Last Updated On 27 June 2023, 9:25 PM EDT (Toronto Time)
Today, Immigration Minister Sean Fraser announced 6 new improvement or ideas to attract tech talent from around the Globe to Canada.
Below listed are the 6 new announcements made today by immigration minister:
New Open Work Permit Pathway For US H-1B Visa Holders
Canada will start a new open work permit stream beginning July 16, 2023 to allow 10,000 H-1B visa holders from the United States to come and work in Canada.
These H-1B visa holders will be able to work for any employer in Canada without any employer-specific restrictions.
Furthermore, accompanying family members of these H-1B visa holders will also be eligible to apply for study or work permit.
Only primary candidates will count against the application limit of 10,000; their accompanying family members will not be counted to this quota.
Dedicated PR Pathway For STEM occupations
IRCC Minister Sean Fraser also unveiled new and dedicated pathway for permanent residency (PR) specific for employees available in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) sector.
This is a re-announcement of targeted Express Entry draws for STEM sector.
However, this may indicate that 24 STEM sector occupations could have higher weightage in upcoming targeted Express Entry draws.
Restoration of Faster Processing Under Global Talent Stream
Immigration minister also announced returning to 2-week processing time for Global Talent Stream.
The Global Talent Stream (GTS) is the fastest immigration path for the workers of eligible employers who want to move to Canada.
Click here for more information on Global Talent Stream eligibility and process.
New Innovation Stream Without Job Offer
Minister also announced the creation of an Innovation Stream under the International Mobility Program in order to attract highly talented persons.
There will be 2 pathways:
- Open work permits for up to five years For highly trained employees in certain in-demand professions without needing a job offer.
- Employer-specific work permits for up to 5 years, for workers who are going to work for a firm that the Canadian government has selected as supporting the Canadian industrial innovation objectives.
Digital Nomad Strategy
Canada will launch digital nomad strategy which is going to allow people who have foreign employer to come and work in Canada for up to 6 months.
A digital nomad is a person who can perform their job remotely from anywhere in the world.
It seems this new strategy will ease visitor visa for foreign nationals whose company allow them to work from anywhere in the world.
This will allow them to spend time and money as well as get exposure to Canadian communities.
By allowing digital nomads to reside in and contribute to Canadian communities, this initiative aims to promote economic activity and community integration.
If they receive a job offer from Canadian employer while they are here, then they will be allowed to continue to stay and work in Canada.
New Improvements To Startup Visa Program
Furthermore, Startup Visa program for entrepreneurs with extraordinary potential, which has been facing some challenges and receiving more applications than available spots will get new improvements as listed below.
- Going forward IRCC will prioritize applications which have capital commitment or funding from a recognized Canadian venture capital fund, angel investor group, or business incubator.
- Apart from this, for the applications which are in normal queue, will get open work permit for the applicants and their family members for 3 years to work in Canada, while their application is under processing.
- IRCC will alter the temporary work permit option for Startup Visa Program applicants and will now permit them to apply for an open work permit of up to three years, rather than a one-year closed work permit.
- As a result, these entrepreneurs will be able to work for other Canadian employers, rather than only for their startups.
- Recently, IRCC increased number of spaces from 1,000 per year to 3,500 per year.
- As a result, founders will find it simpler and more enticing to relocate to Canada while they wait for their application for permanent residency to be approved.
- Additionally, each person on the business team will have access to the work permit, rather than only the members of entrepreneurial team who are identified as essential and urgently needed in Canada by the designated organization supporting the start-up.
- Applications for permanent residence that are now on hold as well as those that have just been filed will both be subject to the prioritizing.
- Later this year, IRCC will be revealing more plans for reducing processing times and enhancing program efficacy.
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