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Canada is set to be the next country to fast-track selected visa applications in an attempt to boost business in the recession, according to a leaked document.
GEMMA ALDRIDGE
Canada is set to be the next country to fast-track selected visa applications in an attempt to boost business in the recession, according to a leaked document.
The Sun Medias source revealed that the Canadian Immigration Department plans to accelerate business visa applications ahead of those for visitor visas in order to benefit the countrys economy.
The scheme, which would push through visa applications from ''established Canadian companies'' in as few as 48 hours, would follow the success experienced under a similar system in India over the past year. The pilot Business Express initiative was launched to allow Indian businesses to source industry professionals from abroad and permit them to relocate without the extensive and time-consuming visa processing required for independent applicants.
Immigration expert Eric Katz was not surprised by Canadas decision to follow suit and speed up the issue of economically beneficial work visas. He said ''there is a lot of fast-tracking even for skilled worker cases now under the new regime''.
It is not yet clear how the immigration department will assess the eligibility of individual businesses to take advantage of the ''streamline'' service, although it seems they will have to be well established in the Canadian market place.
Claudette Deschenes, assistant deputy minister said: ''As we recognize that business is important to the economy of Canada, were looking at streamlining the process for business visitors, where we can use the key links between companies that we know exist and are already well-known to the mission, to streamline those processes.''