No one knows what will happen to the current United States H-1B visa program. We do know that applications are being scrutinized at an ever-increasing level. That, along with changes to US policies & current immigration climate is resulting in more H-1B visa application denials, as described in detail in the Forbes article, “New Evidence USCIS Policies Increased Denials Of H-1B Visas.”
As an American who lived in Canada for 5 years (for work and school) and currently runs a cross-border business, I can attest to the benefits of living and working in Canada. While the US remains the primary destination for immigrants seeking a top-tier education in engineering or computer science and getting a job in the tech sector, there is another option if your H-1B is denied or you want to plan ahead for a potential denial in the H-1B lottery next year: Canada.
Why Canada?
Last year Canada launched the Global Skills Strategy program to attract tech talent to Canada. Work visas are issued in less than 60 days to qualified applicants.
- Canada is one of the most immigrant-friendly countries in the world. 1 in 5 Canadians was born in another country.
- New work visa for technically skilled immigrants. As mentioned, the Global Skill Strategy program issues work visas in less than 60 days to qualified workers.
- Canadian permanent residency. You won’t have to wait 5-25 years as you will in the US for a green card. Canadian permanent residency can be had in 2-3 years (consult with a Canadian immigration lawyer to verify).
- There are plenty of tech jobs. US tech giants like Amazon, Google, Apple, Facebook, and Microsoft have remote offices there. The Canadian startup community is blowing up with US VC money and many mid-sized Canadian tech companies like Hootsuite and Shopify are constantly hiring engineers.
- Universal healthcare.
- Affordability of housing (especially if you are coming from the Bay Area).
- You are still in North America. Just a bit colder in winter than in the lower 48.
How do I qualify for the program?
To have your application to Global Skills Strategy program accepted, you’ll need to qualify from an education and experience perspective, and you will need a job. Check out the Global Skills Strategy program to learn more.
Two ways to get a job:
1) You can get one with a Canadian-based tech company or a Canadian subsidiary of a foreign-based company. MOV North, founded by Vikram Rangnekar, is a great resource for finding tech jobs in Canada.
2) Alternately, if you already have a job in the US that you want to keep (and your employer wants to keep you) and you’re facing issues getting your H-1B renewed, the Global Skills Strategy may be a great option for you as well. This creates the possibility that you can keep working remotely for current US employer while living in Canada. Before now, if you lost the H-1B lottery after 2 tries or had it denied for another reason, your main choice was to return to your home country and probably lose your current job in the US
Either option opens the door to applying for Canadian permanent residency, which is much faster to get than a US green card. If you already lost the H-1B lottery on your first try and need a Plan B, or if you have an H-1B and face a multi-year wait to getting a US green card, check out the new employment options that exist in Canada.
If you want to keep your current US job, and your current employer wants to keep you, the team here at Syndesus can help. We assist US companies retain valued employees facing work US visa issues. Working with our Canadian immigration legal partners, we can quickly help you determine your eligibility and get you started on the immigration proceedings. Then, our Professional Employer Organization (PEO) services will help ensure smooth and speedy onboarding to work in Canada. Determine if you qualify by visiting us at https://syndesus.com/non-canadian-employees/
