Canada’s tech talent shortage is being solved by the immigration and nurturing of immigrant tech talents from within the industry.
Canada is the destination that is preferred by the majority of technology enthusiasts from all over the globe. Canada has emerged as the favorite destination due to the efforts made by the Canadian government to attract technology workers with lucrative immigration pathways. There are almost around a whopping 100 different options available for tech workers who want to obtain either a work permit or permanent residence in Canada.
The main way for the tech workers to apply for permanent residence is through the express entry that requires the candidates to submit their profiles and are awarded points based on their profiles through a comprehensive ranking system (CRS). The criteria which are used in the ranking process consist of the candidate’s age, education, language proficiency, and work experience. Candidates with the highest CRS scores are invited to apply for permanent residence in the express entry draw that takes place every two weeks and is held by Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). Even while being stuck in the pandemic, Candidates are optimistic about their immigration to Canada as they are succeeding in the express entry draws even while being overseas and have been given hope by IRCC, who aims to facilitate their immigration to Canada once the curve is flattened and global threat due to virus is averted.
Another way for technology enthusiasts to get permanent residence in Canada is through the Provincial Nomination Program (PNP). In this program, various provinces and territories have the constitutional right to select immigrants based on their economic needs. Obtaining an invitation from a province guarantees that the candidate will be eligible for an Express Entry invitation to apply for permanent residence. Candidates can apply directly to a PNP stream or can be invited to apply for a PNP based on their Express Entry profile submitted to IRCC. Quite a few provinces like Saskatchewan, British Columbia, and Ontario have PNP streams dedicated to tech workers and have held numerous tech draws since the twilight of the recent pandemic.
The Start-up Visa or the SUV is a unique opportunity for entrepreneurs who are keen on starting a new business in Canada. Entrepreneurs in the technology sector are largely attracted to this immigration pathway. Successful entrepreneurs have to obtain an endorsement letter by a venture capital firm, an angel investor, or a business incubator which has to be approved and assigned by the IRCC to submit their permanent residence application.
Also, there are various pathways available for tech workers to obtain a work visa. The Global talent stream that has helped in facilitating the arrival of 40,000 tech workers to the shores of Canada is emerging as a major option of tech workers as it helps in accelerating the process of obtaining a work visa by almost 4 weeks. Canada also makes it quite easy for companies to recruit new talent through this program. As of now, there is a temporary exemption from Coronavirus-induced travel restrictions for temporary foreign workers.
The biggest benefit of acquiring a work visa is that in the long term, it gets easier for the candidate to obtain a permanent residence as the work experience gives the candidates extra points and more options in Express Entry and PNP.
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