Document Type

Policy Points

Publication Date

1-2026

Department

School of International Policy and Governance

Department

International Migration Research Centre

Abstract

This brief argues that the growing appeal of Canada to highly skilled professionals fleeing rights-based repression in the United States presents a unique opportunity to strengthen its skilled migration strategy through an equity-focused and economically sustainable approach. As U.S. professionals—particularly women, racialized individuals, healthcare providers, and academics—seek safety, professional autonomy, and legal protection, Canada has emerged as a key destination (Favaro, 2025; Levinthal, 2024; Malkin, 2016; Jackson, 2024). This appeal is rooted in Canada’s reputation as a rights-based society, one that contrasts sharply with the erosion of freedoms in parts of the U.S. To uphold and deliver on this perception, Canada must ensure its skilled migration policies are not only efficient and responsive to labour needs, but also equitable and grounded in human rights.
At the same time, this growing interest risks reinforcing a two-tiered system: one that privileges credentialed professionals from the Global North while disadvantaging similarly qualified migrants from the Global South (Gupta & Bapuji, 2024; Arnold, 2020). By using an intersectional lens, the brief analyzes how race, gender, nationality, and professional status shape both migration decisions and post-arrival experiences. It shows how U.S. citizens—especially white, professionally credentialed individuals—benefit from fast-tracked access and cultural familiarity, while many Global South professionals continue to face structural barriers to credential recognition, labour market integration, and equitable inclusion (Momani et al., 2021; Gupta & Bapuji, 2024).
To align Canada’s skilled migration strategy with its commitments to equity, global responsibility, and long-term competitiveness, the brief calls for reforms that embed intersectional analysis, improve credential recognition, strengthen inclusive integration supports, and reaffirm a rights-based foundation for migration governance. It emphasizes that equity and economic impact are not competing goals: a migration system grounded in justice, fairness, and inclusion is essential to Canada’s global leadership and long-term sustainability (Business Council of Canada, 2022; Mahboubi & Zhang, 2024).

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