It was recently reported that a number of US-based tech firms are hiring specialized internationally-sourced talent into their Canadian subsidiary offices rather than continue fighting with the quagmire that is U.S. immigration. This is good news for Canada as these engineers and programmers join approximately 260,000 new immigrants who make this country their home every year, which according to the Canadian government, ranks among the highest per capita immigration rates in the world. And since immigration is almost always framed in costs and benefits terms, consider for a moment the contribution of entrepreneurial immigrants to the Canadian tech sector. Off the top of my head, the following Canadian companies were all started by immigrants: Mitel, Newbridge, Corel, ATI, RIM, Redknee, Redline, Dalsa, Platform, Futurecom, Intelligent Mechatronics (IMS), Aastra, Hummingbird, Matrox, Sigma Systems, JDS, Consultronics, Herjavec Group, and Constellation Software.

The case would be even stronger if my memory were better.

About the Author

Robert Hebert is the founder and Managing Partner of StoneWood Group Inc., a leading executive search firm in Canada. Since 1981, he has helped firms across a wide range of sectors address their senior recruiting, assessment and leadership development requirements.

Contact Robert by email at [email protected] or call (1) 416-365-9494 EXT 777