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Comment by dhirenb | Hacker News Reader

A large number (majority?) of these applicants are Indians on h1b in the US using Canada as a backup in lieu of going back to India. It's insurance against layoffs, not being able to get a Green Card, etc.

It remains to be seen how many actually move. And after moving how many actually stay for long or try to come back to the US on a TN or L1 visa.

I would bet most won't end up staying in Canada long term.

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I bet that none will wind up in Canada. The scenario here is being fired in USA, and the visa holder clearly want to be in USA, not Canada, otherwise they'd be in Canada already. So the scenario lets say comes to pass, mass USA layoffs at tech companies hiring H1Bs. Why would Canadian tech companies (Which tech companies BTW?) be hiring while everyone else is firing the cheapest labor force available? Just my thoughts. I have worked with many visa holders in USA and their biggest fear is layoffs due to having to leave USA. But every visa holder I know who was laid off (had a big layoff at my company), was hired less than 1 month after they layoff in USA.

What's that based on? Canada has 1 major advantage for immigrants - and that is the ability to sponsor family/relatives.

This is not actually true. The only advantage Canada has, for Indian immigrants in particular, is a skill-based immigration program that is fast and does not discriminate based on the country that they're from.

Canada allows a lot less family-based immigration than the US. Parent-sponsoring permanent residences are limited to 10,000/year compared to no cap in the US.

Overall it's the opposite. The US places a heavy emphasis on family-based immigration vs Canada that puts most of their emphasis on point-based skilled immigration.

that's been heavily altered in the last few years.

you can still do so, but the application process has changed to a lottery system, where you get pulled and are then your family is invited to apply. wait time may take years and its not a guarantee.

source: am in Canada, know people who have done it, have done so myself

interesting, didn't know that it changed

[Citation needed]

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