Approximately 1.4 million skilled immigrants are awaiting employment-based green cards in the United States as of March 2022, according to the Cato Institute. In this way, many foreign nationals living in the U.S. are faced with lengthy processing times without being aware that they have options for obtaining Canadian immigration based on their employment. As a result, American tech workers, such as software professionals, who want to immigrate to Canada have several opportunities to migrate to Canada.
As reported by non-profit CompTIA’s 2017 report on “State of the Tech Workforce Canada”. There were an estimated 1.23 million tech workers in Canada at the end of 2021. As well as an increase of nearly 9 percent from the previous year. The U.S. tech workforce is projected to grow by 1.5% by 2022. So Canadian immigration is a viable option for a growing number of tech workers.
American tech workers – Five pathways to migrate to Canada
US tech workers interested in coming to Canada can apply for various temporary and permanent resident pathways through IRCC. They comprise, but are not restricted to:
Global Talent Stream under TFWP
Canadian employers can bring specialized foreign tech talent to Canada in just two weeks through the GTS. A component of the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP). As a result, highly skilled foreign workers can support forward-looking Canadian companies with their abilities.
Moreover, ESDC (Employment and Social Development Canada) will process GTS applications within 10 business days of receiving them. In 80% of the cases, the service level will be met, based on ESDC’s estimates.
Intra-Company Transfer – (ICT) under CUSMA
2020 marked the end of NAFTA and the beginning of CUSMA.
Moreover, a temporary transfer to a Canadian subsidiary, affiliate, or branch of the American IT company can be arranged through the ICT branch (one of the four overall branches of the agreement).
Start-up visa program
As a result of the Start-Up Visa program, foreign entrepreneurs with innovative ideas who will help Canada create new jobs and influence economic progress can come to Canada. Through this program, successful applicants will be introduced to IRCC-designated organizations. It provides financial assistance, advice, and business experience to foreign nationals.
Getting permanent residency after working in Canada
Employees in the U.S. tech industry may apply for permanent residency in Canada without first finding employment there.
Despite this, the aforementioned methods will make it significantly easier for U.S. tech workers to obtain PR in Canada since they will enable them to gain Canadian work experience before applying. Furthermore, work experience will be a significant factor in determining whether a skilled worker is eligible for PNP (Provincial Nominee Program) and Express Entry.
Provincial Nominee Program – PNP
Across the country, 11 of 13 provinces and territories administer PNP – (Provincial Nominee Programs). Using these 11 immigration programs, regional governments can select those immigrants best suited to fill specific labor shortages in a region based on its unique needs. By doing this, Canada can distribute the benefits of immigration more evenly across the country rather than concentrating them in historically popular regions like Ontario and British Columbia. In Canada, economic immigrants are most likely to enter through PNPs. The majority of PNPs offer Express Entry streams. And many of these have tracks tailored to skilled workers in the technology industry (but more on that later).
Express Entry
A total of three programs make up the Express Entry application management system. It ranks and scores applicants using the CRS – (Comprehensive Ranking System). A group of applicants who scored higher than the cut-off CRS score is then invited to apply for Canadian permanent residency through Express Entry draws held every two weeks.
ICTs from the United States are among the top five recipients of Express Entry ITAs, as mentioned previously. According to the CRS scoring system, an American tech worker without Canadian job experience may lose 53 CRS points.
Suppose that you are a 38-year-old unmarried software engineer from Maine. In Canada, all you have is a legitimate Canadian job offer backed by the LMIA in TEER 1 occupations without a sibling in Canada. A PNP offer, or a certificate of qualification. Your master’s and bachelor’s degrees from American universities were assessed by the ECA (Educational Credential Assessments). Canada has never provided you with a formal education.
Furthermore, your CRS score would be 475, which is less than the required amount in this case.
