H-1B visa: Canada is at it again, launching another government program to poach foreign talent from Silicon Valley

"As vicious infighting in President Donald Trump's Make America Great Again movement over the controversial H-1B visa magnifies uncertainty for foreign workers in the U.S., Canada last week approved a new fast track program to entice holders of the visa into taking their skills northward. The budget Canada passed Nov. 17 contained a provision intended to strengthen the country's innovation ecosystem, address labor shortages and attract top talent in healthcare, research, advanced industries"

"The move followed Trump's proclamation in September imposing a $100,000 fee for new H-1B visas issued to people outside the U.S. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, three days later, in a speech in New York at the Council on Foreign Relations, said, I understand you're changing your visa policy. Canada's Consul General for Silicon Valley and San Francisco, Rana Sarkar, told this news organization that his country was seeking to strengthen its economy and make it more self-sufficient and resilient to global shocks."

"The H-1B, heavily used by Silicon Valley technology companies, has become an explosive issue for Republicans, pitting supporters of the tech industry who promote the need to lure skilled workers from competing nations against anti-immigration hardliners, who see the H-1B as a mechanism for taking jobs from Americans. Trump, in his first administration, cracked down on the H-1B, dramatically boosting denial rates for new visas in 2018, mostly targeting staffing companies."

Canada approved a fast-track program in its Nov. 17 budget to entice H-1B visa holders to relocate to Canada. The provision aims to strengthen the country's innovation ecosystem, address labor shortages and attract top talent in healthcare, research and advanced industries. Details of the program were not included in the budget but officials indicated a rollout in coming months. The measure followed a U.S. proclamation introducing a $100,000 fee for new H-1B visas issued abroad and comes amid contentious U.S. policy changes and higher denial rates.

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