Temporary Public Policy for U.S. H-1B Visa Holders (Open Work Permit Stream)

Validated finding · five-country-2010-20260922-v118-evidence-presentation-fix

CountryCanada

Operative dateJuly 16, 2023

CategoryTemporary labor migration / high-skilled work permits

Policy toolOpen work permit / lmia exemption

Affected groupHigh-skilled workers / h-1b specialty occupation holders

Policy effect

Created a dedicated temporary pathway under section 25.2 of the IRPA allowing foreign nationals holding valid U.S. H-1B specialty occupation visas and living in the United States to apply for an open work permit of up to three years in Canada without an existing Canadian job offer. The policy was capped at 10,000 principal applicants.

Conditions and exceptions

Validated condition or limit: H-1B specialty occupation visas and living in the United States to apply for an open work permit of up to three years in Canada without an existing Canadian job offer.

Official source excerpt

Quoted verbatim from the official source below. Ellipses indicate omitted text.

Canadian company, they would be able to bring their skills to a Canadian employer by applying for a temporary work permit or even permanent residence. 3. Improving labour mobility in North America by creating a streamlined work permit for H-1B specialty occupation visa holders in the US to apply to come to Canada - Thousands of workers in high-tech fields are employed with companies that have large operations in both Canada and the US, and those working in the US often hold an H-1B specialty occupation visa. - 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. Their spouses and dependants will also be eligible to apply for a temporary resident visa, with a work or study permit, as needed. - This will expand the opportunities available for skilled workers to continue to pursue their careers in the high-tech sector and contribute to economic growth and prosperity in North America. - This measure will remain in effect for one year, or until IRCC receives 10,000 applications. Only principal applicants, and not their accompanying family members, will count toward the application cap. 4. Improving existing programs that cater to workers in high-skill tech occupations - We’re improving some of Canada’s existing immigration programs that can benefit workers in high-skilled tech occupations, including the Global Skills Strategy and the Start-up Visa Program. - **Global Skills Strategy** - The Global Skills Strategy, launched in 2017, features four policies designed to support Canadian employers seeking …

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship CanadaIRCC, Tech Talent Strategy: Temporary Public Policy for H-1B Visa Holders.Open official source

Retrieved from https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/news/2023/06/canadas-tech-talent-strategy.html

Review method

Two separate automated exact-claim source reviews

Automated source validation is not independent human legal review. The finding should not be treated as legal advice. Record fcp3-a9f9352222fd14c8a897. Something wrong? Flag this record.

Temporary Public Policy for U.S. H-1B Visa Holders (Open Work Permit Stream)

Policy effect

Conditions and exceptions

Official source excerpt

Review method

Other Canada changes operative in 2023