H-1B visa holders in the US will soon have a different pathway to live as well as reside in Canada. In addition to the already existing temporary & permanent pathways, H-1B visa holders can apply for a new Canadian Open Work Permit. This pathway will be effective from July 16. The new work permit will allow eligible H-1B holders & their immediate families to work for almost any employer in Canada for up to three years.
Moreover, IRCC will accept applications for new work permits for either one year or until the program reaches its cap of over 10,000 applications this year.
As an H-IB holder, you might wonder, i.e., can I simultaneously apply for a Canadian work permit & PR? Well, the answer is YES & there are a few good reasons why!
Benefits Of Applying For H-1B Express Entry & OWP
IRCC aims to process applications for most work permits submitted across the nation within a time frame of 60 days. However, specific pathways, like Global Talent Stream, have shorter standards of service.
If you are already eligible & want to apply for PR, you might do so via Express Entry. It is the main pathway via which the Canadian government manages skilled worker immigration applications.
In addition, applicants in the Express Entry pool are evaluated on numerous human capital factors & are assigned a CRS score. Applicants scoring the highest are most likely to obtain an ITA for PR.
Moreover, if you have not resided or worked in Canada before, chances are that you might need to assess your eligibility under FSWP in case you wish to pursue PR via Express Entry. One significant advantage of Express Entry is that the standard procedure for processing PR applications is within six months.
This implies that applicants can upload their Express Entry profile on the government’s website. For this, they can use an open work permit to arrive in Canada to live & work while seeking PR.
There is another benefit of applying for an open work permit first & then Express Entry once you are in Canada. Acquiring a minimum of 12 months of relevant work experience in the country might result in a higher CRS score. Well, this can increase your chances of obtaining an ITA.
Furthermore, one more significant benefit is that you can become eligible for the Express Entry CEC program. In this program, you will be exempt from showcasing that you have enough settlement funds.
Overall, H-1B visa holders can easily apply for PR via Express Entry because of human capital factors. The factors are skilled work experience, post-secondary education, & strong English language proficiency.
This is represented by the IRCC year-end report on Express Entry. The report showcases that the US was among the top five residence nations for ITA recipients from 2019 to 2021.
Express Entry For STEM Professions
Sean Fraser recently introduced a Tech Talent Strategy, improving Canada’s reputation as an attractive destination for skilled tech professionals.
The H-1B open work permit is a significant component. However, another critical piece is the recent introduction of category-based selection draws for applicants with specific, in-demand professions.
Instead of simply issuing Invitation To Apply depending on high CRS scores, category-based Express Entry invitation rounds are aimed at selecting economic immigration applicants/ newcomers who can fill the labor gaps to improve Canada’s economy.
These categories/ classifications were selected following the discussion of IRCC with provinces, territories, stakeholders, & partners to recognise urgent vacancies & labor gaps. Well, there are over 82 professions which are suitable/ eligible under the six new categories.
The Express Entry category for STEM professions includes 35 eligible professions. The first round for these professions occurred on July 5, wherein 500 applicants were invited with a minimum CRS score of 486.
In addition, the 2021 Express Entry report by IRCC showed that software engineers, designers, computer programmers, interactive media developers, etc., consistently ranked in the top professions for ITA recipients from 2019 to 2021.
Other Pathways for Tech Talent
Other components of Canada’s new tech talent strategy include an innovation stream under IMP, thus publicizing Canada as an attractive destination for digital nomads. In addition, there have been a lot of improvements made in existing immigration programs, like the Start-up Visa Program, Global Talent Stream, etc.
H-1B visa holders can also apply for tech streams via PNP, even if they are not in the Express Entry pool. Obtaining a provincial nomination is incredibly beneficial when applying for PR, thus strengthening the non Express Entry application.
Well, for Express Entry applicants, getting a provincial nomination can have additional 600 points. These points will virtually guarantee them that they will receive ITA for PR.
Most Canadian territories & provinces can nominate applicants who are suitable for the Canadian labor force. In addition, many provinces also have specialized streams within their PNPs for tech applicants. For instance, British Columbia holds draws for tech applicants numerous times a month. Moreover, Ontario also recently held a draw focusing on tech applicants in OINP.
So, overall, there are several pathways for obtaining PR in Canada. H-1B visa holders with a new open work permit can support their journey by applying for Express Entry after reaching Canada. H-1B holders also benefit from high human capital along with the recent introduction of STEM category-based Express Entry invitation rounds.