U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision to raise the application fee for new H-1B visas to $100,000 has triggered shockwaves across the tech industry and beyond. The move, unveiled last week, stunned American technology companies that rely heavily on foreign talent and raised alarms among international graduates of U.S. universities who see their career prospects narrowing.
North of the border, the policy shift has caught the attention of Canadian leaders and industry. Several business groups and immigration experts say Canada should act quickly to attract the highly skilled professionals likely to be squeezed out of the U.S. market.
Prime Minister Mark Carney addressed the issue in a speech at the Council on Foreign Relations in New York, pointing to Canada’s own deep pool of research and AI talent. “Unfortunately, most of them go to the U.S.,” he noted, before adding with a wry smile: “I understand you’re changing your visa policy. Maybe we can hang on to one or two of them.”
Immigration lawyer Evan Green called the situation “a wonderful opportunity for the Canadian government to take advantage of.” That view is echoed by Build Canada, a non-profit group that released a memo urging Ottawa to “move fast,” arguing that Canada’s universities, quality of life, and proximity to the U.S. make it the natural alternative for displaced workers.
“Hundreds of thousands of highly skilled and highly paid H-1B professionals are now seeking a new home,” the group said.
While the White House stressed that the change does not affect current visa holders and will likely face legal challenges, uncertainty is already pushing workers to explore options elsewhere. Canadians, who made up about 1% of H-1B applicants in 2019, could also feel the ripple effects of the fee hike.
Still, experts caution that Canada’s own immigration system is not without hurdles, and those looking north for opportunity may face lengthy processing times and regulatory bottlenecks.
