Headline Oct 18, 2014/

''' DREAMERS WELCOME ! : 

BUT WHENCE & WHERE? '''

MOST GOVERNMENTS say they want to encourage entrepreneurs. Yet-

When foreigners with ideas come knocking, they slam doors in their faces.

America, surprisingly, is one of the worst offenders.

Both political parties in America claim to love entrepreneurs. President Barrack Obama waxes lyrical about  ''a society that empowers the inventor and the innovator; where-

Men and women can take a chance on a dream.

For plenty of historical and cultural reasons, the home of Hollywood and Silicon Valley is frequently still the first choice for people who want to start a business. But not at any price.

America  has no specific visa for foreigners who wish to create new companies. It does offer a visa for investors,  but the requirements are so stiff-

Usually an investment of $1 million, or half that if the firm is in a depressed neighbourhood-  that the annual quota of :

10,000 visas is seldom filled.

Other countries are more open: And a special mention of Australia, Canada and Chile, for being more open than America, is in order.

Singapore offers visas to people who invest  $ 40,000;  for some, the government provides additional investment.

Britain gives visas to entrepreneurs who meet certain conditions and attract £50,000 ($77,000) of venture funding.

New Zealand has no specific capital requirement but offers residency to entrepreneurs whose firms are deemed to benefit the country.

Chile is wildly generous; its government gives selected start-ups $40,000 without taking any equity in return. All these schemes have been introduced or expanded since 2008.

Where an entrepreneurial visa is not available., other routes may be.

Australia and Canada use a points system that emphasis youth and  skills. Since 2007, Australia has curbed the total number of permanent-residency visas it issues-

But expanded the number of visas for skilled workers and their dependents from 103,000  to   126,000 a year.

That is nearly as many as America ( 140,000),  though America's population is n 14 times larger.

For example, a similar side door let Mohammed Alborno into Canada.

The young Egyptian born entrepreneur incorporated his company,  Crowdsway, in Delaware.

He had done well in a contest for budding entrepreneurs. But getting a visa to to live in America is slow, confusing and unpredictable.

In the end he went to Canada instead, where setting up a company is just as easy as in America, but the visa process is much more straightforward.

He now says he is very happy to have settled in Vancouver. His firm, which connects  online videomakers with clients, has just launched a beta service.

America's scorn for skills is extraordinary. It often leaves would be immigrants in limbo for years on end.

There are fortunately other entrances to America for entrepreneurs: On student visas, as employees or, like Sergey Brin of  Google, as children.

The share of permanent visas granted for economic reasons  (as exposed to kinship)  fell from  18%   to    13%   between  1991  and   2011.

In Canada it rose from  18%  to   67%  .

The partnership for a New American Economy, a  pro-immigration group, warns that  America is   ''falling behind in the global race for talent.''

China, meanwhile offers some highly skilled returners not only free homes but also cash to buy furniture.

The summing up truth is that  all countries, however, need entrepreneurs to create new businesses, new products and new jobs. And migrants are usually likely to have the necessary get-up and go:

40% of Fortune  500 companies  were funded by immigrants or their children.

There is no easy way to spot the Andy Grove or Vinod Khosla (the foreign born co-founder of  Intel  and  Sun Microsystem).

But the costs of trying are negligible.

With loving and caring dedication to Anwar Mahmood and family/Karachi, Pakistan. Good manager all the same, but a better, kind human.

With loving and caring honour dedication Student Rabo/UK. Many wishes and prayers on her birthday. Keep up the good work!

With respectful dedications to all the Inventors, Creators and Innovators of the world. See Ya all on !WOW!   -the World Students Society Computers-Internet-Wireless:

''' Your Trusted Partner '''

'''Good Night and God Bless

SAM Daily Times - the Voice of the Voiceless