Canadian Immigration Pathways for Skilled Tech Workers
How to Get Your Foot in the Door for a Tech Career in Canada
Technology workers are in high demand in Canada, but when it comes to navigating Canada's complex immigration system, getting your foot in the door can be challenging.
Fortunately, there are several immigration programs and work permits at the federal and provincial/territorial levels available to skilled tech workers looking to make a career for themselves in Canada. These programs are designed specifically to attract and retain talented foreign tech workers.
We'll examine some of the most popular options below:
Express Entry
Express Entry is an online immigration application system for skilled workers looking to obtain permanent residence in Canada.
Applicants must first meet the minimum requirements for Express Entry before submitting a profile into the Express Entry System. Immigration officials will evaluate the strength of an applicant's profile based on certain criteria and rank them using a points-based system. Applicants with the highest scores will then receive an invitation to apply for permanent residence.
Express Entry is not designed specifically for tech workers. However, according to the
most recent Express Entry Annual Report, applicants that worked in the technology sector received the most invitations to apply.
The Global Talent Stream
The Global Talent Stream is a part of Canada's Temporary Foreign Worker (TFW) program and allows for quick processing of work permits for highly skilled temporary foreign workers.
This program has two categories. Category A is reserved for high-growth companies requiring unique specialized foreign talent. Employers that fall within this category must be referred to the program by a designated referral partner. This is typically a governmental organization.
Category B is for employers seeking highly skilled foreign workers for occupations on the Global Talent Occupations List.
Occupations on this list are high-demand jobs with domestic labour shortages.
CUSMA Professionals
Certain workers from the U.S. or Mexico may be eligible for a work permit under the Canada-United-States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA). This program allows employers to hire foreign workers without a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA).
Computer systems analysts, computer engineers, graphic designers, and technical publication writers may be eligible for work permits under CUSMA.
Intra-Company Transfer
Foreign workers whose employer has a subsidiary, affiliate, parent company, or branch in Canada can apply for an Intra-Company Transfer and come to live and work in Canada.
Provincial Nominee Program
Each province has its own Provincial Nominee Program for recruiting skilled workers. In Ontario, the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program has a special technology talent recruitment system.
The program has identified specific technology occupations as being eligible for periodic tech-only draws. Those that are selected through the draw will receive expedited and enhanced service.
As you can see, tech workers looking to advance their careers in Canada have numerous options available to them. However, navigating the immigration system alone can lead to confusion and errors on your application. An experienced immigration lawyer can help you find the right pathway and guide you through the application process, so you can make your dreams of a career in Canada a reality.
Canadian Work Permits Available to Entrepreneurs
How to Immigrate to Canada and Start a Business
Being an entrepreneur is something that many aspire to be. But when attempting to immigrate to Canada, it can be difficult to navigate the immigration system as a business owner, as the immigration pathways differ from the traditional routes.
Fortunately, there are options available for entrepreneurs looking to set up shop in Canada.
Keep reading to learn more.
Intra-Company Transfer
An Intra-Company Transfer work permit is one option that enables entrepreneurs to expand their existing foreign business into Canada. While this program is most often used by large corporations looking to transfer staff to Canadian branches, entrepreneurs looking to move their operations to Canada can also apply.
In order to obtain an Intra-Company Transfer work permit, the following criteria must be met:
- The new Canadian business must pass a viability test, and provide financial information, evidence that a physical business location has been secured, and a business plan that includes hiring a minimum of one Canadian employee during the first year of operation.
- Both the foreign company and the Canadian businesses must have either a parent-branch, parent-subsidiary, or affiliate relationship.
- The person being transferred to manage the new Canadian business must have been employed by the foreign business for a minimum of one year. They must also have been employed in a similar full-time, senior managerial or executive position.
CUSMA Investor
The Canada-United-States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) Investor program is open to citizens of U.S. and Mexico looking to invest in a new or existing Canadian business.
CETA Investor
The CETA Investor program enables eligible European investors to live in Canada for one year, and does not require a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA).
Entrepreneur/Self-Employed Work Permit
Foreign entrepreneurs that own at least 50 per cent of a seasonal Canadian business can apply for the Entrepreneur/Self-Employed work permit. This permit is also available to entrepreneurs that own a Canadian business but intend to live outside of Canada.
In order to be eligible, applicants must prove that their business will benefit Canadians economically, socially, and culturally.
Entrepreneur/Self-Employed work permit holders can obtain either temporary or permanent residence in Canada.
As you can see, with assistance from an experienced immigration lawyer, there's no shortage of opportunities for foreign business owners looking for opportunities in Canada.
Canadian Business Council Calls on Federal Government to Increase its Budget for Immigration
Business Owners Make Economic Recommendations in Open Letter to Deputy Prime Minister
A group of Canadian business owners is asking the federal government to support Canada's economic recovery post-pandemic by facilitating immigration for skilled foreign workers.
In an open letter addressed to Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland, Goldy Hyder, President and CEO of the Business Council of Canada, outlined seven recommendations for promoting Canada's economic recovery, including improvements to Canada's immigration system.
“We need to cultivate and enhance our human capital by developing a more agile and adaptable workforce, doing more to help young Canadians build rewarding careers, and enhancing our immigration system to make our country an even more powerful magnet for international talent," Hyder wrote.
One of the key recommendations related to immigration is for the government to eliminate barriers to labour market integration.
