Canada's Business Leaders Irked By Hypersensitive Visa Process

The 'Big Three' -- as the roaring hot economies of India, China and Brazil are commonly known -- are among the more than 145 nations whose citizens are required to apply for temporary visitor visas to enter Canada for stays of up to six months. The widely held perception of Canada in corporate circles is not only one of a high visa refusal rate, but also lethargic turnaround times, and the absence of a fixed list of obligatory documents that must accompany applications. These issues leave many businesspeople feeling put off when they are rejected or have to make several trips to the Canadian consular office in their home country, say observers. The deterring effect of the visa process was acknowledged in the June report of a parliamentary subcommittee on international trade as the most prominent complaint heard during its all-year study on Canada's emerging markets strategy. http://www.embassymag.ca/html/index.php?display=story&full_path=/2005/july/20/visa2/

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