Trudeau pitches Canada's tech jobs to San Francisco market
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau brings what some call his "maple charm offensive" to San Francisco on Thursday with a dual agenda: Pitch Canada as a destination for American tech firms amid increasing unease over U.S. immigration policy and remind California of its long trade relationship with the country, despite President Donald Trump's threat to bow out of NAFTA.
The heated debate over immigration since Trump's election has provided a clear opening for Canada to pitch itself to Silicon Valley. As American employers worry about access to foreign workers, Canada is offering a two-week fast-track employment permit for certain workers, dubbed the "global skills strategy visa.