Maple News reports that a growing number of skilled foreign workers residing in the United States are setting their sights northward, drawn by Canada’s more accessible and efficient immigration system. According to Canada’s Express Entry year-end report for 2023, the U.S. consistently ranks among the top countries of residence for candidates receiving invitations to apply for permanent residence.
Several key factors make Canada an increasingly appealing option. Most notably, its immigration pathways—especially through the Express Entry system—offer faster, more predictable access to permanent residency compared to the employer-dependent and lengthy U.S. green card process. For instance, qualified individuals under Canada’s Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) can enter an online candidate pool, where top-ranking applicants are invited to submit permanent residency applications, often receiving decisions in as little as five months.
By comparison, the employment-based green card process in the U.S. can take several years, particularly for individuals from highly populated countries like India or China, where visa backlogs can stretch into a decade or more.
Canada’s merit-based immigration system evaluates candidates based on a points grid considering factors such as age, education, work experience, and language skills. For many professionals already working in the U.S. with advanced degrees and job experience, this represents a major advantage in securing Canada’s permanent residency without the uncertainty of employer sponsorship.
Beyond faster processing times, Canada offers significant lifestyle and economic perks: free public healthcare, strong public education, access to social services, and a stable political environment. Major Canadian urban centers such as Toronto, Vancouver, and Montreal are increasingly global in nature and offer thriving job markets for tech, healthcare, finance, and engineering professionals.
The geographic proximity and deep cultural ties between the U.S. and Canada ease the transition for those already north of the border. In addition, many U.S.-based skilled workers hold temporary visas such as the H-1B, which are subject to renewal limits and lack long-term security—making Canada’s permanent pathways all the more enticing.
As Canadian immigration policy increasingly targets talent already residing in the United States—with category-specific draws for STEM and tech workers—Maple News anticipates this trend to grow. For skilled professionals facing frustration with the U.S. immigration backlog, Canada presents a faster, fairer, and future-ready solution.