US visa limitations result in loss of tech talent to Canada

According to a recent Wall Street Journal report, US visa limitations are costing America the skills of some top tech talent. Interestingly, a high number of overseas tech workers are choosing Canada in which to live and work. Since 2016, Toronto has added more than 81,000 tech jobs, more than any other city in North America.

Meanwhile, the current US unemployment rate for tech sector jobs is 1.3%, which is viewed as a ‘negative’ unemployment rate in terms of the tech industry. According to tech industry specialists, there are several factors at play behind Canada’s rising popularity as a destination for tech workers and the decline in the number of tech workers heading for the United States.

In particular, US visa limitations are a key factor. Specifically, the H1B visa is proving to be problematic. US H1B visas are capped at 100,000 annually, and this number has increased since 2005, despite a surge in the number of tech jobs.

Canada visas unlimited for tech workers

In contrast, Canada has a long-held policy of offering visas on an unlimited basis to tech workers. While the US has tried to offset the loss of foreign tech workers by developing homegrown talent through STEM education, American tech specialists say that it is only ‘part of the solution’.

A number of US tech industry lobby groups claim that the talent market for key tech innovators will ‘always be global’, even if globalization has been temporarily stunted by geopolitical and supply chain factors.

Tech industry leaders have warned that US visa policies need to be redesigned to be more welcoming of the world’s technological elite, otherwise America faces the continued loss of talent to countries like Canada.

Remote work on the rise

Meanwhile, the Canadian tech industry is also embracing the rise in remote working after the pandemic decisively showed that remote workers can be productive without on-site management.

According to the Wall Street Journal, Silicon Valley has been far slower to embrace the remote working culture. With Canadian tech firms allowing a lot of tech jobs to be done from anywhere, they have stolen a march over US tech companies in securing top innovators.

China also a problem

Amid the US losing tech talent to Canada, concerns are also growing over the loss of scientific talent to countries such as China. 

Recently it was reported that more than four dozen former national security leaders had urged Congress to ease US immigration restrictions for international advanced degree holders in scientific subjects.

In a letter sent by the former national security leaders, they said: “In today’s technology competition, the most powerful and enduring asymmetric advantage America has is its ability to attract and retain the world’s best and brightest. Bottlenecks in the US immigration system risk squandering this advantage.”

“China is the most significant technological and geopolitical competitor our country has faced in recent times. With the world’s best STEM talent on its side, it will be very hard for America to lose. Without it, it will be very hard for America to win,” the letter added.

Workpermit.com can help with US employment-based visas

If you would like to apply for a US work visa – including L1 visas, E2 visas, O1 visas and H1B visas - Workpermit.com can help. 

Workpermit.com is a specialist visa services firm with over thirty years of experience dealing with visa applications. We can help with a wide range of visa applications to your country of choice. Contact us for further details. You can also telephone 0344 991 9222.