Canadian Job market gets boost from Spotify and Amazon

Alisha Khan
[Published 04 Apr, 2022 | 11:58 AM]
About Author - 9 min read
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The job market in Canada is all set to expand even as more and more tech companies are seeking to increase their base in the nation. Spotify, the Digital Media streaming service has announced that it will hire hundreds of new workers in Canada, Australia, and Europe. This is in a bid for enhancing its ad revenues and in imitation of Amazon’s footsteps. In September, the giant online retail firm had announced that it will add 15,000 new employees to its Canada offices by autumn this year. Spotify has now followed this trend and will be expanding its workforce in Canada.

Even as these tech companies are expanding their base in Canada, they are increasingly seeking to hire overseas workers through economic immigration and Skilled Worker Program Canada. It implies that more skilled workers can obtain the Canada PR Visa through these programs.

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Tech industry in Canada on an expansion mode

More and more numbers of tech firms are expanding their operations in Canada and the latest to join this trend is Spotify. The company has already appointed an executive from the Ad industry for leading its overseas sales. This is for boosting its revenue from its ad-supported 210 million users from roughly 12% of its overall revenues. The company has 155 million paid subscribers as well.

In early October, the $ 230 Billion Communications and Information industry in Canada teamed up with a global non-profit organization that identifies jobs for refugees. As per the pact, the Technology Industry Association of Canada TECHNATION is working with TBB- Talent Beyond Boundaries.

TECHNATION to attract skilled immigrants and refugees

Chief Executive Officer and President of TECHNATION Angela Mondou has said that the organization has been honored for supporting this crucial initiative. It reflects the commitment of Canada to support the immigration of migrants and refugees across the world, added Mondou.

Canada has a huge and real demand for skilled tech talents explained the CEO. The pact with TBB is one more crucial way of making a difference and assisting both job seekers and employers, explained Angela Mondou.

The observers in the Tech sector are of the view that Canada’s share in the Tech industry is increasingly enhanced due to the immigration curbs imposed by the US. It is restricting the ability of US firms in bringing in overseas talent.

Chris Albinson, the Venture Capitalist and CEO at Communitech was the first to observe this trend and alarmed the US policymakers in an opinion article earlier this year in The Globe and Mail.

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Canada’s Pro-Immigration policies lure investment

Albinson wrote in the article that even as the US is curbing immigration, Canada has launched diverse policies for attracting top global capital and talent. Canada today has 6 times the number of skilled immigrants as the US as a % of the population. This is a vital figure considering that 50% of the founders of US Tech Unicorns are overseas-born, he added.

The venture capitalist cautioned the policymakers in the US that Canada is all set to lead the Tech sector due to its immigration strategy. Also, it has a strong edge in the future tech wave – AI, ML, Quantum Computing, Med-tech, 5G, and advanced manufacturing. Add to this comparative cost advantage and equality in capital and markets’ access, explained Albinson.

Highly skilled workers in the tech sector have multiple pathways to obtain Canada PR Visa. This included the GTS - Global Talent Stream under the TFWP - Temporary Foreign Worker that processes Canada Work Permit and Visa applications within 14 days.

With accelerating vaccination and economic recovery, Canada is witnessing an immense expansion of its job market and opportunities for new immigrants and temporary overseas workers. This implies fresh opportunities for aspiring immigrants to Canada from across the globe.

Several immigrants arriving in Canada through economic immigration pathways can take advantage of GTS, Atlantic Immigration Pilot, and Skilled Worker and Skilled Trade Programs that highly enhance their employment opportunities.

Also Read: Canada approves new 11500 applications for PR Visa via TR to PR Pathway

Global Talent Stream

A type of Skilled Worker Program Canada, Global Talent Stream processes Canada Work Permit and Visa applications of skilled workers within 2 weeks. The GTS was launched in June 2017 and Quebec province has its adaptation of the program.

