Canada tech talent immigration pathways – Aptech Visa

Canada has various temporary and permanent options for attracting global tech talent.

The Canadian tech sector is thriving, and industry growth is expected to continue to outpace the number of skilled tech workers in the Canadian labour force. This expansion is the result of a combination of startups and large corporations, such as Google and Amazon, investing more money and expanding their operations in Canada. This investment is critical to the Canadian economy, and as a result, there are more than 250,000 tech workers in Toronto alone.

To meet the high demand for skilled tech workers, the federal and provincial governments provide a variety of permanent residence and work permit options for hiring workers from other countries. Whether you are an employer or a tech worker, this article will explain some popular options.

Temporary Work Permit

An employer considering hiring foreign talent has several temporary work permit options. When there is a shortage of skilled Canadian tech workers, these programs aim to help employers quickly hire the tech talent they need.

Global Talent Stream

The Global Talent Stream (GTS) is a popular option in the technology industry. It was established to help the growth of Canada's tech industry and aims to achieve a two-week processing standard once the final application is submitted by the potential employee. This path serves as a temporary work permit and can be used as a stepping stone for employees seeking permanent residence.

Free Canada Immigration Assessment Form

It is part of the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP), and in order to be eligible, employers must first obtain a neutral or positive Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) from Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC). ESDC assesses whether hiring workers from outside Canada has a positive, neutral, or negative impact on the Canadian labour market.

Furthermore, in order to be eligible to hire under this program, employers must meet the following two criteria:

Category A: This category is for businesses that come to EDSC via a referral partner. Typically, referral partners are governmental, local, or government-affiliated agencies or businesses with a mandate to support local economies. Employees hired in this category are highly specialized in a specific area of the technology industry. If the occupation of the candidate is already on the Global Talent Occupations List, the employer must apply under category B.

Category B:  is for employers who need workers in occupations that are already on the Global Talent Occupations List, such as software engineers, designers, or information systems analysts. These occupations are in high demand, and the government has identified a skills shortage in the Canadian labour force.

Plan of Employment Benefits

Employers must also submit to EDSC a Labour Market Benefits Plan (LMBP) outlining how they intend to benefit Canada's labour market in the long run. The emphasis varies depending on the category.

A classification A strategy must be developed to show how hiring through the GTS will benefit job creation for Canadian permanent residents.

Category B LMBPs must demonstrate how they intend to increase their investment in training Canadians and permanent residents in in-demand technology skills.

There are restrictions on how skilled workers are paid in both categories. Anyone hired through the Global Talent Stream must be paid at or above the prevailing wage.

The prevailing wage is the higher of the following:

• The average pay or wage for the occupation on the Government of Canada's Job Bank

• The wage range that an employer pays current employees in the same position, at the same location, with the same skills and experience; or

• The minimum wage floor is defined in the list of Global Talent occupations (if applicable).

CUSMA

Employers who hire tech talent from other parts of North America may be eligible for the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA). It is, like the GTS, a temporary work permit.

This agreement may facilitate talent mobility between the countries. The agreement is further subdivided into two categories relevant to tech workers.

Professionals: The professional category includes 63 occupations that qualify for CUSMA. Systems analysts and software engineers are two prominent tech occupations that may be eligible.

Intra-Company Transfers (ICTs): ICTs occur when employees of multinational corporations relocate to the company's Canadian branch. The transferee is frequently someone in a management position or with specialized knowledge.

Non-CUSMA ICTs: Multinational companies eligible for ICTs do not have to be based in Mexico or the United States. If a company has an established branch in Canada, employees from other countries may be able to transfer to Canada without an employer having to obtain an LMIA.

Getting Permanent Residency in Canada

Tech professionals may prefer to settle in Canada as permanent residents. The most common way for skilled tech workers to obtain permanent residence is through an immigration program that is part of the Express Entry application management system or through a Provincial Nominee Program (PNP).

Express Entry

Express Entry is the federal government's main entry point for skilled immigrants.

Candidates with technical backgrounds are the most likely to be granted permanent residency under Express Entry.

