October 3rd 2024 – Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) recently made important changes to the work permits available under the Start-up visa program. Under the new rules put in effect on October 3rd, 2024, businesspersons can now apply for…

September 9th 2024 – After celebrating a decade of existence in 2023, IRCC completed a new evaluation of the Start-up Visa program.  The evaluation report concludes that the SUV Program is aligned with the Government of Canada priorities, is a…

September 4th 2024 – Since April 30th, 2024’s policy change giving a maximum of 10 letters of support to designated organizations per year until the end of 2026, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has made other changes to improve…

July 11th 2024 – Portugal stands out as a beacon of quality living, ranking 7th in the world for best quality of life according to the Expat Insider 2024 survey. This remarkable country has secured its place in the top 10…

February 26th 2024 – The Canadian Start-up Visa program has completed 10 full years of existence since being launched as a pilot program in 2013.  With this program, Canada targets immigrant entrepreneurs with the skills and potential to launch businesses…

November 17th 2023 - The 2023 Annual Report to Parliament on Immigration, released on November 1st, 2023, offers a compelling portrait of Canada’s immigration landscape for the year 2022. The report specifically highlights the success of the Start-Up Visa program,...

November 17th 2023 - On November 8th, 2023, Québec’s Ministry of Immigration, Francisation and Integration (MIFI) published new regulations modifying the rules for economic immigration programs. These new regulations confirm that the Québec Immigrant Investor Program (QIIP) will reopen on...

November 3rd 2023 - On November 1st, The Honourable Marc Miller, Canada’s Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship (IRCC), presented the Immigration Levels Plan for 2024-2026, which lays out Canada’s immigration targets for the next three years. This new plan...

June 30th 2023 - Earlier this week, Sean Fraser, Canada’s Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, spoke at Collision 2023 and introduced Canada’s first-ever Tech Talent Strategy, an ambitious new plan to attract and retain top talent in technology. The...

November 14th 2022 - Canada welcomed 405,999 new Permanent Residents in 2021, with India in first place The 2022 Annual Report to Parliament on Immigration released by IRCC last week gives an interesting account of the state of immigration in...

November 4th 2022 - On November 1st, Immigrations, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) released its Immigration Level Plans for 2023-2025, as part of its Annual Report to Parliament. These new figures show that the Canadian government aims to admit a...

September 5th 2022 - On September 1st, 2022, IRCC announced that it would transition to 100% online applications for most permanent immigration programs, including the Start-Up Visa and the Quebec Immigrant Investor Program. This transition will be made progressively over...

September 2nd 2022 - Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has recently announced that it will hire 1,250 new employees by the end of autumn. This expansion of the IRCC workforce aims to increase IRCC’s processing capacity and to deal...

On February 14th, 2022, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada released its immigration level plan for 2022 to 2024. The new targets show plans for a significant increase in Canada’s immigration levels over the next few years. In 2021, Canada welcomed...

January 26th 2022 – A number of new studies and surveys in the recent months have come to the conclusion that Canada is among the best places in the world for new start-ups, illustrating the growing attraction of cities like…

Mandeville & Associates is proud to announce the opening of our office at the heart of the City: 17 Hanover Square, W1, London. We have relocated two of our longest serving colleagues to jump-start the European operation: MR. JAN KECK,...

November 29th 2021 – The landscape of business immigration in Canada can often be confusing due to the variety of programs available. While only one business immigration program – the Startup Visa program – is currently available at the federal...

October 19th 2021 – Mandeville & Associates is very proud to celebrate its 25th anniversary by receiving the nomination as Legal Service Top Placer 2021 from the International Trade Council, granted at its annual 2021 Go Global Awards ceremony. Since…

September 2nd 2021 – Canada is on track to meet its ambitious immigration goals announced in October 2020.  At that time, the Canadian government released its recovery plan sought to stimulate an economy weakened by the Covid-19 pandemic by increasing…

August 18th 2021 – Recent data obtained from Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) through an access to information request for the period 2015-2020 shows that the Start-up Visa program (SUV) has seen impressive growth over the last few years….

