Technology immigrants continue to drive Canada's economy. If immigration was cut, by 2040 Canada's economy would feel the hit when 26.9% of Canada's population will be 65 or over, says the Conference Board of Canada.
The Canadian government has created programs to recruit highly educated and skilled immigrants, including tech workers, MBAs, graduate students and entrepreneurs.
- Global Talent Stream: Skilled workers can receive work permits and temporary resident visas in two weeks
- Start-Up Visa Program for Entrepreneurs: Link immigrant entrepreneurs with experienced private sector organizations that have expertise in working with start-ups
- Vancouver British Columbia Entrepreneur Immigration: Regional pilot program that to attract entrepreneurs with a desire to start businesses, create jobs and settle in regional centres, and contribute to their local economy.
- Study Visa Work Permits: Qualified graduate students on a study visa can receive work permits to work while in school and for up to 3 years after they graduate.
Near-Shoring to Canada
In addition, many American tech firms are near-shoring to Canada. Canada has a very skilled and highly-educated native and foreign workforce. American tech companies recognize the financial, geographic and cultural benefits that make outsourcing work to Canada a smart business decision.
According to a recent report by Bloomberg,
Canada’s immigration system has long targeted the highly skilled. More than 65 percent of foreign-born adults had a post-secondary degree in 2017, the highest share tracked by members of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. “We are the biggest talent poachers in the OECD,” says Stéfane Marion, chief economist of the National Bank of Canada. As a result, he says, the country is better equipped to deal with globalization and technological change—“it’s a massive, massive advantage.”
Canada's Brain Gain
Canada is successfully attracting international academics and professionals in what has been termed a brain gain. Bloomberg reports that Amazon has created over 10,000 jobs in Canada over the past few years and plans to add more than 6,000:
“We’re continuously impressed by the caliber of talent, and that includes folks who have come here from all over the world to build a new life,” says Tamir Bar-Haim, Amazon’s head of advertising in Canada, who immigrated from Israel.
In addition to near-shoring, many Canadian companies are actively recruiting skilled foreign workers including tech companies, universities and research organizations.
Scientists are being recruited to and moving to and visiting Canada, despite recent visa issues faced by scientists traveling to Canada for an Artificial Intelligence conference.
