You can now migrate to Canada without a job offer as a techie. However, all you need is enough funds to sponsor your stay in Canada and back if you will.
You can opt onto one of these sites and end up being more confused than helped, or you stick with me and let me show you how to migrate to Canada through the Tech Talent Program.
Feeling delighted? Let’s begin.
The Tech Talent Program
On June 27 at Collision 2023, the Honourable Sean Fraser, who is the Minister of Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship, introduced Canada’s very first Tech Talent Program.
This program aims to support businesses in Canada and help them succeed in a highly competitive environment.
Minister Fraser revealed new measures and improvements to existing ones as part of this exciting Tech Talent Program.
These streams of entries are designed to attract international top tech talent to Canada for gainful Economic development.
Open Work Permit Stream H-1B Holders
The open work permit stream is specifically for H-1B visa holders from the US.
This stream allows you to apply for a Canadian work permit and also offers study and work permit options for your family members who accompany you.
This is a great chance for H-1B specialty occupation visa holders(i.e.if you’re a US citizen) to explore new opportunities in Canada while your family can also benefit from the work and study permits.
Innovative Stream
The Government of Canada wants to attract highly talented individuals to work in the tech industry. They have noticed that there is a shortage of workers in important tech jobs, and they want to bring in more talented people from other countries.
To do this, they are creating a new program called the Innovation Stream of the International Mobility Program.
This program makes it easier for high-growth companies and talented workers to come to Canada and support innovation and high-tech industries.
The government of Canada is considering two options for the Innovation Stream:
Employer-Specific Work Permit
The first option is to give special work permits to workers who will be employed by a company that the government has identified as helping and innovative. These work permits could last for up to five years.
Open Work Permit
The second option is to give open work permits to highly skilled workers in specific jobs that are in high demand.
These work permits would also last for up to five years. However, the Government of Canada is considering both options and they could choose to use one or both of them.
Digital Nomads
If you are a freelancer working for a foreign client? You can come over to Canada and work there. A digital nomad is someone who can do their job from anywhere in the world.
Initially, digital nomads can come to Canada for up to six months with visitor status while they work for a foreign employer remotely.
In the Tech Talent Program, the government of Canada is working with different organizations to decide on more policies to attract digital nomads.
They’re putting it as a law that digital nomads who come to Canada to work remotely can find jobs with Canadian companies.
If they get a job offer from a Canadian company, they can apply for a temporary work permit or even permanent residence to work for that company in Canada.
The H1-B Visa
This entry stream is peculiar to the skilled workers from the US to work in Canada. If this is you, with your special skills you can work for companies in both Canada and the US.
If you have the H-1B visa for a job in the US, you will now be able to apply to work in Canada too. This change will start on July 16, 2023.
On successful application, you will get a work permit that lasts up to three years. With this permit, you are eligible to work for any employer in Canada.
Adding to that, your spouse and children can also apply for a temporary resident visa. They can get a work or study permit if they need one.
If you’re in North America, here’s your time to smile as a person in tech.
This change will be in effect for one year, or until 10,000 people apply.
The cap on applications only applies to the main applicants and not their family members.
Global Skills Strategy 14-Day Standard
Canada has also returned to the 14 days interval for the approval of a work permit under the Global Skills Strategy (GSS) This means that when you apply for a work permit, you’ll get results within 2 weeks.
Who can get faster processing for a work permit in the GSS?
There are two ways you can be eligible for faster processing of your work permit application, depending on whether you need a labour market impact assessment (LMIA).
If you don’t need an LMIA (LMIA-exempt)
If you don’t require an LMIA, you may be eligible for two-week processing if you meet all of the following requirements:
- You are applying from outside Canada.
- Your job falls under the Training, Education, Experience, and Responsibilities (TEER) category 0 or 1 of the National Occupational Classification (NOC) system.
- Your employer has submitted an offer of employment using the Employer Portal and paid the employer compliance fee.
Note: International Experience Canada applicants are not eligible for faster processing.
If you need an LMIA (LMIA-required)
If you need an LMIA, you might be able to get it processed within 2 weeks if you meet these requirements:
- You are applying from outside Canada.
- You have received a positive LMIA through the Global Talent Stream of the Temporary Foreign Worker Program. This information will be stated in the LMIA decision letter.
Spouses and Dependents
Your spouse, common-law partner, and dependent children can also have their applications processed within 2 weeks if they apply at the same time as you.
This applies to applications for:
- Visitor visa
- Work permit
- Study permit
- They must submit a complete application and apply at the same time as you.
Feel free to look up the GSS site on how to get the GSS service.
Start-Up Visa
The Canadian Start-up Visa program is getting better for those who want to start a new and creative business in Canada.
The Start-up Visa offers a way for foreign entrepreneurs to become permanent residents.
