• Overview
• Over 32,000 international tech workers moved to Canada between April 2022 and March 2023.
• This data is sourced from a joint report by The Technology Councils of North America (TECNA) and Canada’s Tech Network (CTN).
• Report Insights
• Main Attraction: Canada’s immigration-friendly policies and competitive labor costs have drawn tech talents.
• Global Trend: Rise of remote work, accelerated by the pandemic, has dispersed tech talents from traditional hubs.
• Main Sources: Tech talent in Canada mainly originates from India, Nigeria, and Brazil.
• U.S. Influence: Increased investments from U.S.-based tech firms into Canada due to proximity and favorable compensation differences.
• National Growth: Beyond major cities, smaller provinces like Saskatchewan and Newfoundland and Labrador saw a tech workforce growth of 16.3%.
• Rural Growth: Windsor, Ontario, experienced a 28% surge in tech workers, indicating a shift towards rural areas thanks to remote work trends.
• Canada’s Tech Hubs
• Mississauga (ON)
• Nearly 1,000 IT companies.
• Part of North America’s second-largest ICT cluster.
• Renowned IT companies: Microsoft, Oracle, IBM, HP, and Cognizant.
• Mississauga Innovation and Technology Acceleration Program (MITAP) supports tech innovation.
• Montreal (QUE)
• 31% tech ecosystem growth from 2015-2020.
• Home to major companies: Google, Microsoft, Meta, Samsung, Intel, Ubisoft, EA, and WB Games.
• Events: Startup fest and MTL Connect: Montreal Digital Week.
• Waterloo (ON)
• Over 1,570 tech businesses, including BlackBerry and D2L.
• Among the top 20 global start-up ecosystems.
• Strong academic backbone: University of Waterloo, Wilfrid Laurier University, and Conestoga College.
• In-Demand Tech Skills in Canada
• Top skills: Customer Experience, Microsoft Azure, Analytical Skills, Amazon Web Services, React.js, Jira, Data Science, GitHub, Customer Satisfaction, and Customer Relationship Management.
• Canada’s Strategy for Tech Talent Attraction
• Canada’s Tech Talent Strategy
• Aims: Establish Canada as a global tech talent hub.
• Actions:
• Launching an Innovation Stream under the International Mobility Program (IMP).
• Marketing Canada as a go-to destination for digital nomads.
• Streamlining work permits for U.S. H-1B visa holders.
• Enhancing programs for high-skill tech professions.
• Category-Based Express Entry Draws
• Focus on STEM professions to meet Canada’s economic and demographic needs.
• A recent draw on July 5th, 2023, invited 500 candidates with CRS scores ≥486 for permanent residency.
Source : CIC NEWS