The letter specifically references foreign credential recognition, which prevents many highly educated and skilled foreign workers from obtaining work in their field.
The letter goes on to explain that many immigrants have been disproportionately affected and displaced by the COVID-19 pandemic. Hyder recommends that the government develop initiatives to help displaced workers.
“The federal government should work with employers, provinces and territories to develop a comprehensive skills agenda that prepares displaced workers for new careers in sectors where talent is in high demand,” Hyder said.
The full list of recommendations related to immigration are as follows:
- Increase immigration inflows to build a stronger labour force,
- Enhance Canada’s immigration system to attract more international talent,
- Facilitate the entry of skilled immigrants, and
- Remove barriers to labour market integration.
Katherine Cuplinskas, spokesperson for Deputy Minister Freeland, responded to the letter by citing a recent commitment from the federal government to invest $15 million over the next two years to support the labour market integration of skilled newcomers. The funding would specifically go towards in-demand sectors like healthcare, IT, and various skilled trades.
In July, Canada also committed $72.1 million to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) to modernize their processing system and eliminate paper-based applications.
“Attracting talented workers from around the world is an essential part of growing our economy and supporting Canada’s recovery from the COVID-19 recession,” Cuplinskas told CIC News. “Canada will continue to welcome newcomers with skills to help grow our economy.”
New Tool Could Help Immigrants Determine the Best Areas to Settle in Canada Based on Skills & Work Experience
Matching Tool to be Tested as a Part of Upcoming IRCC Pilot
Over a quarter of all economic immigrants end up settling in one of Canada's four largest cities – Toronto, Montreal, Calgary, and Vancouver. But what if there were better towns and cities for them to settle in based on their unique qualifications?
This is something Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) is looking into.
According to the Toronto Star, IRCC is looking into a potential pilot program that would test a tool that has the ability to match immigrants to the communities in which they’d have the highest chance of economic success.
The tool, which is being called the "GeoMatch project," is being developed as part of a research project between the Canadian federal government and Stanford University’s Immigration Policy Lab.
“This type of pilot would allow researchers to see if use of these tools results in real-world benefits for economic immigrants. Testing these expected gains would also allow us to better understand the factors that help immigrants succeed,” IRCC spokesperson Remi Lariviere told the Toronto Star.
“This research furthers our commitment to evidence-based decision making and enhanced client service — an opportunity to leverage technology and data to benefit newcomers, communities and the country as a whole.”
In order to determine the best areas for skilled immigrants to settle, researchers looked at datasets related to:
- Immigrants’ background characteristics
- Economic outcomes
- Geographic locations
Machine learning methods were also used to determine how different backgrounds, qualifications, and skill sets were related to taxable earnings in different cities. Local trends such as population and unemployment were also examined.
Researchers then used models to predict how well newcomers with similar profiles would do in different hypothetical destinations and how much money they could earn.
The main goal of this project is to help immigrants achieve a better financial future, while also helping less densely populated regions outside of the major cities experience the benefits of economic immigration.
“If initial settlement patterns concentrate immigrants in a few prominent landing regions, many areas of the country may not experience the economic growth associated with immigration,” stated a report discussing the pilot. “Undue concentration may impose costs in the form of congestion in local services, housing, and labour markets.”
International Students Can Now Complete Entire Studies Online While Abroad and Still Get Work Permits
Canada Loosens PGWP Requirements in Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic
International students who are unable to travel to Canada due to the COVID-19 pandemic will now be able to complete 100% of their studies online and have these be counted towards their Post-Graduation Work Permit (‘PGWP’) application. If successful, they will be able to come to Canada once the COVID-19 travel restrictions are lifted and work on a three-year open work permit after graduation.
“This new policy means that students hoping to work in Canada after graduation won’t miss out on opportunities, while ensuring that our economy and society continue to benefit from all that international students bring,” said Immigration Minister Marco Mendicino. “Our message to international students and graduates is simple: we don’t just want you to study here, we want you to stay here.”
The new policy was implemented in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, which has taken a significant financial toll on many Canadian colleges and universities due to reduced enrollment rates among international students.
To help these institutions and support the Canadian economy, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada will extend and expand the interim measures regarding online studies for international students put in place last year. The goal is to ensure that a Canadian education remains appealing to international students without in-person learning.
A PGWP is an open work permit available to international students who have graduated from post-secondary institutions in Canada.
Before the new policy was announced, Canada had allowed international students to complete half of their programs online and still be eligible for a PGWP. A few weeks prior to the latest announcement, Canada also announced that a PGWP could now be renewed for up to 18 months.
Prior to the pandemic, however, students that completed online studies were not eligible for a PGWP. Any coursework that was completed outside Canada was not counted towards their PGWP application. A PGWP also had a fixed duration and could not be renewed or extended.
According to the Toronto Star, international education has long been considered one of Canada’s biggest export sectors. For instance, in 2019, Canada had over 572,000 international students studying at Canadian post-secondary institutions. These students contributed approximately $21 billion to the Canadian economy and helped support more than 170,000 jobs.
In fact, Statistics Canada data shows that a quarter of all new university enrollments are international students. At Canadian colleges, international students make up more than 16 percent of all new enrollments.
This number dropped dramatically in 2020, however, as travel restrictions were put in place and in-class education was replaced by online learning.