Canada wants to make the process faster by aiming to help 3,500 people in 2023, which is three times more than before.
They will give priority to start-ups that have already secured money, and they will let all members of the start-up apply for a work permit that can last up to three years.
Express Entry & STEM
I would vouch for the current Express entry as your best shot of migrating, working and living in Canada as a permanent resident.
Express Entry is an online system that handles immigration applications for Canada. It includes three programs for skilled workers and some Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs).
Among these programs, STEM workers are usually eligible for two options: the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) or the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSW).
The main difference between them is that CEC requires Canadian work experience, while FSW requires one year of skilled work experience, no matter where you gained it.
If you meet the requirements for these programs, you will be placed in a group of candidates called the Express Entry pool.
In this pool, you will be assigned a Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score based on factors like your age, work experience, education, language skills, and more.
The general rule is that the higher your score, the better your chances of being invited to apply for Canadian immigration.
You don’t simply apply for Canadian immigration through Express Entry. Instead, you need to fill out an Express Entry profile, and if you meet the criteria, Canada will invite you to apply.
Getting an invitation is a matter of having your profile in the system and waiting to receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA) during an Express Entry draw.
The Canadian immigration department, known as Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), conducts these draws approximately every two weeks.
During the draws, IRCC either sends a certain number of ITAs to the highest-scoring candidates or invites candidates who may be eligible through specific categories in Express Entry draws.
Now that you understand what Express Entry is, let’s move on. As of 2023, one of the categories in Canada’s Express Entry draws in STEM.
Along with the regular invitation rounds, eligible STEM workers may also receive invitations through STEM-specific draws.
To be eligible for an invitation as a STEM worker, you must have at least six months of continuous work experience in an eligible STEM occupation, completed within the past three years.
Note: each of these entries has specific work that falls fall under them According to the National Occupational Classification(NOC)
Some Occupations NOC
The following is a list of occupations along with their corresponding 2021 NOC codes and TEER categories:
- Architects (NOC code: 21200) – TEER category: 1
- Architecture and science managers (NOC code: 20011) – TEER category: 0
- Business systems specialists (NOC code: 21221) – TEER category: 1
- Civil Engineers (NOC code: 21300) – TEER category: 1
- Computer and information systems managers (NOC code: 20012) – TEER category: 0
- Computer engineers (except software engineers and designers) (NOC code: 21311) – TEER category: 1
- Computer systems developers and programmers (NOC code: 21230) – TEER category: 1
- Cybersecurity specialists (NOC code: 21220) – TEER category: 1
- Data scientists (NOC code: 21211) – TEER category: 1
- Database analysts and data administrators (NOC code: 21223) – TEER category: 1
- Electrical and electronics engineers (NOC code: 21310) – TEER category: 1
- Engineering managers (NOC code: 20010) – TEER category: 0
- Industrial and manufacturing engineers (NOC code: 21321) – TEER category: 1
- Information systems specialists (NOC code: 21222) – TEER category: 1
- Land surveyors (NOC code: 21203) – TEER category: 1
- Landscape Architects (NOC code: 21201) – TEER category: 1
- Mathematicians, statisticians and actuaries (NOC code: 21210) – TEER category: 1
- Metallurgical and materials engineers (NOC code: 21322) – TEER category: 1
- Natural and applied science policy researchers, consultants, and program officers (NOC code: 41400) – TEER category: 0
FAQs
What is the Tech Talent Program in Canada?
The Tech Talent Program is a program introduced by the Canadian government to attract international top tech talent to Canada and support the growth of the tech industry.
How can I migrate to Canada through the Tech Talent Program?
There are several streams under the Tech Talent Program that you can explore. These include the Open Work Permit Stream for H-1B holders, the Innovative Stream, Digital Nomads, the H1-B Visa stream, the Global Skills Strategy, the Start-Up Visa program, and Express Entry for STEM workers.
How does the Innovative Stream work?
The Innovative Stream is part of the International Mobility Program and aims to attract highly talented individuals to work in the tech industry in Canada. The government may offer special work permits to workers employed by innovative companies or provide open work permits for highly skilled workers in high-demand tech jobs.
Can digital nomads work in Canada?
Yes, digital nomads can work in Canada. Initially, they can come to Canada for up to six months with visitor status while working for a foreign employer remotely. The government of Canada is also working on policies to attract more digital nomads and allow them to find jobs with Canadian companies.
Conclusion
For the record, the above Talent Program Stratied in Canada will be fully in place from 16 July or by the end of July 2023.
Note some entry streams like the H1-B Visa have a cap of 10,000 immigrants or a year’s existence.
That’s if you’re a citizen of the US who wishes to migrate to Canada for any of the techs.
The major determinant of how to move to Canada through the Tech Talent program is based on if your occupation is found in any of the streams above. Keep tabs with us till July 16, 2023, for updates.
