montreal

Canada is increasingly becoming the target of recruitment drives by US companies. In 1995, representatives of 30 US companies visited the University of Waterloo, but this number rose to 100 the following year and 170 in 1997.

Canada's Software Human Resources Council estimates a shortfall of about 20,000 information technology specialists, partly as a result of the emigration of graduates.

Since May 1997, the government has admitted more than 830 such specialists from foreign countries under a pilot programme co-sponsored by the council. The programme speeds up applications for work visas for specific categories of worker deemed in short supply.

The specialists, from countries including the United States, France, India, China, Singapore and Russia, earn average salaries of Can$49,500 (US$32,000). Another government pilot project recently announced also allows the spouses of such workers to find jobs.

The situation is slightly different for medical staff. The Canadian Medical Association Journal reports that the number of physicians moving abroad fell from 731 in 1996 to 659 in 1997, the lowest level since 1993.

Of those moving, 60 per cent were aged 40 or younger and male. Of the specialists, 63 per cent worked in clinical medicine or laboratory fields. Taking into account physicians returning from abroad, the net loss fell from 513 in 1996 to 452 in 1997, still more than twice the 1990 net loss of just 207 physicians.