US H1-B visa holders can live and work in Canada now, 10k limit reached

Canada has launched a website inviting US H1-B visa holders to apply to come and work in their country. In June, Canada announced a new scheme, targetting tech workers on the American H1-B visa, in what was the first time any country had created an immigration program based on another's country's immigration system. 

This new scheme allowing for 10,000 work permits is set to hugely benefit Indians on H1-B visas in the US, given that over 70% of H1-B visa recipients every year are from India.   

Reached the cap 

Canada had a cap of 10,000 applicants under the scheme which had already been reached, according to reports.

What does the scheme offer?

• H1-B visa holders in the US can get an open work permit to Canada under the scheme. 
• The open work permit allows successful applicants to live, study or work in Canada for three years. 
• Applicants do not need a job offer or a college acceptance from Canada to apply for the scheme. 
• Moreover, spouses and dependents of the applicants will also be able to live, study or work for three years under the program. 
• The scheme was supposed to either run for one year or till the quota of 10,000 applicants was reached. The cap of 10,000 applicants does not include family members of the primary applicants. 

Why does Canada want US H1-B visa holders?

It is rare for a country to invite immigrants from another country to live and work. However, in what seems like a novel case, Canada's immigration department is solely relying on the American immigration system to lure skilled immigrants to its country. 

Canada's announcement of the scheme has sent warning bells ringing in the US about its immigration system. The reason Canada is targetting US H1-B visa holders is because of the many problems these visa holders face in the US. 

• In recent times, US H1-B visa holders have been living with great uncertainty about their right to live in the US. 
• The H1-B visa is tied to employment and if a visa holder loses their job, they have only 60 days to find a new employer with visa sponsorship or leave the country. 
• The current wave of layoffs in the tech industry had left several H1-B visa holders, a lot of them Indians, in a lurch about their future in the US. 
• Moreover, for Indians on H1-B visas, even with a job, life is still uncertain in the US, because of the country-based green card quota system. 
• For Indian H1-B visa holders in the US, the path to permanent residency in the US isn't easy and the current wait time is longer than one's lifetime. 
• Faced with the many challenges, Canada's offer is beneficial to the H1-B visa holders who face an uncertain future in the US. 

• In contrast, Canada's path to permanent residency is relatively easy. Those on US H1-B visas in Canada may be able to transition to the Canadian PR program. 
• According to the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), 50,000 people lost their H1-B visas between October 2022 and April 2023. 

Canada's scheme is definitely a smart move, as Elon Musk calls it. Canada is essentially piggybacking off on the American Immigration system's efforts in selecting the world's best talent to lure them to its own country.  

[ALSO READ: US says it will ease H1B visas for skilled Indians, clear backlog, after meet with PM Modi]