Microsoft boss admires Canadian immigration system

October 28 2009 by Liam Clifford

Microsoft have praised Canada for their policy on immigration

Microsoft boss Steve Ballmer praised the Canadian immigration system during a speech in Toronto yesterday.

Ballmer was in town to tell the Canadian technology industry not to be afraid of heavy investment during the global economic downturn. He told business leaders, "you cut costs because you have to and the money you have left you invest smartly for growth.”

He said that Canadian immigration policies make it relatively easy for Canadian technology firms to recruit the best skilled IT professionals from abroad to work in Canada. He added, "the Canadian government is more welcoming of getting the best and the brightest from around the world than the U.S. government,” adding, "I think that's just a great asset for a country to have."

Things are looking very good for the Canadian technology industry, with a recent report from IDC Canada predicting that some 1,000 new businesses will emerge within the technology sector by 2013. This, in turn, is likely to result in an increasing number of IT professionals recruited from abroad to come and live in Canada to fill gaps in the skills market.