Kitchener-Waterloo is a top Canadian destination for international tech talent: Report

The Kitchener skyline appears in a file photo. (CTV Kitchener)

Of the 32,115 tech workers who moved to Canada in the last year, a significant number ended up in Kitchener-Waterloo, according to a new report.

Waterloo was the third largest beneficiary of the influx of tech workers moving to the country, with a net migration of 633 people. That number takes into account workers who moved to -- and away -- from the city during the same time period.

The report by the Technology Councils of North America (TECNA) and Canada’s Tech Network (CTN) tracked tech migration to Canada between April 2022 and March 2023.

Mississauga topped the list as the most attractive destination with a net migration of 1,900 international tech workers. Montreal came in second at 959.

Kitchener placed seventh with a net migration of 437 workers.

The report’s authors praised Canada’s immigration policy, saying in a media release that the large migration of tech workers “points to a hopeful and prosperous future for Canada’s tech occupation workforce.”

Communitech president and CEO Chris Albinson said a new work permit stream for H-1B visa holders in the U.S. to come work in Canada will be particularly beneficial.

“This groundbreaking program is set to bring 10,000 highly skilled professionals to our country, fortifying our position as a leading destination for tech talent,” Albinson said in the release.

Nearly half of the tech workers who moved to Canada between April 2022 and March 2023, came from India. The next most popular countries were Nigeria, Brazil, Ukraine and the Philippines.

Here’s full list of the Canadian cities that saw the largest net migration of tech workers:

• Mississauga, Ontario (1,900 tech workers)
• Montreal, Quebec (959 tech workers)
• Waterloo, Ontario, Canada (633 tech workers)
• Windsor, Ontario, Canada (557 tech workers)
• Ottawa, Ontario, Canada (525 tech workers)
• Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada (456 tech workers)
• Kitchener, Ontario, Canada (437 tech workers)
• London, Ontario, Canada (418 tech workers)
• Hamilton, Ontario, Canada (363 tech workers)
• Calgary, Alberta, Canada (331 tech workers)