Canada’s new program to attract holders of H-1B visas to the country was closed in less than 48 hours after reaching the 10,000 limit.
The new program for those holding H-1B visas was announced by authorities in Canada in June this year and was set to remain open for one year, or until Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) received 10,000 applications, according to the government, VisaGuide.World reports.
The application process for this scheme was opened on July 16; however, on July 17, potential applicants were informed that the cap of 10,000 was reached and they could no longer apply. Such a response was considered overwhelming by analysts.
The H-1B visa, known as the Person in Specialty Occupation Visa, allows foreign nationals in the United States holding H-1B visas to move to Canada in order to live and work there, provided they are engaged in specific fields such as architects, IT specialists, and accountants, among others.
According to a Forbes report, the recent figures may indicate to US policymakers that highly skilled scientists and engineers from other countries in the US are not satisfied with the current US immigration system and are looking to find other alternative options.
“As of July 16, 2023, H-1B specialty occupation visa holders in the US, and their accompanying immediate family members, will be eligible to apply to come to Canada. Approved applicants will receive an open work permit of up to three years in duration, which means they will be able to work for almost any employer anywhere in Canada,” according to a Canadian government Backgrounder.
Some attorneys believe that the country may reopen the application process after determining the number of people who applied and didn’t follow through in coming to Canada.
Senior partner of Rekai LLP in Toronto, Peter Rekai, said that the fate of the Canadian scheme for the H-1B visa holders depends on what happens with the current crop of applicants.
He expressed his belief that the government would evaluate how this process went. Rekai added that first, the country would see how many people came to this country and try to determine if people with open work permits got jobs quickly in Canada and also get feedback from the industry.
A previous study from the National Foundation for American Policy said that authorities in the US risk losing highly skilled foreigners, especially those married to other skilled professionals, to Canada, which offers them work authorizations to spouses of skilled foreign workers.
“The United States can reap significant economic benefits, ease labor shortages, and attract more workers in the global competition for talent if it expands current rules on work eligibility for the spouses of H-1B visa holders,” the study noted.
The same emphasized that the number of nationals from India who became permanent residents in Canada increased by over 115 percent for a period from 2016 to 2021.