Canada immigration officials will process more H-1B open work permit applications submitted under a temporary measure announced in July last year than was previously allowed, says Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).
The IRCC is not accepting new applications under this temporary measure, only allowing extra applications that were received as the cap was being reached to be processed.
Under the new public policy, the IRCC will process:
- a small number of applications received in excess of the cap because they were submitted simultaneously to the cap being reached on July 17 last year;
- applications that were submitted on behalf of applicants and their family members by their immigration representatives through the Authorized Paid Representatives Portal before the cap was reached on July 17 last year, and;
- work permit applications for accompanying family members, including those who have already applied for a work permit, or who will apply for one in the next 12 months.
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The new temporary public policy announced on March 18 also waives study permit processing fees for minor children of H-1B holders who applied for a work permit under the initial H-1B open work permit measure and now wish to apply for a study permit from within Canada after arrival.
“This will help resolve issues experienced in the application process by some H-1B applicants who were unable to submit a study permit application for their minor children,” states the IRCC.
Instructions for family members of principal applicants on how to apply to have study permit fees waived are on the IRCC website.
Last year, Canada launching an immigration initiative dubbed the Tech Talent Strategy to lure temporary workers in the tech sector in the United States north of the border to fill jobs going begging for a want of qualified employees
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“We’re enthusiastic about the ambitious goals we have set in immigration, because they aren’t just about numbers. They are strategic,” said then-Immigration Minister Sean Fraser.
“With Canada’s first-ever immigration Tech Talent Strategy, we’re targeting newcomers that can help enshrine Canada as a world leader in a variety of emerging technologies.”
Tech Talent Strategy Was Developed To Bring In Tech Workers From The U.S.
Developed in collaboration with Canada’s tech, start-up and business communities, the Tech Talent Strategy led to the creation on July 16 last year of an open work permit stream specifically targeted for those foreign nationals working in the United States with H-1B specialty occupation visas, a visa widely used by Silicon Valley companies to bring in highly-skilled immigrants.
That stream also provided work and study permit options for the workers’ family members.
Within one day, the IRCC had already received the maximum number of 10,000 applications, with only principal applicants and not their accompanying family members counting towards the application cap.