[BossingAround]

If Canada joined the EU, they would have a TON of immediate immigrants, ranging from manual labor (e.g. plumbers, builders, cleaners, factory workers, ...) up to knowledge workers (e.g. software engineers, doctors, nurses, ...).

Not sure what that would do with Canadian economy. IMO it would be even more desirable target for emigration than the UK when it was in the EU. I know I would certainly consider it, being a software engineer.

[diggan]

We can only guess I suppose, but I don't know how high the immediate transfer of people back/forwards between hypothetical new EU Canada + existing countries would be. Might even turn out to be more Canadians leaving for Europe than the other way around.

[cmrdporcupine]

Canada's points-based system already makes it pretty easy for the latter category to come here. To the point where people in our profession have highly depressed compensation packages when compared to the US because our job market is very much flooded with inbound foreign talent.

Domestic trained talent tends to leave for the US. Because under NAFTA it's trivial to do so.

Manual labour, yeah, that's another story. NAFTA doesn't grant free movement of unskilled labour at all.

[criddell]

Are tech companies rapidly expanding in Canada to take advantage of all that cheap labor?

[amatecha]

Every major US tech company has Canada-based hubs for sure. So much cheaper.

[TMWNN]

My understanding is that Canadian FAANG offices are staffed mostly with those who cannot (and often will never get) a US visa, plus the odd local who doesn't want to move to the US for personal or family reasons.

[amatecha]

Not sure about Toronto, but from my anecdotal observation, people come to Vancouver because it's awesome, not because they couldn't get into the US. At least, I've never heard a single coworker say anything along the lines of "I wanted to work in [anywhere in US], but couldn't, so I came to Vancouver".

[int_19h]

Don't forget about all the people waiting for their L-1.

(I've been in that boat myself, and every single person I worked with in the office in Canada is in US today.)

[3vidence]

This is accurate.

Source: Canadian working in FAANG in Canada

[TMWNN]

Thanks for the corroboration. While replying to you, let me clarify my previous comment:

>those non-Canadians who cannot (and often will never get) a US visa

[cmrdporcupine]

For a time there was a little bit of that. Some of the FAANGs in particular were growing their offices here significantly, and paid above the median for it.

Now there's a surplus of talent in the US, so no need.

[ThrowawayTestr]

The Canadian government has no interest in skilled immigrants. It wants bodies that will work for minimum wage to fill up all the time Hortons