Are you a tech worker who is interested in moving to Canada on a temporary or permanent basis? If so, it may surprise you to learn that Canada offers a wide variety of immigration programs for skilled tech workers. Some of Canada’s leading employers are hiring for tech workers and providing immigration assistance at the federal, provincial, and territorial levels.
The Canadian government has developed an innovative immigration program that makes it easier for skilled technology workers to live and work in Canada under the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP), Alberta Opportunity Stream (AOS), Express Entry and similar programs.
Express Entry for Immigration Programs
While the express entry immigration programs aren’t limited to tech workers, highly-skilled tech employees who meet the immigration requirements are in high demand in Canada and across the world.
The Canadian Federal Skilled Worker Program is a highly selective program that selects candidates who meet age, language, and education and work skills requirements. Points system used to assign people with foreign work experience with a score in the following three categories for ranking against other eligible applicants.
- Managerial Jobs
- Professional Jobs
- Technical Jobs
Global Talent Stream (GTS)
Another component of the Canadian (FSWP) is the The Global Talent Stream (GTS) that was launched in 2017 by the Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). The Canadian Temporary Foreign Worker program facilitates the Global Talent Stream search under the Canadian Global Skills Strategy program.
The program is designed to speed up the express entry process by allowing for two-week processing of temporary work permits for highly skilled foreign workers. Workers are separated into appropriate work categories based on their skills and experience.
The two categories are category A for high-growth companies that want to sponsor and recruit highly skilled foreign workers from abroad. Category A employers are required to facilitate Canadian job growth for Canadian and permanent residents.
Category B is for employers looking to hire highly skilled workers from occupations found on the Global Talent Occupations list. Employers found in category B are takes with increasing investments in skills and training for Canadian citizens and permanent residents.
Many permanent and express immigration programs require Canadian work experience. People who are preparing to move to Canada can benefit from the Canadian work experience before completing their immigration applications. The jobs and careers on the Global Talent Occupation list have been deemed to be in high demand in Canada and worldwide. The occupations on the Global Talent Occupation list are comprised of in-demand jobs categorized by 12 National Occupation Codes (NOC).
In both categories employers and sponsors are required to pay incoming foreign employees a salary that is comparable to the average Canadian salary for their chosen position.
Options for Professional Citizens of the United States or Mexico (CUSMA)
The Canada United States Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) allows for eligible professionals in these designated areas to gain eligibility for a Canadian work permit. This program allows for expedited processing for Canadian employers who hire foreign workers. At this time, there are 63 occupations that qualify under the (CUSMA) permit program.
Occupations and professionals in this category are not required to have a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) at this time. There are several technology occupations that currently qualify under the (CUSMA). For technology workers who are interested in the Canadian immigration program, computer systems analysts, computer engineers, graphic designers, and technical publication writers currently qualify for expedited service under this program.
