Canada is hitting the brakes on sheer numbers and putting the pedal to skill‑focused immigration. The 2025 Federal Budget rolled out a $1.7 billion package to attract top global talent—think H‑1B visa holders, researchers, and professionals in healthcare, IT, engineering & construction. A brand‑new fast‑track pathway for H‑1B workers is being launched, with dedicated streams that can lead straight to Permanent Residency (PR) through Express Entry or Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs) .
Key points that show Canada’s “right‑skill” drive:
– Targeted sectors: Healthcare, advanced tech, research, construction, and engineering are prioritized along with French speaking professionals.
– One‑time researcher recruitment: Over 1,000 international researchers to be hired, backed by $1.7 bn funding .
– H‑1B pathway: Accelerated processing for current H‑1B visa holders, making the transition to Canadian PR smoother than ever .
What the U.S. Is Saying?
Meanwhile, the United States is sending mixed signals. President Donald Trump acknowledged a need for international students and skilled professionals, while Homeland Security Secretary Keisti Noem suggested non‑Americans should “come train Americans and go home” — a stark contrast to Canada’s welcoming stance.
Canada is the pragmatic pick right now if want a pathway towards Permanent settlement compared to USA. Canada is currently focussing on specific sectors and has immigration level plan of around 380k PRs by 2026.
Start an initiative for hashtag#CanadianPR now, it’s the most concrete, well‑funded route today, while keeping an eye on U.S. policy shifts for a possible future move. Want to know more about Canadian PR please feel free to connect with hashtag#HodophilesXploreVisas and understand your eligibility and chances
