The global race for tech talent just got interesting. With the U.S. pricing out skilled professionals through a shocking $100,000 H-1B visa fee, Canada is stepping in, and fast. Prime Minister Mark Carney hinted that his government is preparing new ways to welcome these displaced innovators. Speaking after the Global Progress Action Summit in London on September 27, Carney said Canada sees a real opening to attract skilled workers who might otherwise have headed to Silicon Valley.
He said that not as many people are going to get visas to the United States adding that these are people with lots of skills, enterprising, and willing to move to work. He it as an opportunity for to Canada, to benefit with tech minds.
This isn’t new thinking for Carney. During a recent talk in New York, he quipped that with the U.S. tightening its visa policies, maybe Canada could “hang on to one or two” of the brilliant minds normally lost to American companies.
Canada Sees an Opening and It’s Moving Fast
The new H-1B fee caught many off guard, especially startups and tech firms that rely heavily on foreign specialists. For many professionals, that cost is simply career-ending in the U.S. Canada, on the other hand, has been quietly building a tech-friendly immigration system that’s faster, more predictable, and designed for global competition.
| Pathways | Program Name | What It Offers |
| Global Talent Stream (TFWP) | Fast-track hiring for tech experts | Employers can bring in foreign talent in as little as two weeks, great for startups that can’t wait months. |
| Innovation Stream (IMP) | For key tech companies in Canada’s “Hypergrowth” list | LMIA-exempt work permits for workers joining top Canadian tech employers. |
| H-1B Open Work Permit | Designed specifically for U.S. H-1B holders | Allowed 10,000 U.S. H-1B visa holders to move to Canada, and it hit capacity within one day. |
| Intra-Company Intra-Company Transfers | For multinational firms | Makes it easy for tech firms to relocate senior or specialized staff to Canadian offices. |
These programs aren’t just policy tweaks; they’re a signal that Canada wants to become the go-to hub for global tech workers.
