Canada’s federal government in Ottawa is adjusting its immigration policies as it tries to attract a greater number of foreign technology workers.
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada has unveiled a new “Tech Talent Strategy” that includes a dedicated pathway for foreign workers in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) sectors.
The federal government is streamlining how it prioritizes applications to its start-up visa program and creating more spots for technology workers beginning this year. The government is also extending the length of work permits given to foreign entrepreneurs.
Going forward, technology workers from other countries will be able to apply for three-year open work permit rather than a one-year permit.
Further increases to the number of spots in the start-up visa program for technology workers are planned for 2024 and 2025, and the government is prioritizing applications supported by venture capital, angel investor groups, and business incubators.
Immigration Canada also said that it is creating an open work permit stream for H-1B visa holders in the U.S. to come and work within Canada.
The move to attract foreign tech talent comes amid a wave of layoffs in the technology sector. Companies ranging from Amazon (AMZN) to Shopify (SHOP) have cut their workforces in Canada this year amid a slowing economy.
Canada accepted 431,645 immigrants in 2022, according to Statistics Canada, among the highest per capita levels in the developed world.