July 15th, 2021 – Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has recently increased the settlement funds required to qualify for permanent residence under several immigration programs, including the Start Up visa. The settlement funds required for a single applicant have…

July 19th 2021 – Canada’s economy, ranking 10th biggest in the world, is robust and stable despite the challenges it faces during the Covid-19 pandemic. In recent years, Canada has secured several agreements expanding its market and grow its economy. …

CANADA SUV – A PROGRAM FOR INNOVATORS WORK PERMIT IN RECORD TIME The Canada start-up visa (SUV) program attracts more and more the attention of the business immigration world. Established in 2013 and made permanent in 2018, the SUV program…

June 24th 2021 – Business visitors are usually able to stay in Canada for up to 6 months, but the border services officer may sometimes allow a stay exceeding 6 months by issuing a document named a “visitor record” extending…

Most foreign travelers (from jurisdictions as diverse as the United Kingdom, the SAR of Hong Kong, Japan or Vietnam) either need a visa or an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) to travel to Canada. Some business travelers may only need a…

In Canada, immigration is governed by a large range of laws and regulations at the federal and provincial levels. The boundaries of immigration law in Canada are determined by Section 95 of the Constitution Act, 1867 which gives the power…

On March 31st 2021 – Immigration, Refugees, Citizenship Canada launched an online permanent residence application portal allowing some economic applicants to submit their immigration demand online. The digitalization of the immigration process was accelerated because of the Covid-19 pandemic. Applicants submitting a…

May 25th 2021 – Back in May 2011, we proudly introduced in Cooper City, Florida, the first phase of what would become one of the most successful EB-5 projects: the EB-5 Charter School Projects. Since then, hundreds of EB-5 applicants…

May 6th, 2021 – The Canadian Start-up Visa Program was created to grant permanent residency to innovative foreign entrepreneurs and their qualified family members. The purpose of the program is to attract individuals with skills and the capacity to start…

April 19th 2021 – Since January 1st 2020, every applicant for a Quebec permanent selection must successfully complete an online test attesting their knowledge of democratic values and the Québec values expressed by the Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms[1]. A…

March 31st 2021 – The Minister of Immigration, Francization and Integration, Madam Nadine Girault, announced that the suspension of Quebec Immigrant Investor Program (“QIIP”) will be extended for a period that could end on April 1st 2023.  QIIP was first…

March 8th 2021 – The Canadian federal court dismissed another judicial review application by a start-up visa entrepreneur in Nguyen v. Canada (IMM-4836-19).  This is the second judicial review in this case.  Ms. Nguyen, a Vietnamese citizen, obtained a commitment…

March 4th 2021 – Canada had the 7th highest percentage of international students enrolled in post-secondary education in 2017 in comparison to other OECD countries. Year after years, the number of foreign students are rising in Canada.  In 2019, the…

March 3rd 2021 – At the end of October 2020, the Government of Canada announced a plan to support economic recovery through immigration.  With this plan, immigration targets are increased by 12.5% to stimulate the Canadian economy, drive future growth…

March 2nd 2021 – The 2020 Annual Report to Parliament on Immigration summarizes the country’s immigration performance for the year 2019.  It also highlights the enormous benefits immigration presents to Canada’s prosperity. Newcomers bring their heritage and culture, but also…

November 3rd 2020 – On October 30th 2020, the Government of Canada announced its immigration plan for the years 2021 to 2023, confirming an increase of its immigration targets to support the economic recovery from COVID-19. The Minister of Immigration, Refugees…

October 27th 2020 – Start-up Visas for Innovators Since their inception in the 1980’s, business immigration programs have been characterized by the concept of passive investment, i.e. individuals being allowed to acquire permanent or temporary residency in exchange of an…

September 28th 2020 – Debates were held during a Committee on Citizen Relations at the National Assembly during which the opposition member of parliament Mr Gaétan Barette questioned the Minister of Immigration, Francization and Integration Mrs. Nadine Girault and her…

September 3, 2020 – An Irish Immigrant Investor application and his accompany family members can apply to obtain Irish citizenship (Ireland Passport), through naturalisation. After five years of the residence permission, the applicant and his accompanying family members can apply…

October 27th 2020 – Get a permanent status in USA – It is more and more difficult to settle to USA, a lot of restrictions being imposed on popular programmes such as student visas (F-1), work visa (H-1B) and dependent…

August 26, 2020 – In April 2013, Immigration, Refugees, Citizenship Canada (IRCC) adopted rules to manage business immigration applications under the Start-Up Visa Program (SUV) category. At first a pilot project, SUV became a permanent federal immigration program in 2018….

July 31, 2020 – Start-up Visa’s applicants are eligible to obtain a temporary work permit during the processing of their permanent resident application.  It is a requirement for applicants requesting a work permit to be qualified as “essential” and be needed in…

July 22, 2020 – The Canadian federal court dismissed another judicial review application by a start-up visa entrepreneur in the case Truong v. Canada (IMM-5162-19). Ms. Truong, a Vietnamese citizen with a bachelor degree in marketing and management, had acquired…

July 21, 2020 – The immigration officer in charge of deciding on a startup visa application has the discretion to call for a peer review, i.e. a panel formed by members who have the expertise to assess the application, business…

July 9, 2020 – Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada announced a change in its interpretation of “parent” under the Citizenship Act, allowing non-biological Canadian parents who are the legal parents of child born abroad to pass down Canadian citizenship in…

