsewhere in the province, Solberg said.
The provin"