Express Entry is intended to speed up the application process for skilled workers. The Federal Skilled Worker Program is the most popular Express Entry option (FSWP). This program is for those with at least one year of work experience in a job that falls under National Occupational Codes 0, A, or B, which most jobs in the technology sector do. 

Candidates with one year of work experience in Canada within the last three years may also be eligible for Express Entry through the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) program.

Express Entry consists of two steps:

• Candidates must determine whether they are eligible for the program for which they wish to apply.

• If they are eligible, they must create an account on the Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) website and upload a profile. IRCC will assign a Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score to their profile based on their work experience, education, language abilities, and other human capital factors. The higher the score, the more likely a candidate will be invited to apply (ITA) for permanent residence.

IRCC holds draws every two weeks or so. After receiving an ITA, a candidate has 60 days to submit their final application to IRCC.

Provincial Nomination Tech Talent Stream

Canada has over 100 economic immigration routes, many of which are part of the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP). Except for Quebec and Nunavut, all Canadian provinces have PNPs that work in tandem with IRCC. These programs enable provincial governments to choose candidates who they believe will fit in well in the province. Several Canadian provinces have immigration programs aimed specifically at attracting tech talent.

Here's a rundown of some of the province's tech talent pools:

BC Technology Stream: Candidates for this stream must be eligible for one of BC's immigration programs and have a one-year job offer.

OINP Tech Draw: Candidates must be eligible for either the Federal Skilled Worker Program or the Canadian Experience Class to be considered for this Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program.

Saskatchewan Tech Talent Pathway: Eligible candidates must have an employer-specific SINP (Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program) Job Approval Letter for an eligible technology sector occupation to be eligible for the Saskatchewan Tech Talent Pathway. They must have at least one year of work experience in that occupation in the previous five years.

Alberta Accelerated Tech Pathway: Candidates must meet the eligibility requirements for the Alberta Express Entry Stream to be considered for the Alberta Accelerated Tech Pathway. They must either be employed in Alberta or have a job offer in one of the 23 eligible occupations.

Quebec

Quebec has its own immigration program for workers in artificial intelligence, information technology, and visual effects.

This program has two technology categories:

AI (Artificial Intelligence): There are two paths to this stream. If a candidate has graduated from a college or university in Quebec, they must have work experience and a job offer. If the candidate received their education outside of Quebec, they may not need a job offer but must demonstrate an education equivalent to a Quebec bachelor's degree.

IT and Visual Effects streams: Candidates for the IT and Visual Effects streams must have two years of work experience in one of ten eligible occupations within the last five years. They must also have a job offer in that field and the equivalent of a Quebec technical studies diploma or a bachelor's degree from a recognised university.

For more info, please call: +91-7503832132, +91-9131059075, +91-8447281370, Write to us at: info@aptechvisa.com and Fill out the Free Canada Immigration Assessment Form

Is it necessary to have a work offer in order to come to Canada?

A work offer is not required to immigrate to Canada. Only a few immigration programs allow an applicant to be considered for a visa based on his or her work or studies. For the family and refugee class immigration program, there are over 100 regular economy class immigration routes or pathways to Canada that do not require a work offer or any other funds.

Programs for newcomers to Canada who do not have a job offer include:

1. Express Entry: Express Entry is a three-pronged application management system for immigration.

• Canadian Experience Class

• Federal Skilled Worker Program

• Federal Skilled Trades Program

To be qualified for these three programs, you must have work experience but not a job offer in Canada. Applicants for any of the programs must get a Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score, which allocates points based on characteristics such as age, education, language proficiency, and job experience.

Free Canada Immigration Assessment Form

Every two weeks, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) welcomes the express entry candidates with the best marks for immigration to Canada.

After adjourning the draws to deal with pandemic loss, IRCC invites CEC and FSWP candidates to apply in July 2022.

Prior to 2022, Express Entry was the only immigration program available, and the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) allowed provinces and territories to establish their own immigration program. Some of these PNP provinces also provide a limited number of immigration options that do not require a work offer.

