Canada has announced a major plan to recruit more than 1,000 leading researchers from outside the country.
The federal government will invest up to 1.7 billion dollars over the next decade to help universities hire international experts in priority fields including AI, biotechnology, clean technology, climate research, food and water security, Arctic studies and advanced manufacturing.
The plan includes new funding programs for universities that support the recruitment of senior researchers, early-career researchers and international PhD students and postdocs.
Selected candidates will still come to Canada through normal study permit or work permit pathways. Most academic hires qualify for LMIA-exempt work permits, and their spouses usually remain eligible for open work permits under Canada’s family-OWP rules.
A separate 400 million dollar fund will help universities cover lab equipment and other research infrastructure as they bring in new talent.
