International
oi-Ruchika Pareek
Following
a
steep
increase
in
H-1B
visa
fees
by
the
Trump
administration,
Canada
is
positioning
itself
as
a
new
destination
for
skilled
foreign
tech
workers.
On
September
21,
2025,
US
President
Donald
Trump
signed
an
executive
order
imposing
a
$100,000
fee
on
all
new
H-1B
visa
petitions.
The
announcement
triggered
panic
and
confusion,
particularly
among
Indian
tech
professionals,
who
account
for
over
72%
of
H-1B
visa
holders.
The
White
House
later
clarified
that
existing
H-1B
visa
holders
would
not
be
affected.
The
US
government
justified
the
hike
citing
concerns
over
program
misuse
and
national
security.
Following
a
rise
in
H-1B
visa
fees
by
the
Trump
administration
in
September
2025,
Canada,
led
by
Prime
Minister
Mark
Carney,
is
adjusting
its
immigration
policies
to
attract
skilled
tech
workers,
particularly
those
from
India,
with
major
tech
firms
like
Amazon,
Microsoft,
and
Google
already
having
a
significant
presence
there.
Canada
Moves
to
Attract
Global
Tech
Talent
In
response,
Canada
is
actively
promoting
itself
as
a
welcoming
alternative
for
skilled
professionals.
Canadian
Prime
Minister
Mark
Carney,
speaking
in
London,
said
the
country
is
reviewing
immigration
policies
to
attract
foreign
tech
workers
who
might
have
previously
sought
H-1B
visas
in
the
US.
“There’s
an
opportunity
to
attract
people
who
previously
would’ve
got
H-1B
visas,” Carney
stated.
Canada
is
expected
to
soon
announce
a
clear
framework
targeting
global
tech
talent.
Other
countries,
including
the
UK
and
Germany,
are
also
capitalizing
on
the
US
policy
shift
by
offering
simplified
immigration
pathways
to
tech
professionals.
Tech
entrepreneurs
and
analysts
have
noticed
the
trend.
Garry
Tan,
CEO
of
Y
Combinator,
tweeted
that
cities
like
Vancouver
and
Toronto
could
thrive
as
American
cities
lose
talent
due
to
the
new
US
visa
fees,
calling
it
a
“massive
gift” to
overseas
tech
hubs.
Big
Tech
May
Shift
Hiring
to
Canada
Several
major
tech
firms
already
have
a
significant
presence
in
Canada,
which
could
expand
in
response
to
the
US
fee
hike:
-
Amazon:
Over
8,500
tech
employees
in
Vancouver
and
Toronto. -
Microsoft:
2,700
staff
at
its
Vancouver
development
hub. -
Alphabet
(Google):
Established
operations
in
Canadian
tech
centers.
These
companies
are
likely
to
increase
hiring
in
Canada
to
continue
attracting
top
talent
while
avoiding
the
high
US
visa
costs,
positioning
Canada
as
a
prime
destination
for
Indian
tech
professionals
seeking
international
opportunities.
