The recent job openings follow Germany’s recent enactment of an immigration law designed to attract a greater number of non-European Union individuals for employment purposes.
By Adaka Paul:
Canada has introduced its inaugural immigration technology talent initiative, aiming to create fresh employment prospects for Nigerian citizens and individuals from other nations.
The recent job openings follow Germany’s recent enactment of an immigration law designed to attract a greater number of non-European Union individuals for employment purposes. The talent strategy, unveiled during the 2023 Collision Conference in Toronto, incorporates various new measures and enhancements to existing ones, all geared towards supporting Canadian businesses to flourish in a fiercely competitive environment, as reported by Toronto News.
“Over this year, Canada is going to be developing a specific stream for some of the world’s most highly talented people that will be able to come to Canada to work for tech companies whether they have a job offer or not,” Sean Fraser, Canada’s Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, said on Tuesday.
“We are going to be launching a digital Nomads strategy which is going to allow people, who have a foreign employer to come and work in Canada for up to six months,” he said.
Fraser revealed that individuals with exceptional skills will be encouraged to settle in local communities within the county, contributing to the local economy through their spending. Moreover, if these individuals secure job opportunities during their stay, they will be permitted to remain and work in the country.
“Finally, we have been watching very closely what has been going on in the tech sector in the United States where we have seen a public narrative about layoffs. We have been having private conversations about opportunities” he added.
The minister said from July 16, they will have a stream that will allow 10,000 H-1B visa holders in the United States to come and work in Canada.
“The reality is that you have the ideas but you need the talents. You have told us that and we have been listening. We are going to do everything we can to push Canada as the destination where your ideas can become a reality,’ he said.
Canada’s workforce has been shrinking due to its aging population and declining birth rate, prompting the nation to amplify its endeavors to attract a sizable influx of young and dynamic immigrants through immigration-friendly policies.
According to data from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, the country welcomed 437,120 Permanent Residents (PRs) in 2022, marking an increase of nearly eight percent compared to the total number of PRs in 2021. Notably, Nigeria experienced a significant growth of 41.9 percent, with the number of PRs rising from 15,595 in the previous year to 22,130.
In a noteworthy development, the Canadian federal government unveiled an ambitious plan last year, aiming to admit 500,000 immigrants annually by 2025. Consequently, the country anticipates receiving approximately 1.5 million new immigrants over the next three years.
“We’re enthusiastic about the ambitious goals we have set in immigration because they aren’t just about numbers—they are strategic. With this strategy, we’re targeting newcomers that can help enshrine Canada as a world leader in a variety of emerging technologies,” Fraser said.
