Draws for the PEI business immigration program is like clockwork, happening every 3rd Thursday of the month unlike other provinces of Canada. This is obviously one advantage of applying for the program. You know when the province will draw applicants. In 2022, PEI was the only province that had regular draws. Here are some statistics as to how many times other provinces invited business applicants this year: Province Draws Invitations Issued Nova Scotia 1 6 British Columbia 8 45 Ontario 3 84 Saskatchewan 6 325 Alberta Not available* Not available* *Due to the low volume of applications Now let’s look […]
I’d like to continue with a blog regarding the federal Start-Up Visa program in Canada that was originally posted on September 23, 2022. Specifically, I’d like to answer two important and frequently-asked questions about the program, as well as provide an example of a successful business concept. First, the key for success in this program is ultimately answering the question of whether the applicant can propose an innovative business concept to interest a designated organization. So, what is an “innovative business concept”? Innovative start-up business concepts are typically built around a new technology or improvements to existing technology such as […]
The Start-Up Visa (SUV) program is one of the most popular Canadian immigration programs to foreign entrepreneurs. This is a federal program which means that applicants can obtain Canadian permanent residency status directly if approved, bypassing the need for provincial nomination first. To be eligible to apply, applicants must: There are a variety of entrepreneur immigration programs in Canada, and they are all created to attract specific types of business immigrants to Canada. For example, the SUV program is tailored towards start-up founders, and is primarily designed and to benefit entrepreneurs who already have a scaled business or have an […]
Health Care in Canada is the jurisdiction of the provinces and territories. Prince Edward Island is a small province with a population of about 156,000 people. There are two main hospitals, one in Charlottetown and one in Summerside. There are also various medical clinics across the Island. In order to access the health care system on PEI, you must have a PEI health card. All residents of PEI, including newcomers and international students are eligible for a health card. https://www.princeedwardisland.ca/en/service/apply-for-pei-health-card-new-residents Most medically necessary services are covered under the PEI provincial health care system. These include most physician and in-hospital services; […]
Bright Stars Technology is an educational software company located in the Future Tech West building in O’Leary. The three-person Bright Stars Technology team is currently creating an app designed for people with special needs, which will be available in Fall, 2022. This client, who has a background in social work, first applied for the Prince Edward Island Provincial Nominee Program in March 2020. Due to delays caused by the ongoing global pandemic, she didn’t have her official interview until the following October. The PEI Office of Immigration issued her Work Permit Support Letter about two months later. This client received […]
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) released immigration updates on August 24, 2022. IRCC stated that Canada has processed and accepted record-breaking numbers of immigrants in 2021 and 2022. The department also said they had hired 1,250 new employees and allocated an $85 million budget to address the immigration application backlog. In the news release, IRCC said that as of July 31 about 54% of immigration applications were in the backlog. IRCC said the main reasons for the backlog were addressing humanitarian crises and time taken to update old technology. They also stated that they now hope to process 80% […]
Prince Edward Island is a small scenic province and most people who live here choose to drive. Here is everything you need to know about driving on PEI. I have a Valid Out-of-Province Driver’s License If you have a valid driver’s license from your home country, another province, or an international driver’s license and you are a resident of PEI, you can use it to drive on PEI for four months. You will need to exchange it for a PEI driver’s license (Class 5: passenger vehicle). In order to exchange your license for a PEI one you must go in-person […]
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) enacted a special one-time measure to automatically extend or assist extending work permits so some foreign nationals can continue working in Canada until at least May 31, 2023. There are 95,000 post-graduation work permit set to expire by the end of 2022, and the Government of Canada expects about 55,000 of those permit holders will benefit from these measures, which came into effect August 2, 2022. Former international students with expired or expiring post-graduation work permits will be able to remain working by extending their work permit for an additional 18 months. POST-GRADUATION WORK […]
Engaging business communities in attracting immigrants to smaller communities and addressing shortages in the labour force in Canada were the main topics discussed with the Parliamentary Secretary to Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, Marie-France Lalonde in the 7th installment of the Great Charlottetown Area Chamber of Commerce’s Economic Recovery Series on July 29, 2022. “Ottawa wants Atlantic communities to thrive” Lalonde said. She explained that the federal government is dedicated to assisting Canada’s smaller communities, like Prince Edward Island, to address challenges like skilled-worker shortages and difficulties attracting immigrants. Bill DeBlois, the president of the Great Charlottetown Area Chamber […]
Prince Edward Island is the smallest province in Canada. It’s surrounded by the Gulf of St. Lawrence and is connected to New Brunswick by the Confederation Bridge, the longest bridge over ice-covered water in the world! The 1908, fictional novel, Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery allowed people around the world to discover the natural beauty of PEI as seen through the eyes of the endearing protagonist, Anne. Since the publication of that novel, million and millions of tourists have visited PEI in the summer. The scenic, white sand beaches along the North Shore are the biggest attraction, though […]