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Acquiring green cards under the Trump administration has been a never ending battle to claim citizenship for working immigrants. On October 6th, the administration announced that limited visas would be given to skilled
workers coming from overseas. With the pandemic causing havoc on the economy and unemployment at an all-time high, the move is being made to curb the effect for Americans losing jobs. According to Homeland Security
and Department of Labour officials, the new set of rules will set in motion soon and who will be given the H-1B visa and what is the pay going to be like, will be declared accordingly.
Deputy Secretary of Labour Patrick Pizzella said this drastic step would help aid U.S. workers from low-cost foreign labour. Countries like India and China have made up an estimated 50,000 of the H-1B visa holders. The new set of rules is not good news
for those hoping to get the visa easily. Furthermore, the new rules would impose a limit on offsite companies as they are responsible for roping in H1-B visa holders and transfer them to other companies under contract,
for a fee. To add further flame to the fire, things are bleak for tech workers working at third party worksites. The H-1B visa will only be valid for 1 year rather than 3 years as it was earlier.
The story of Pratik Shah is like every other working immigrant in the U.S. Having an IT background, enriched with extensive experience in his field, the prospects of becoming a permanent resident in America were hindered due to the H-1B lottery system
process. Due to the competitive nature, Mr. Shah ran out of luck despite multiple attempts. He never reached the stage to attain the visa. According to Mr. Shah, “a merit based system would have helped rather than a
lottery.”
In June 2019 he moved to Canada and is now a permanent resident, operating from Toronto.
With Biden winning the elections and immigration landscape set by Trump will go for a reversal as emphasized by Biden himself. The full effect of that is yet to be seen and till then, Indian immigrants would be discouraged from giving the U.S. a shot.
With varied immigration options beneficial for the skilled labour crowd, Canada is THE PLACE TO BE. This has been proven with the data from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). Numbers increased for Indians from 39,340 in 2016 to 80,685
in 2019. With a clear path leading towards permanent residence, Canada is attracting Indian tech talent like never before. Despite the pandemic and the affected Canadian economy, more immigrants are getting settled
in the country thanks to the robust streamlined immigration process. With a point based system comprising of age, post-secondary education, and high-skilled experience (foreign/Canadian), Indian nationals are well-matched
for eligibility purposes.
There are good reasons why Canada is being preferred to settle down for many immigrants:
Unlike the States, Canada’s healthcare system is known for its accessibility. Publically funded, it is financed through general revenue attained from federal, provincial and territorial taxation (personal and corporate taxes, sales taxes, payroll levies and other revenue). Permanent residents are eligible to avail the system and some non-citizens can access the facility for free in some cases.
Canadian education institutes have seen a surge of international students since the past few years. This comes as no surprise because institutions strive for quality driven education. Adding to that, compared to the States, colleges are less pricey. Also the funding for universities is much better due to a well-oiled system. Admissions in universities and colleges are simpler as opposed to the U.S. Standardized tests are part of the admission process in America. Furthermore Canadian universities are mostly bigger when it comes to accommodating students. If one looks at University of Toronto’s enrolment there are an estimate 80,000 students. Comparing that with University of Central Florida’s figures, it is approximately 67,000. The sheer popularity of education institutions in Canada is evident if we look at the figures.
It is one of the fastest pathways to get a ticket and settle in Canada. Meeting the eligibility criteria for the program and filing the application leads to processing times which can take six months or less. It doesn’t
just end there. You can also bring your spouse and dependent children through Express Entry. Once your status changes to permanent resident, you are eligible to get citizenship after 3 years of your status, complete
with a Canadian passport to seal the deal. The time frame is quicker if you study or work in Canada.
Compared to the U.S., the road to citizenship is fast and streamlined in Canada. Skilled workers in America or other countries can apply for permanent residency without getting stuck in limbo. With the U.S., foreign workers have to apply for temporary
work visas so as to enter the States. Then there are obstructions to deal with related to U.S. Green Card and visa renewals.
Canada has an advantage in this department due to accessibility through its immigration programs. They are tailored to avoid kinks and the roadmap towards becoming a Canadian citizen is organized and mapped out.
With Canada’s Express Entry, you can tag your family members with you if your own application has been approved beforehand. Your spouse/partner can become a permanent resident and can be allowed to work under any employer
in Canada.
Things are not that simple on the U.S. front. Working on an H-1B visa has its own complexities involved if your spouse or partner wants to work in the country, which is having an H-4 U.S. visa for spouses of H-1B holders to work in the U.S.
The H-4 visa has been the next target that could be dismantled under the Trump administration. Further adding to the frustration, the pandemic has caused more restrictions as U.S. President Donald Trump had declared that some non-immigrant visas would
be suspended till December 31.
Consequently, families have been left stranded and separated from each other. Canada on the other hand has slowly started opening its borders to family members and is encouraging reunification of those who have been affected by the coronavirus pandemic.
With more avenues being encouraged for faster immigration processes, Canada is an attractive destination for talented minds. The recent announcement of the Immigration Levels Plan 2021-2023 only invokes confidence amongst potential immigrants.
Check your assessment today on www.beyondimmigrationservices.com and let us guide you in calling Canada your home!
Beyond Immigration Services
Email: [email protected]
Tel: +1-289-290-4360
