Canada Eyes to Gain From H-1B Visa Crisis
Canada eyes skilled workers hit by US visa curbs, but locals fear job, housing strain
Hyderabad: Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney is planning to review his country’s immigration policies to attract foreign skilled workers from the United States in the wake of the crisis unfolding in his southern neighbour because of the tighter restrictions on H-1B visas.
Carney said the review will seek to align his country’s “immigration system with Canada’s capacity”, while drawing in talent discouraged by US restrictions. He also flagged changes to the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP), saying it must be more “focused” on strategic sectors and regions.
But not everyone is convinced. Some current immigrants and even Canadian-born citizens fear this shift could deepen the existing pressures on jobs, housing and citizen services in Canada.
K. Ravi Reddy, an IT professional in Toronto originally from Andhra Pradesh, said: “Just like everyone, I dreamt of a better life in Canada. But I struggle to find work matching my skills. I am having to work in two different under-paying jobs, and both do not align with my engineering degree.”
“Housing is already very expensive. There are very few native Canadian tech companies, and almost all of them are already full. How can Canada support more people?” Ravi Reddy said.
These criticisms also resonate with some Canadian-born citizens. Trevor Roy, a Canadian citizen in Ottawa, said, “Canada needs skills and skilled workers. But they can’t ignore that many Canadians are struggling. Many Canadians are unemployed, and there are arguments about how we don’t have companies which can hire them. Bringing more people before solving unemployment and infrastructure problems is a bad move.”
Opposition parties have also attacked Carney’s plans, suggesting cheap foreign labour can suppress wages and discourage firms from raising productivity, while Carney’s government insists that the effort is not about uncontrolled growth, but rather “sustainable levels” of immigration.
Critics argue that a review is not enough: they demand clear limits on bringing immigrants into Canada, better integration of policies and assurances that Canadians and existing immigrants will not be sidelined.