Canada launches fast-track visa route for US H-1B holders hit by Trump policy shift

Canada is opening its doors wider to high-skilled professionals, unveiling an accelerated immigration pathway for holders of U.S. H-1B visas as part of its 2025 federal budget. The move, reported by CIC News, is aimed at attracting global talent affected by tightening U.S. immigration rules under the Trump administration, which recently mandated a one-time $100,000 (approx. ₹88 lakh) fee on new H-1B applications. For thousands of Indian tech workers facing layoffs and localisation pressures in the U.S., this new pathway could offer a critical alternative.

The new initiative is part of Canada’s International Talent Attraction Strategy, designed to plug workforce shortages, boost research capacity, and strengthen innovation-led industries. According to the Canadian government’s 2025 budget documents, the programme specifically targets professionals impacted by U.S. visa restrictions and rising costs. “Not as many H-1B holders will get visas in the U.S. These are skilled people, an opportunity for Canada,” Prime Minister Mark Carney said in September. “We’ll have an offering soon,” he added.

The initiative aligns with Canada’s broader strategy to position itself as a global hub for skilled professionals in healthcare, research, and advanced industries. Ottawa plans to streamline foreign credential recognition and support international mobility for researchers, PhDs, and post-doctoral fellows. According to CIC News, the federal government will invest C$1.7 billion (₹10,370 crore) in a one-time initiative to recruit more than 1,000 international researchers.

Further allocations include:

• C$1 billion over 13 years for Canada’s main research funding councils, NSERC, SSHRC, and CIHR, to establish a new Accelerated Research Chairs Programme.

• C$400 million over seven years to provide cutting-edge infrastructure through the Canada Foundation for Innovation.

• C$133.6 million over three years to help international PhD students and post-doctoral fellows relocate to Canada.

• Up to C$120 million over 12 years to assist universities in hiring international assistant professors.

In addition, C$97 million over five years (beginning FY 2026-27) will go toward a new Foreign Credential Recognition Action Fund, enabling provinces to fast-track the integration of foreign-trained professionals, with priority given to healthcare and construction.

Canadian officials have made clear that the programme’s intent is not only to address domestic labour shortages but also to capitalise on the U.S. tightening its skilled visa regime. “The H-1B fee and restrictions in the U.S. have created an opportunity,” Carney said, signalling Ottawa’s intent to make Canada a more accessible destination for global talent.

For Indian professionals, particularly those in the tech sector facing layoffs and visa uncertainty in the U.S., the programme offers a potential lifeline, an opportunity to transition to a country where their skills are in demand and immigration pathways are clearer.