$100K H-1B Fee Sparks Canada’s Bid to Attract Indian Tech Professionals

In the wake of recent changes to the H-1B visa system by the Trump administration, Canada is positioning itself as an attractive alternative for foreign tech workers who might have previously chosen the United States—potentially affecting a large number of Indian professionals, who make up over 72% of H-1B visa holders.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney indicated that the country is reviewing its immigration policies to attract this talent. “What is clear is that the opportunity to attract people who previously would’ve got so-called H-1B visas… many of those workers are in the tech sector and willing to move for work,” Carney told reporters in London on Saturday.

The U.S. move, signed into law last week by President Donald Trump, imposes a $100,000 fee on new H-1B visa petitions. The order caused confusion and concern among foreign workers, particularly in India, though the White House later clarified that the fee applies only to fresh petitions filed after September 21, 2025. The administration cited “abuse” of the visa program and “threats to national security” as justification.

Canada sees an opportunity to capitalize on this disruption. “We will have a clear offering on that,” Carney said. Other nations, including the UK and Germany, are also vying to attract tech talent facing tougher U.S. entry rules.

Industry observers suggest major Canadian cities stand to benefit. “Cities like Vancouver or Toronto will thrive instead of American cities,” Garry Tan, CEO of San Francisco startup incubator Y Combinator, wrote on X, calling the U.S. visa fee a “massive gift to every overseas tech hub.”

Tech giants such as Amazon, Microsoft, and Alphabet already have significant operations in Canada and could accelerate hiring there to bypass the U.S. fee. Amazon employed over 8,500 corporate and technology staff in Vancouver and Toronto last year, while Microsoft had 2,700 employees at its Vancouver development hub as of April.