Toronto: Canada has announced a new
liberal business visa regime for Indian businessmen to catch
up with other industrialised nations in boosting trade with
India.
The new visa regime was announced by the government
here close on the heels of the visit of Prime Minister Stephen
Harper to India.
Under the new system, Immigration Minister Jason
Kenney said applications from Indian citizens for business
visas will be cleared within 24 hours. The express visa
service offers multiple entry visas to applicants.
Along with the liberal visa regime, Toronto has also
announced that a new nuclear cooperation pact and a mutual
investment protection agreement was on the fast track. The
nuclear agreement will pave the way for supply of enriched
uranium for India's civil nuclear energy needs.
"We're actively negotiating a nuclear cooperation pact
and have an investment protection agreement, and have
established one of our most widespread overseas networks in
India, with three new trade offices opened by our government
since 2006," Kenney said.
"We have also decided to double the number of Indian
students coming to Canada," the minister said adding that the
country is working with India on several initiatives aimed at
boosting bilateral trade, currently at a "ridiculously low"
level, to around USD 15 billion in next five years.
The minister was speaking at a function last night
organised by the Indo-Canada Chamber of Commerce also attended
by Indian Consul General to Canada, Preeti Saran.
Bureau Report
First Published: Saturday, November 21, 2009, 13:36