According to Alexandra Clark, Chief of Staff at Shopify, Canada could be where the best talent decides to move.
Canada is an ideal country for employment thanks to their immigration programs, which have made employment for foreigners more accessible. Canada has the highest rate of immigration when compared to similar countries. Whilst Australia has capped their intake at 160 000, Canada aims to increase their intake to 1.2m between 2021 and 2023. The most popular jobs for foreigners in Canada include carpenters, agricultural workers, welders and hotel staff. Even though tech jobs don't feature in the top ten, there is a need for more skilled engineers, programmers and IT web developers. The skills needed to create sites like Ontario casino and other gaming platforms are different, for example, of the skills required to develop a retail shopping site, si finding a niche is well worth it.
How Canada Is Attracting Tech Workers
The country has an immigration program dedicated exclusively to bringing tech talent to the country. One of the programs is the Global Skills Strategy visa program. This program allows highly skilled foreign workers to access fast, flexible work permit options. Canada is not only focussing on individuals, but they have also adopted this open-arm attitude to tech start-ups. For many companies and individuals, Canada has become a welcome alternative to the USA, which has adopted stricter immigration policies in the past couple of years.
The country has a 2023 target of welcoming 465 000 permanent residents to fill vital gaps in the labour market. The target for 2024 is 485 000, and 500 000 in 2025. They have supported this goal by creating innovative ways for foreigners to access employment and residency. Providing extensive and accessible settlement services helps immigrants settle faster; they learn the languages, become acquainted with the culture, and adapt to life more seamlessly.
Another way Canada recruits outside its borders is by offering scholarships to deserving international students. It's been proven that many international students in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields stay behind and find employment in Canada after their studies, thus contributing to the economy and labour force. As it is, immigrants account for 21% of the national workforce in the country.
The Global Talent Stream is a perfect example of attracting the brightest around the globe; the program allows employers to hire technology talent within two weeks of arrival. They also have a reasonable wage floor. This applies to computer engineers, database analysts, web designers and mathematicians.
Why The Technology Sector
- The Canadian tech sector is booming in the province of Saskatchewan; the industry has experienced a growth of 38% for ten years. A national increase of 5.5% is expected over the next three years. Because of this growth, the local labour market has become dry, forcing employers to look abroad for talent. Leading tech companies like Vendasta have become reliant on imported skills.
- The Canadian government realises that the technology sector is crucial to economic recovery and needs highly skilled individuals. And they have discovered that the country needs more skills.
How To Get Employment As A Foreigner In Canada
Technology has erased borders and made us all one global village, so if you are considering employment in Canada, here are a few tips:
- Create a professional, personalized resume, and get assistance from a professional CV writer. Remember, recruiters and employers sift through hundreds of Cvs daily, so make sure yours stands out and is to the point.
- Be proficient in the languages spoken in the province you are targeting. If they speak French, you must know at least the basics.
- Be transparent in your visa interview, and don't conceal or misrepresent information.
Lastly
Canada is a great country to live and work in, with world-class healthcare systems and among the highest education establishments. This makes the job of attracting talent easier.