Has anyone gone out on an entrepreneur visa and if so how long and compicated is the whole process

I looked into this via Andrew Miller who used to moderate on here, looks very complicated, would definately use a specialist for that way, luckily for us something happened so we did not get him to do it as I believe he was a naughty boy or something, so be careful who you 'employ'

I don't know how much use this is now, but we came out on the entrepreneur visa in 1998.

It was fairly simple then, I just had to prove 1) that I had experience in the management of a successful company & 2) that I had enough money to both support my family and to start or buy a business within 2 years of landing, that would employ at least 1 Canadian (Citizen or PR).

The forms were not complicated, but I did have to collate a lot of information for them.

I also came and met with Manitoba trade prior to putting in my application and they were tremendously helpful.

In those days it took us a total of 4 months from dispatch of the paperwork to London, to our visa being ready for us.

No doubt it is very different now.

Stewart's experience, and the criteria he had to fulfill was very similar to mine, though I came via a work permit route to be self-employed, not the entrepreneur option. I mention this as it might be an alternative option for you to consider.

Hi

1. If is fairly complicated, you have to have the i's dotted and the t's crossed, see: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/immigra...eurs/index.asp and http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/resourc...p/op08-eng.pdf

2. Via London you are looking at 39-56 months for 80% of the applications to be processed.

Hi, we are hopefully going on Entrepreneur Visa - patience is the key here with this Visa!!!!!! We applied in September last year, received AOR in Dec with a 42-48 month wait!!!!!! Its is ok for us as we still have the business here. As long as you meet the criteria, and adhere to the conditions set for 12 months, then it is no more a complicated application than any of the others.

I doubt you need to go to the expense of using an Immigration Lawyer, the forms are quite simple, and it will be you who has to collate all the information anyway.

My personal advice (and it helps the application) is to spend the money you would have spent on an immigration specialist and come over and meet with the Trade Dept of your chosen province, while there make contact with a conventional but business orientated Lawyer, an Accountant (one with experience of both the UK and Canada is useful, though not essential as if necessary you can pay for specialist advice from a large multi-national firm) and a Banker.

When I came over I left with a letter from the Minister responsible for trade in Manitoba as well as a letter from the Minister responsible for immigration, saying how they would welcome my family to the Province. I had opened a Bank account and had sorted out a Lawyer and an Accountant. These details went with our application, we were not even required to go to London for an interview, they just sent our visas.

I have always attributed the ease of our emigration with the amount of research done, and contacts that were made, prior to the application.