A recent report of the CGTN America highlights the emergence of Canada as a highly preferred destination for tech professionals. Amid immigration restrictions due to the Coronavirus imposed by the government of the US, Canada has an opportunity to attract more and more skilled professionals to boost its economy.
Indeed, the Canadian government has made concerted efforts to grab the attention of more skilled workers to its shores to fulfill the needs of its thriving tech industry. As such, there are more than 100 options available for skilled tech professionals who either want to get a work permit or obtain a Permanent Residence (PR) in Canada.
Canada has more than 100 ‘skilled worker pathways’ for those who want to get PR. And these different routes include the following:
It is the most important way to apply for Canada immigration. You can submit your profile on the official website of IRCC (Immigration, Refugee, and Citizenship Canada) for free. Then, IRCC will award you a CRS (Comprehensive Ranking System) score based on several factors like your age, qualification, work experience, language, skills, etc.
IRCC holds an Express Entry draw after every 2 weeks sending an invitation to the candidates with the highest CRS score to apply for PR. This draw has remained a constant fixture throughout the outbreak as Canada is trying its level best to stick to its ‘Immigration Levels Plan 2020-2022’ despite the Corona pandemic.
The size of Express Entry draw has significantly increased and recently IRCC has held its 2nd Largest Express Entry Draw ever. Eligible candidates from different countries are still succeeding under this entry program even in the face of a global pandemic as IRCC intends to facilitate their Canadian immigration once this crisis starts to subside.
The 2nd biggest yet an easy option for tech professionals who want to move to Canada is the Provincial Nominee Program or PNP. Territories or provinces across Canada have the ‘Constitutional Authority’ to choose the potential migrants that fulfill their local ‘economic’ needs.
You can directly apply to a PNP stream or you can get an invitation to apply by submitting your Express Entry profile to IRCC. Receiving an invitation from a territory assures that you will get an invitation (Express Entry) to apply for PR.
Several provinces have different PNP streams dedicated to skilled tech workers. Recently, Saskatchewan held a draw sending an invitation to tech professionals while the likes of Ontario and British Columbia have held various ‘tech’ draw since this COVID-19.
IRRC operates the ‘Start-Up Visa (SUV) Program’ as well. This SUV path is suitable for innovative and budding entrepreneurs who want to set up a venture in Canada. It mainly attracts skilled tech professionals. Successful or say eligible candidates will have to be endorsed by a venture capital firm, an angel investor, or a business incubator that has been selected by IRCC. Once the candidate gets the endorsement letter, they can move forward and apply for PR.
The government of Canada offers a dozen of pathways to skilled tech talents who are looking for a work visa. Temporary foreign workers are exempt from the Coronavirus travel restrictions of Canada for most of the part. Besides, the Global Talent Stream has become the best option in recent years for tech workers.
It expedites the processing time of getting a work visa to 4 weeks in total. The Canadian government has made it easier for local employers to recruit skilled and talented tech professionals through this Global Talent Stream. Since its launch, this stream has helped numerous professionals to move to Canada and fulfill their immigration dreams.
One of the biggest benefits of visiting Canada through a work permit is that it can help increase your odds to become a permanent residence of Canada eventually. Obtaining relevant work experience in Canada will help you get extra points along with more options under the PNP and Express Entry.
