One nation's loss is another nation's gain! Canada beckons Indian techies

Toronto: Donald Trump's controversial travel ban may prove to be a gift for Canadian tech firms as scores of Indian techies wait to explore opportunities on foreign soil.

Shafin Diamond Tejani, CEO of Fantasy 360, a Vancouver-based Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality global giant, told IANS, "This provides a great opportunity for the best talent from India to come, live and work in Canada."

Tejani's business partner Ray Walia is working on several avenues to attract techies from India and the duo is part of a Canadian technology community which have sent several letters to Canadian PM Justin Trudeau requesting him to provide visas for those affected by the travel ban.

Tejani and his associates have a target of bringing at least a dozen Indian startups to British Colombia, which is facing a crunch for computer programmers and IT professionals, for promoting VR/AR technology.

"In choosing to hire, train, and mentor the best people in the world, we can build global companies that grow our economy," said the letter adding, "By embracing diversity, we can drive innovation to benefit the world."

Together with his partner Ray Walia, another NRI in Vancouver who runs the not-for-profit tech incubator Launch Academy, Tejani is working on streamlined avenues to attract top tech talent from India.

The duo is part of the Canadian technology community that has written to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau urging him to provide visas to those caught by Trump's executive orders.
Tejani and his associates have a target of bringing a dozen Indian start-ups with a focus on VR/AR/MR to British Columbia, which also has a shortage of programmers and other skilled IT professionals.

Walia has developed a programme at Launch Academy that leverages the Canadian Startup Visa Program. The programme helps international start-ups relocate their head offices to Canada and within six months grant Permanent Residency in Canada for up to five key members of a startup and their family members

Walia, whose family business has also conducted over 200 bollywood concerts around the world, said "We as leaders and peers need to ensure that the proper infrastructure, support, and education is in place to help the next wave of young entrepreneurs around the world build technology and global businesses that will help shape the future for all of us."

Analysts have predicted that India's outsourcing industry which is worth around $108 billion and employees four million people will look for other avenues if the H-1B visa restrictions are enacted by the US government.