The U.S. H-1B Visa Open Work Permit Stream meets its target of 10,000 applications. The holders of the U.S. H-1B Visa will now be eligible to apply to live and work in Canada from July 16.
The initiative, which aims to increase labor mobility in North America, became public by Sean Fraser on June 27. It might affect thousands of workers in high-tech companies in Canada and the US, as well as their close relatives.
A three-year open work visa will be accessible to those who gain acceptance. People can work for nearly any Canadian firm with an open work permit. This also applies to their spouses and dependents, who are free to request the necessary employment or study permits. According to IRCC, the restriction will be in place for a year or until a maximum of 10,000 applicants arrive here. Additionally, this cap only applies to major applicants, excluding family members.
U.S.H-1B Visa holders to be able to access Open Work Permit – what about the eligibility criteria?
To qualify for Canada’s open work permit for holders of an H-1B visa, you must:
- Presently occupy a specialty occupation H-1B visa and
- Reside in the United States.
You’ll need the following to apply for an open work permit:
- A copy of the present-day H-1B visa Form I-797/I797B, Notice of Action, which serves as confirmation that your H-1B application was accepted by the U.S. government.
- Evidence showing you are a resident of the United States. This includes a Form I-94, an Arrival/Departure Record, a recent utility bill, an income tax return, or another similar document.
IRCC emphasizes STEM occupations
The inaugural Express Entry draw for candidates with experience in STEM fields was scheduled to take place, according to IRCC’s announcement on June 28. The draw is a component of the category-based selection standards that the Minister made public on May 31.
On July 5, the department followed through and extended invitations to 500 applicants with STEM job experience, many of whom would also be qualified for the new H-1B open work permit. Those who received invitations had already submitted applications through Express Entry.
There are five new Express Entry categories for persons with work experience in particular vocational domains. For those who have a command of the French language, the sixth category is appropriate.
Following research and consultation with IRCC partners, stakeholders, and provincial and territorial governments—which are perhaps more aware of local labor shortages—the categories were chosen.
According to the IRCC, inviting applicants through the Express Entry STEM category was a significant step in Canada’s commitment to luring top international talent and maintaining its leadership position in global R&D and innovation.
For instance, the Canadian government said in Budget 2023 that it will invest $20 billion to promote the construction of significant clean electricity and infrastructure projects for economic growth. A substantial portion of this progress will need the expertise of STEM specialists.
Canada’s Tech Talent Strategy
IRCC is not only bringing forth the three-year OWP but will also create an innovation stream under the International Mobility Stream.
By the end of this year, according to Minister Fraser, the Innovation Stream will soon come into existence.
The feedback from stakeholders over numerous recent consultations will enable to create and inform the stream’s possibilities.
There are two possibilities; they’re as follows:
- Worker-specific work permits for up to five years for those going to companies that the Canadian government has selected as supporting its goal of industrial innovation.
- For highly trained employees in certain in-demand professions, open work permits may be granted for up to five years.
The minister also disclosed that the Global Skills Strategy would reinstate the 14-day service requirement for work permits. Furthermore, it will promote Canada as a destination for digital nomads and make improvements to the Start-up Visa Program. This includes allocating more spots and extending the work permit’s duration from one to three years.
Canadian STEM job openings
According to Statistics Canada’s most recent statistics on job openings, there were 42,900 positions open in professional, scientific, and technical services in April, down from 73,600 at its peak in April 2022 by 7,700 (-15.2%) and 30,600 (-41.6%) respectively.
The most open positions are still to be found in Ontario and Quebec. Ontario recently eliminated the requirement for Canadian work experience for immigrants pursuing engineering licensing. This step took effect to fill these vacancies, particularly in the STEM field.
On June 30, the Ministry of Labor, Immigration, Training, and Skills Development of Ontario also declared that regulated professions in Ontario would have six months to decide whether to register newcomers with foreign training and to communicate their choice. This legislation intends to make it simpler for skilled newcomers to fill job openings and bridge the skills gap. This is especially true for licensed professions like several in the STEM fields.