July 7, 2020 – Created in 1986, the Quebec Immigrant Investor Program (QIIP) attracts investors from all over the world, who are interested to settle in Quebec with a Canadian permanent resident visa.  According to official record obtained from the…

June 22, 2020 – Quebec’s Prime Ministre Francois Legault reshuffled his cabinet, appointing a new Minister of Immigration, Francization and Integration, in the person of Mrs. Nadine Girault.  Before entering politics, Mrs. Girault held important managerial positions, including as member…

June 15, 2020 – Review and Submission – Following the review by an Irish legal advisor of the documentation provided the applicant, the Irish Immigrant Investor Program (“IIIP”) application is submitted to the Irish Naturalization and Immigration Service (“INIS”) if…

June 15, 2020 – To maintain the residency permission in Ireland, the applicant shall be required to travel to Ireland at least once a calendar year (e.g. January to December of each year) for an initial two-year period. At the…

June 13, 2020 – The United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) recently updated their form I-526, an essential document part of an EB-5 petition. Previously, the petitioner was named “entrepreneur”. As per the recent change, the petition is now…

June 11, 2020 – People looking for immigration solutions (residency, citizenship) have several options, from skilled workers to investment immigration programs. While new countries, not traditionally known as immigration destinations, have established solid immigration programs in the recent past, Canada…

June 8, 2020 – After receiving a commitment certificate and a letter of support from a designated organization (business incubators, venture capital funds or angel investor groups), the foreign entrepreneur can apply for a 12-month work permit.  This work permit…

June 8, 2020 – To predict the processing time of an I-526 petition is not a simple matter. The USCIS website gives a wide range of how long it takes to process a case (between 29.5 months and 44.5 months,…

June 5, 2020 – Immigration, Refugees, Citizenship Canada (IRCC) created the Start-Up Visa Program (SUV) in in April 2013 as a pilot project and it became a permanent federal immigration program in 2018. Over its existence, the Canadian Start-Up Visa…

May 29, 2020 – The start-up visa program has the ambition to attract entrepreneurs from all over the world if they wish to develop new innovative ideas in Canada. To facilitate their establishment in Canada, the Canadian government issues permanent…

May 28, 2020 – The Quebec Immigration Department extended the suspension of its Immigrant Investor Program (QIIP) from July 2020 to April 1st 2021. During this suspension period, no new application can be submitted. The Quebec Immigration Department announced its intent…

May 28, 2020 – The Canadian Government does not provide financial support to immigrants settling in Canada with the start-up visa program. The person applying for permanent residence visa under the start-up visa program must prove that he has enough…

May 27, 2020 – The Covid-19 has had important impacts in the United States, locking-down substantial elements of the American economy. In the midst of the pandemic, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has issued executive orders allowing certain sectors of the…

May 27, 2020 – Canada aims to attract smart, creative and dynamic entrepreneurs by granting Canadian permanent resident status through the start-up visa program. Entrepreneurs from all over the world are invited to develop their innovative and globally competitive businesses…

May 26, 2020 – After the termination of the federal immigrant investor program, the Canadian government came with a new revamped path for business persons to migrate to Canada: the business start-up visa program, as known as the SUV program….

May 25, 2020 – The applicant’s language capacity has a considerable impact the success of one’s immigration plan. The research “Language Skills and the Social Integration of Canada’s Adult Immigrants” published by the Institute for Research on Public Policy proved…

May 22, 2020 – To qualify for the Start-Up Visa Program and immigrate to Canada, the applicant is required to start a business in Canada. The concept of qualifying business can be defined as follows: At the time a designated…

April 23, 2020 – EB5 Charter School Projects and, more generally, the American EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program are exempted from the Presidential Proclamation dated April 22nd 2020. The relevant section of the Presidential Proclamation (section 2 b) (iii)) reads as follows:…

April 18, 2020 – A foreign entrepreneur cannot submit an application to the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) under the start-up visa program without including a letter of support. The letter of support issued by a designated organization and allows…

March 14, 2020 – The United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) held a Public Engagement meeting discussing the management of immigrant investor program EB5 caseload. During the meeting, procedural decisions were announced leading to a faster processing of EB5…

February 14, 2020 – With respect to the Canadian Start-up visa program, there are three types of designated organizations recognized by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). These designated organized are allowed to issue a letter of support to start-up visa…

December 9, 2019 – Canada aims to attract smart, creative and ambitious entrepreneurs by granting permanent resident status to those who are willing to develop their innovative and globally competitive businesses in the country.  The Canadian Start-Up Visa Program already…

November 21, 2019 – On November 21st 2019, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) updated its policy with respect to the Employment-based 5th preference (EB-5). According to the new rule, the investment for EB-5 immigrants is increased from $1,000,000 USD…