Narayan AmmachchiAs part of a new program called Global Skills Strategy, Canada is speeding up the processing of visas for foreign workers, in an attempt to absorb the skilled foreign workers that are being turned away from the United States.
“Canada certainly could benefit from some of the international talent affected by the actions in the U.S. recently,” Patrick Snider, Director of Skills and Immigration Policy for the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, has stated, according to CBC News.
Some newspapers have indicated the program would be formally launched in the second week of June, 2017.
“Whether bringing in professionals to train Canadian workers or hiring global talent with highly specialized skills, the Global Skills Strategy will help innovative firms in Canada thrive, creating economic growth and good middle-class jobs,” the government stated in a press release.
The news comes after reports emerged that job-search site Indeed.com found nearly 42% of searches for jobs abroad were directed at Canada.
Despite many papers describing the move as a government bid to give startups faster access to highly skilled workers, it is not yet clear as to what yardstick it will use to identify the high-skilled workers.
Shortage in high-skilled labor has long been hampering the growth of technology companies in Canada. Recently, the Canadian Tech Community, comprised of about 150 technology firms, published an open letter urging the federal government to relax immigration laws and give foreign workers access to all sorts of employee benefits, as well as an opportunity to apply for permanent residency.
Meanwhile in the United States, President Trump has temporarily suspended an expedited visa program that helped foreigners get quicker access to temporary jobs at high-tech U.S. companies. There are also reports that the government is considering tightening the laws related to the H-1B visa program in an attempt to force tech firms to hire Americans.
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