Recently, China's latest K-visa program suddenly became the headline of Indian media. The reason is simple: the conditions are loose, the flexibility is high, and it is especially aimed at overseas scientific and technological talents. When many Indians saw it, they shouted, "This is much more sincere than H1B." At the same time, many Chinese netizens are worried about whether China will become the next "Canada".
Source: The Times of India
As of October 1, K visas will be issued to foreign youth who study or work in renowned universities or research institutions at home and abroad and specialize in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics).
As long as you have a bachelor's degree or higher, or are engaged in relevant research and education work in these institutions, you are eligible to apply.
Source: The Times of India
The biggest highlight is that applicants do not need to get a job offer in advance or have an employer guarantee, and visas are much more flexible in terms of entry times and validity than other categories.
The Trump administration just announced that it would charge an additional $100,000 per year for a H1B visa, instantly disappointing many Indian farmers.
Bikash Kali Das, an Indian student at Sichuan University, said: “This is an attractive option for Indian STEM professionals looking for flexible and convenient visa options.”
You know, Indians accounted for 71% of H1B visa recipients in the United States last year.
Source: The Times of India
However, this has also made many domestic netizens worry that a large number of Indians will flock to China as a result, not only competing with locals for jobs, but also making China the next "India."
Carney: Canada joins the scramble!
Interestingly, at this time, it turned out to be Canadian Prime Minister Carney who "solved the worries of Chinese netizens". As an American neighbor, Canada has been scrambling for H1B talent.
In an interview on Monday, Carney praised these people for their “high skill, hard work, and willingness to work hard” and said it was Canada’s opportunity. “I know you’re adjusting your visa policy, maybe we can leave one or two.”
Source: CTV News
In fact, Canada has indeed been vigorously attracting scientific and technological talents in recent years. For many foreigners, getting a Canadian work permit first is the springboard to enter permanent resident status, because local work experience will make them more competitive in various economic immigration programs.
There are two main categories of work permits in Canada: the Temporary Foreign Workers Program (TFWP) and the International Mobility Program (IMP). the first requires employers to apply for a "labor market impact assessment" to prove that it will not impact the local labor market, where the "Global Talent Channel" is set up specifically for tech talents, with the aim of processing applications within two weeks and the latter is exempt from the LMIA's requirements.
图源：The Globe and Mail
In September 2024, the Canadian Immigration Authority also launched the Innovation Channel work permit, which allows you to apply directly for the LMIA exemption license as long as you get employment opportunities from eight designated companies participating in the Global Fast Growth Project.
Coupled with the H1B holder fast track launched in 2023, 10,000 places have been filled in one day. In addition, there are channels for internal transfer of multinational companies to facilitate the transfer of senior executives or professional backbones directly to Canada.
For those who want to get there, there is also an Express Entry immigration program.
It covers three categories: Federal Skilled Workers, Canadian Experience Class and Federal Mechanics. Starting from 2023, Canada has added "category screening" invitations, giving priority to talents in scarce fields such as STEM, and the threshold is lower than ordinary invitations. However, the most recent invitation in the STEM category was April 11, 2024.
Like China, many Canadian netizens also bluntly said that once the door is opened to these H1B holders, it may have an impact on Canada's already tight job market.
Canada, unlike the United States, has not so many jobs left to offer these temporary residents, which is why many Canadians have a resistance to immigration and temporary residents as the unemployment rate rises.
Others think that since the United States is raising the threshold of H1B to protect the employment rate of its nationals, why should Canada do the opposite?
Source: Reuters, CIC News, Times of India