Canadian visa restrictions could hinder local companies
July 06 2010 by Liam Clifford
Business oganisations in Canada are concerned about the news that Ottawa plans to eliminate the federal IT worker category, in order to protect Canadian jobs.
For years, this category has enabled Canadian companies to bypass
the long-winded application process for temporary Canadian work visas and bring
in foreign talent quickly. However, there are now plans to scrap the category
this autumn, which could see companies in Canada suffer in terms of being able
to put together their project teams quickly.
Several major digital media
firms have opened up in Canada in recent years, including Pixar and Digital
Domain, which have hired many staff locally and opened large studios in Canada.
However, they may now find that without the option to hire the right staff from
outside Canada for roles that have critical skills shortages within the country,
they may go elsewhere.
Vancouver Mayor, Gregor Robertson, said, "I'm very
concerned these changes will hinder the growth of our emerging tech cluster in
Vancouver. The city's thriving digital media, gaming and visual effects
companies need to attract and retain global talent to remain competitive.”
He says the changes to the Canadian visa regime could make Canada less
attractive to large media firms.
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