An initial 200 jobs will be created when Microsoft opens its new software development centre in Vancouver, BC; a number which could grow substantially in time and see an increase in the demand for skilled migrants in the IT and electronic sectors.

The announcement of the new development has sparked debate as to why Microsoft should chose to open the new centre north of the US border. One of the main apparent reasons is the fact that skilled migration to the US is constrained by restrictions placed on the number of H-1B visas granted every year.

With 3,117 H-1B visa grants in 2006, Microsoft is the third largest single employer of foreign workers in the US. Foreign professionals are required to obtain the H-1B visa in order to gain the right to work in America, and with only 65,000 being granted every year, the recruitment of skilled migrants from abroad is heavily restricted. Canada, on the other hand, has no such restrictions due to the fact that it has suffered an under-staffed workforce in recent years.

As well as the fact that Canada has no imposed limit on the number of skilled migrants that can enter the country, immigration legislation makes it far easier for foreign workers to gain residency and even citizenship; further reasons for skilled migrants from abroad to want to enter the Canadian workforce.

Microsoft currently employs 900 workers in Canada, a number that is set to double over the next few years.