Canada has become the latest country to capitalize on the ongoing brain drain under Trump. It has announced a $1.2 billion initiative to attract over 1,000 doctors, researchers, and scientists in fields targeted by the current administration’s restrictive immigration policies and funding cuts. While not naming the U.S. directly, the decade-long plan targets professionals currently facing heightened scrutiny in America, including academics and H-1B visa holders. “As other countries constrain academic freedoms and undermine cutting-edge research, Canada is investing in—and doubling down on—science,” said Mélanie Joly, Canada’s industry minister. Among the incentives is an “accelerated pathway” to permanent residency for foreign doctors with Canadian work experience and fast-track applications for H-1B visa holders. The U.S. has implemented a steep $100,000 fee for some H-1B applicants, disrupting fields such as rural healthcare and the tech sector, which are reliant on a steady stream of overseas workers. The move sees Canada join nations like France, China, and Austria in actively courting displaced American scientific talent and positioning itself as a global safe haven for innovation and discovery.
