Canada's Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has halted new applications for its Start-Up Visa (SUV) program, effective January 1, 2026. This significant policy change was announced to address an overwhelming backlog, which has led to processing times stretching over ten years for permanent residency applications. The freeze also saw the cessation of accepting work permit applications for SUV candidates from December 19, 2025. While the program is currently paused, Canada intends to launch a new, more targeted pilot program for immigrant entrepreneurs later in 2026. An exception permits applicants who secured a valid commitment certificate from a designated organization in 2025 to submit their applications until June 30, 2026. The original article's claim that Switzerland, Germany, Sweden, Italy, Portugal, Iceland, France, and over thirty other European countries are struggling with "heightened travel barriers" is misleading and exaggerated when interpreted as general travel restrictions. The "struggle" for these European nations, as clarified by the source itself, is specifically due to their entrepreneurs facing tighter Canadian entry channels following the SUV program freeze. There are no widespread, general travel barriers preventing European citizens from traveling within Europe or internationally, beyond standard passport and visa requirements. However, Europe is indeed implementing new travel systems that will affect non-EU visa-exempt travelers, including Canadians, entering the Schengen Area. The European Entry-Exit System (EES) began operations on October 12, 2025, requiring biometric data collection at borders. Furthermore, the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) is slated to become mandatory in late 2026, necessitating online pre-travel authorization for visa-exempt visitors to the Schengen zone. While these represent new procedural requirements, they are distinct from the Canadian visa freeze and do not constitute widespread 'heightened travel barriers' for European citizens themselves. Some European countries are also introducing measures to manage overtourism, such as tourist taxes and visitor limits, which are separate regulatory developments.