How Canada is planning to attract H1B visa holders snubbed by Trump fee: Accelerated pathway'

Amid Donald Trump-led US administration's displace to impose an annual fee of $100,000 on H-1B visas, Canada seems to be finding an opportunity in adversity as it is set to roll our special initiatives to attract top international researchers and H-1B visa holders. However, it will continue to cut down on its annual intake of foreign students.

Also read: Trump’s $100K H-1B visa fee may open doors for Canada to attract talent, experts say

In his first budget, Prime Minister Mark Carney’s unveiled a plan to attract international talent, earmarking C$1.7 billion ($1.2 billion) to recruit more than 1,000 skilled researchers, Bloomberg reported. “The expertise of these researchers will help advance our global competitiveness and contribute to the economy of the future,” the report quoted budget document.

Another initiative includes an “accelerated pathway” for H-1B visa holders in a bid to attract skilled workers in the coming months. The move is significant in the backdrop of fresh visa rules and restrictions imposed by the US lately, including the staggering annual fee as the US is maintaining tight controls over the number of immigrants it lets into the country after a surge in population growth in recent years.

The Canada plans to bring in 380,000 permanent residents per year from 2026 through 2028 under its latest immigration plan while it is cutting the number of temporary residents allowed to 385,000 in 2026 and 370,000 for the following two years., reflecting more than 40% reduction from this year.

Soon after Trump's announcement of fee on H-1B visas, Canada's Mark Carney had signaled a push to attract technology sector employees.

“What is clear is that the opportunity to attract people who previously would’ve got so-called H-1B visas,” he had said in September.

According to government data, India and China account for the majority of H-1B visa holders, with Indian nationals making up over 70% of recipients. Many young Indian professionals working in technology are expressing fear and uncertainty about their career prospects in the US.

While Canada's new plan aims to attract permanent residents, it is cutting the number of temporary residents allowed to 385,000 in 2026 and 370,000 for the following two years. The sharp dip has been pushed by the fall in the number of new study permits the government plans to issue. Those targets have been reduced to 155,000 in 2026 and 150,000 in both 2027 and 2028, according to Bloomberg.

Bloomberg quoted Universities Canada as saying that it “recognizes the government’s efforts to build a sustainable immigration system that welcomes those seeking to study at Canada’s world-class universities, but the plan must match this government’s talent and economic agenda.”

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