Global Talent Stream is a part of the TFWP - Temporary Foreign Worker Program. The Government of Canada aims to assist high-growth firms in swiftly hiring highly demanded talents. This is by reducing processing timelines for Canada PR Visa applications from 6 months to mere 10 business days.

The GTS requires registered employers to commit to creating jobs for citizens of Canada and transfer knowledge to local workers. This is through a Benefits Plan for Labor Market. This program is an initiative under the comprehensive Global Skills Strategy to directly assist the flourishing of businesses in Canada including startups.

The Key Elements of the Global Talent Stream

• The 2-week standard for Canada Work Permit applications processing for highly skilled talents including Canada Visa wherever applicable.
• Committed service for firms seeking to make major investments in Canada for the creation of jobs.
• Elimination of the requirement of Work Permit for highly skilled short-term work (Thirty or fewer days in a period of 12 months) and short academic stays.

Companies that apply for workers through the GTS can access the latest streamlined process that offers:

• Service with client-focus in assisting qualified employers through the process of application and devising the Benefits Plan for Labor Market, the service standard is 10 business days
• Opportunity for qualified workers to get their Canada Work Permit applications processed within 10 business days

Overview of Skilled Worker Immigration to Canada

Skilled worker immigration to Canada is managed by Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada through the Express Entry Program. Qualified applicants are entered into a pool of candidates. The candidates with the highest scores are offered invitations to apply through one of the following immigration streams:

• Federal Skilled Worker Program
• Canada Experience Class
• Provincial streams aligned with Express Entry

Candidates who are successful in receiving the ITA have to file a complete application for Canada PR Visa through the relevant immigration stream. The FSWP - Federal Skilled Worker program has its own system of points based on diverse factors. It has been designed to confirm the ability of the applicants to successfully establish themselves in Canada along with dependents if any. Applicants who wish to be successful in their application must ideally have experience and skills suitable for the occupations in-demand. A job offer is not mandatory but candidates who have one are favored for selection.

Federal Skilled Worker Program – FSWP

The Express Entry Program was launched by the Government of Canada in January 2015 for economic class immigrants and it included the FSWP. Federal Skilled Workers in 347 qualified occupations who fulfill the minimum eligibility criteria can create a profile in the Express Entry pool expressing their interest in immigration.

The candidates in the pool are ranked as per the strength of their profiles through a Comprehensive Ranking System. The candidates with the highest rankings are offered the invitation to apply for a Canada PR Visa. They are required to submit the complete application with supporting documents within 60 days of receiving the ITA.

Federal Skilled Workers are individuals with appropriate work experience, education, age, and language proficiency in French or English. They are chosen through the Express Entry Program immigration pathway for applying for Canada PR Visa.

For qualifying to enter a Federal Skilled Worker Program into the Express Entry Pool, you have to fulfill the following criteria:

• Have 1 year of full-time, paid continuous work experience or corresponding continuous part-time employment in the past 10 years in any one of the 347 qualified occupations specified in the Canada National Occupational Classification
• The work experience has to be categorized as Skill Type B - Skilled Trades and Technical Occupations, Skill Type A – Professional Occupations, or Skill Type 0 – Managerial Occupations as per the Canada National Occupational Classification
• Secure adequate points in the points grid for skilled workers that is based on 6 factors for selection and the minimum pass score currently is 67 points
• Provide language test results from an accredited third party to demonstrate language skills in French or English at the intermediate level corresponding to CLB - Canadian Language Benchmark level 7
• Have adequate funds for settling in Canada
• Successfully clear the medical and security background examination

Do you wish to work in Canada?

Several thousands of overseas candidates seek to enter the Canadian workforce every year. If you also wish to work in Canada, Nationwide Visas offer you a range of immigration and visa services for obtaining the Work Permit and Canada PR Visa. You can avail yourself a thorough assessment of your profile to confirm your eligibility for the Federal Skilled Worker Program or any of the immigration programs in Canada.

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