Canadian tech employers are urging the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) to expand a fast-track work permit initiative that circumvents the cap on permanent residence applications for non-citizen U.S. tech workers, according to a report by the Toronto Star.
The Express Entry program, integral to Canada’s tech talent strategy, aimed to attract 10,000 U.S. tech workers holding H-1B visas to the country. However, the cap was reached within a mere 48 hours of its launch.
H-1B visas enable skilled foreign workers in specialized fields, including technology, to work temporarily in the United States for three years, extendable for another three. Despite its benefits, H-1B visa holders face constraints for their spouses’ employment and education opportunities in the U.S. Moreover, the recent tech crisis led to mass layoffs among H-1B visa holders.
Former Canadian immigration minister Sean Fraser seized this opportunity to fill the STEM labor market gap and announced a tech talent strategy at Collision 2023. The strategy’s aims include supporting Canadian businesses’ competitiveness and enhancing recruitment through retaining foreign talent within the North American labor market.
The fast-track work permit program, initiated on July 16, guarantees successful applicants expedited Canadian permanent residence within six months of application. This program provides job and residence security for skilled foreign workers, enabling them to find new jobs or start businesses more comfortably after layoffs.
Accompanying family members can also apply for study or work permits. However, the overwhelming number of applications has challenged IRCC’s calculations, leading to discussions on expanding the program.
The response from the Immigration Department raises questions about the industry’s capacity to absorb additional numbers. While Canada’s tech workforce and economy are substantial, the impact of the current influx could be relatively negligible.
Canada’s proactive approach in attracting tech talent, exemplified by the “Express Entry” program launched in 2015, has proven successful. Compared to the prolonged processing times for U.S. H-1B visas or green cards, Canada has emerged as an appealing destination for skilled foreign workers.
The Toronto Star cites the Center for Security and Emerging Technologies (CSET) as affirming Canada’s leadership in the race for global tech talent. The expansion of the fast-track program presents an opportunity to elevate the number of knowledge workers in Canada, a prospect that should not be squandered according to observers.
