Tech professionals opting for immigration to Canada over the US

IT workers who are tired of the annoying efforts to receive a US Work Visa are collectively immigrating to Canada. Highly skilled provisional overseas workers can apply for Canada PR Visa and can swap jobs, as reported by the business and financial news website Insider (formerly the Business Insider). It further adds that once they reside for 3 years in Canada on PR Visa, they can file an application for Citizenship. This is quite swifter than in the US where it can take some decades.

The waiting period can be even lengthier for immigrants from nations like India or China in the US due to the quota cap for each nation. Overseas tech workers seeking to work in the US have to apply for the H1-B Visa even today which has become quite infamous.

Meanwhile, if you are seeking to apply for Tourist Visa for USA from India you can get in touch with Nationwide Visas.

H1-B Visas have a fixed allocation of 85,000 Visas annually. Every year the number of applicants who are denied the Visa surpasses the approved numbers.

First, the employer has to file an application with the Department of Labor in the US for proving that the overseas worker will be offered a salary on par with workers in the US. Then they have to also prove the absence of labor disputes or strikes currently.

Later, the employer has to submit an application with the USCIS - U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services for proving that the job is in a specialty occupation. Further, it needs a candidate having a minimum of a Bachelor’s Degree.

H1-B applicants excluding only Canadians have to also submit an application with the overseas Consulate of the Department of State in the US for affixing H1-B Visa to their Passport. Lastly, they must file an application with the US Customs and Border Protection agent at the entry port for permission to enter the US.

Several overseas workers are opting for Canada over the US due to the cumbersome H1-B Visa process.

In October 2022, CBRE noted that Montreal and Toronto had swifter growth of high-tech jobs in the previous 2 years in comparison with 2 years earlier. This was in its report TECH-30:2022 assessing the impact of the tech industry on the Canadian and US office markets.

The Hottest Tech Market in North America for 2020-2021: Vancouver

The CBRE report noted that 2 Canadian markets witnessed the maximum growth of tech jobs in 2020-2021 collectively. This was followed by the US city of Austin. Vancouver was the hottest IT market in these 24 months in terms of growth of high-tech jobs with an increase of 44%. It was followed by a 37% increase in Toronto.

Canada is alluring highly skilled workers in the US due to its policies like GTS - Global Talent Stream that processes the Canada Work Visa in 14 days.

GTS is included under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program. It targets precise IT occupations and offers accelerated processing. International Mobility Program is another option for employers in Canada to hire overseas nationals.

Employers in Canada can offer a job contract and have their candidates working in their office within 10 working days now. Earlier to GTS, the processing required a minimum of 6 months.

Latest National Occupational Classification

The new NOC - National Occupational Classification 2021 has been implemented from 16th November 2022. Canada PR Visa applicants are now required to utilize the latest NOC coded on their applications. It is applicable to Canada Experience Class Program, Federal Skilled Trades Program, and Federal Skilled Worker Program. Some streams under Provincial Nominee Programs also participate in the Federal Express Entry.

Profiles of candidates are offered rankings as per the system based on points known as CRS - Comprehensive Ranking System. Those who secure the highest rankings are offered the ITA - Invitation to Apply for PR Visa. They have to then file a full application for PR and pay processing fees within 60 days.

Nearly all 10 Provinces and 3 Territories in Canada can offer PR nomination to skilled workers through their PNPs. The qualified candidates must possess the precise skills needed by the local economies. Those who are successful in receiving the territorial or provincial nomination can then file a PR Visa application with IRCC.

Temporary overseas workers in Canada are now being added to the list of overseas citizens who are permitted to purchase homes and have a minimum validity of 183 days for their Work Permit. It is notwithstanding the 2-year ban on ownership of homes by foreigners.

However, these temporary overseas workers can buy only one residential property. The ban was implemented on 1 January 2023.