Why skilled professionals are migrating to Canada, especially Indians

For many generations, Indians have been emigrating to places all over the world, and have catalyzed the same for their successive generations. It is not uncommon anymore to often meet people in metro cities have a relative/friend settled abroad, if not themselves. Meanwhile, US remained one of the most favorable destinations for migrants either through H1B or a study visa. But this is beginning to change. Since 2015 there have been multiple geopolitical and socioeconomic factors that have made Canada a great destination for Indians and other immigrants. Let’s look at some of them.

Note: This post is not about why Indians emigrate, but rather about why they choose Canada over other countries. Apart from quality of life, job opportunities, and work-life balance, there are other things happening globally that affect immigration decisions.

1. H1B crisis in US: Rising inequality, massive influx of skilled workers from Asia, rising fear of job loss to outsourcing, illegal border crossings, have gradually caused a widespread distrust of the immigration system among Americans. There is a lot of regulatory uncertainty at the moment with regards to skilled worker visas. Foreign workers fear they could be denied visa renewals, and the lottery system for H1B continues to exasperate everyone else. Companies are now favoring local employees more than ever before and this has affected even students who are looking at other countries instead.
   
2. Economic uncertainties in the Gulf: With fluctuating and depleting oil resources, the Gulf is beginning to lose much of its sheen as an attractive destination for Indian who always considered it to be a great place to make a lot of money, settle down in their mid years and return when they were older. These days, even Dubai is unable to weather the economics of the region. Their policy of not granting citizenship to foreign workers, as well as increasing visa restrictions is compelling Indians to look elsewhere. With climate change on everyone’s mind, the Gulf is scrambling to diversify its economy and reinvent itself. It remains to be seen how they fare.
   
3. Brexit & UK: Despite having one of the highest population of Indians, UK continues to languish in economic uncertainty over Brexit. Recent reports predict an incoming recession. Also, its harder for students to study in UK and find a job there. UPDATE: Troubled by the declining student numbers, UK has reinstated the 2-year work visa for students.
   
4. Refugee crisis in Europe: As the effects of the Arab spring began to show, more refugees made their way to Europe to find shelter and sustenance. This went through its own cycle of denial and acceptance, and now denial again. Europe continues to hotly debate the long-term effects of refugee immigration. As nationalist governments across Europe come to power, this is likely going to deter immigration. There are some exceptions like Germany though, where many Indian students land for a Master’s degree (provided they have learnt at least A1 German)
   
5. Canada launches Express Entry in 2015: a points-based system for immigration, Canada lays down the foundation that defines the process, rules, restrictions and streamlines all immigration applications. The process is now simpler, faster, more transparent than ever before. You can sit back in the comfort of your home, apply online, and wait for a decision. And just like that, provided you meet all the criteria and are deemed qualified enough, you can walk away with a “Permanent Residence”. That’s a big deal. Australia is the other country that follows a similar system, and also gets a lot of interest from Indians.
   
6. Canada wholeheartedly embraces immigration as a key Govt. policy aimed at driving economic growth for the country. It’s not just a bureaucratic process, but is considered vital to sustain/boost economic growth for the country. As Canadians begin to age, they need more and more younger skilled workers to join the workforce to pick up from there left off. As of October 2019, the Liberal Govt. was voted back to power (albeit a minority Govt.), so the policy of boosting immigration is likely to continue for five more years.

Some other favorable factors for Indians:

1. A long history of Indian settlement in Canada, starting from the immigration of Punjabis, followed soon by Indians from Africa, Caribbean, and even the Middle East have made Canada a very familiar place to be. Access to the Indian community is easy, and so is the lifestyle. Unlike a few European countries, Indians will not feel completely out of place whenever they come here. Note: Although one would be better served to assimilate and integrate with the local culture.
   
2. A booming job market for those in the services sector. Canada is right now exploding with tonnes of opportunities in IT. India being one of the largest exporter of IT talent fits in nicely with Canada’s changing economic landscape. Add to this, many US based companies look to Canada for access to cheap and skilled labour pool. (Canadian salaries are lesser than US salaries) The five big cities of Canada – Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, Ottawa and Calgary are all witnessing massive growth in IT and IT related services. Indians with prior experience in IT or IT related services have been successful in finding jobs.
   
3. For folks who have relatives in US, Canada is the best near-shore destination you could look for. Visiting family and friends across the border is so much easier. Also, living in Canada’s east coast makes European travel destinations so much more accessible.
   
4. For Indians in US, moving to Canada virtually makes no difference to their way of life. Everything is familiar, while the customs and culture may be a bit different. The equivalent of Patel brothers is Panchvati, equivalent of AT&T is Bell, Starbucks is kinda Tim Hortons. Except that Canada is generally accepted to be more beautiful.
   
5. Speed to citizenship : in just 3 years any Permanent Resident could become a citizen of Canada. Applies to everyone, not just Indians.

Some thoughts specific to IT industry:

1. People in data science, AI, Machine Learning, analytics – this is your moment in history. The industry is poised for disruption. If you have this skill set, Toronto, Montreal and Ottawa have plenty of opportunities in academia, startup and enterprises. This is where you’ll want to be. (pays exceptionally well too *wink*)
   
2. People in specialized skills like front-end/back-end development, testing – requirements are abundant. You might even get lucky scoring a job from India, even before you land. (pay is good)
   
3. People in non-specialized roles in IT – business analysts, marketers, project managers, sales – finding a job can be hard initially as a newcomer. But once you plonk down, it gets easy. Look to specialize. Pick a vertical, tech stack, or domain. (pays about average)

Skilled folks in other industries – Finance, Medicine, Engineering, Architecture: some of these professions are regulated. Your success will depend on how fast you can get certified, any local education you can pick up, to help you compete better in the market here. It can be really hard. Be prepared for the long haul.

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