Toronto: In a major announcement, Canada has invited H-1B visa holders in the US to relocate to the country along with their families. H-1B visa allows citizens of other countries to stay and work in the US.
Canada’s new move is expected to be a boon for Indian IT professionals in the US as 40 percent of the over two lakh IT professionals who became jobless in the US following the COVID-19 crisis are Indians.
Under Canada’s plan, families of H-1B visa holders also would be granted educational and employment visas. “We will immediately allow 10,000 people holding H-1B visa of the US to shift to Canada. A new visa named ‘work permit stream’ will be created for the purpose,” said Sean Fraser, Canada’s Minister for Immigration.
“Applications for the new visa could be submitted from July 16. Canada is offering an open work permit having a validity of three years with which one can join a company in any part of the country,” added Fraser.
Family members and dependents of the H-1B visa holders can apply for temporary residence visa. Educational and job visas will be issued for those need them, the minister said.
“The Canadian government is engaged in the task of setting up a special immigration stream to attract top IT professionals from around the world to the country. This arrangement will be in place by this year-end. IT experts arriving in Canada will be issued a work visa, irrespective of whether they hold a job or not,” said Fraser.