[alephnerd]

> I wonder to what extent the clamp down on immigration is related to this

It doesn't hurt but it doesn't really help either.

According to a buddy of mine from my policy days, GAC has always known there were issues with how immigration was managed in Canada but their diplomatic posts tend to severely lack intel and law enforcement attaches unlike most other foreign services, which made background checking difficult. There was also a recognition internally that the kinds of immigrants Canada wanted would be poached via an O-1 anyhow, so there was a perverse incentive around how skilled immigration was managed. And add to that the fact that the provinces themselves also managed immigration to a certain degree. All that led to a bureaucratic breakdown.

Additionally, when even Canadian policymakers are actively targeting American finance, VC, and lobbying jobs (like my friend), it shows you that there are deeper, fundamental issues. Heck, Carney only came back to Canada because his door to 10 Downing Street was effectively shut due to BoJo.