The following PNP programs do not require a work opportunity:

1.    Human Capital Priorities Stream Ontario: 

• Every year, over a third of newcomers arrive in Canada and settle in Ontario.

• Many immigrants chose Ontario because of its diverse population and a big number of career possibilities, many of which pay well.

• Every year, over 8000 candidates or applications are nominated by the province of Ontario.

• Applicants do not need to have a job offer to apply through the Ontario human capital priorities stream, which allows eligible express entry candidates to come to Ontario if they meet the standards such as work experience, language proficiency, and so on.

• An applicant will be evaluated for the Ontario human capital priority stream if they have an active express entry profile and meet the Ontario standards.

2. BC Skills Immigration international post-graduate:

·  If the applicant has a graduate degree in science from a qualified institution or university in British Columbia, they are eligible to apply for a Canadian permanent residence visa even if they do not have a job offer, and

·  They are eligible to apply for the Skills Immigration International post-graduate category for work opportunities. Candidates with a master's or doctoral degree in applied, natural, or health science disciplines are sought by the BC government.

·   To meet British Columbia's eligibility requirements, applicants must apply to BC PNP within three years of their date of entrance.

·  The candidate must demonstrate his or her ability to work and settle in British Columbia.

·    To be eligible for the BC PNP, candidates must have an Express Entry profile.

·    There is no requirement for the candidate to have a job offer before applying for BC immigration.

Canada PR Points - Free Calculator

Note:

Provide proof of residency dating back to the day you arrived.

Providing documentation of work, study, and familial ties to BC.

2.    Alberta Express Entry: 

To apply for the Alberta Express Entry Stream, applicants do not need a job offer.

Applicants must build an Express Entry Profile and exhibit interest in settling in Alberta to get an invitation through this stream.

Alberta Express Entry Stream Eligibility Criteria:

• The IRCC requires that you have a valid Express Entry Profile.

• Have a strong desire to immigrate to Alberta

• Be employed in a skilled occupation that benefits Alberta's economy

• A minimum CRS score of 300 is required.

• A postgraduate from a Canadian institution or university will also receive a notice of interest if the applicant has a job offer from Alberta or has some work experience in this jurisdiction.

• If the applicant has a sibling or parent or kid who is a permanent resident or any Canadian citizen who is living in Alberta province also has the possibility to acquire notice of interest.

4. Occupational list for Saskatchewan express entry:

Saskatchewan has two different provincial nomination streams that do not require a job.

Express Entry-linked Stream — to be considered for this stream, you must have an active Federal express entry profile and be willing to apply.

Occupation In-Demand Stream — This Stream calls for skilled workers to meet the labour market's demands. To be eligible for the Saskatchewan Occupation in-demand stream, you must have one year of work experience with the relevant skill.

5. Nova Scotia's labour market priorities:

The province of Nova Scotia offers a variety of immigration options for different types of candidates.

The Nova Scotia Labor Market Priorities (NSMP) stream is one of the immigration paths.

The NSMP helps those who want to migrate to Nova Scotia but don't have a work offer.

NSMP Eligibility Criteria:

• The applicant's Express Entry profile must be valid and active.

• A desire to relocate to Nova Scotia must be expressed in the profile.

• The applicant must have received a notification of interest from the province of Nova Scotia and must meet the qualifications set forth by Nova Scotia by the time the Letter of Interest is received.

•The applicant must have the required work experience as listed in the IRCC Express Entry profile.

• When requested, all work-related documentation must be delivered.

• You must have current legitimate immigration status in the nation where you live.

• You should be able to sustain yourself and your family with adequate income.

You can also read the latest Canada Immigration News and Draw Updates here. If you are interested in studying abroad then for more info, please click studying in Canada.

Conclusion

The programs listed above do not require you to have a work offer in order to obtain permanent resident status before you begin your job search. This will make it easier for employers in Canada to recruit you.

For more info, please call: +91-7503832132, +91-9131059075, +91 8447281370, write to us at: info@aptechvisa.com and Fill out the Free Canada Immigration Assessment Form