Canada Suspends Peer Reviews in Start-Up Visa Program.
Canada has announced a suspension of all peer reviews within its Start-up Visa Program, effective August 1, 2024. The Start-up Visa Program, aimed at immigrant entrepreneurs with the potential to create innovative businesses that can generate jobs for Canadians and compete globally, will no longer accept new peer review requests. Additionally, all ongoing peer reviews are to be cancelled until further notice.
The Start-up Visa Program allows applicants to apply either individually or as part of a group of up to five owners. To qualify, applicants must pitch their start-up to a designated organization and secure its support. While waiting for permanent residence approval, applicants may be eligible to work in Canada if they can demonstrate that their business will significantly benefit the Canadian economy.
Peer reviews, which have been an integral part of the Start-up Visa Program, involve an independent assessment conducted by a panel of experts. These reviews ensure that commitments made by designated entities align with industry standards and help protect against fraud. Processing officers could request peer reviews to assist in decision-making or as part of a quality assurance process.
When a peer review was conducted, officers were required to redact any client-specific information, such as the applicant’s date of birth, country of birth, and addresses, before submitting documents to the relevant industry association. The identities of peer review panelists were also kept confidential.
In cases where a positive final decision on an application was likely, the officer would proceed with finalizing the application. However, if the officer was not satisfied that the applicant met the program’s requirements, they were required to document their concerns and could request an interview or send a procedural fairness letter to the applicant.
If an incomplete peer review was considered as a factor in refusing an application, the contents had to be summarized and disclosed to the applicant to fulfill procedural fairness obligations. The officer would then finalize the application based on the complete information provided.
With the recent suspension of peer reviews, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has instructed that no new requests will be accepted, and all ongoing peer reviews are to be cancelled. The duration of this suspension remains uncertain, as no further updates have been provided by the IRCC.