In a bold bid to reverse the decades-long “brain drain” to the United States and other research powerhouses, Ottawa on 10 December 2025 launched the Canada Global Impact+ Research Talent Initiative. Valued at C$1.7 billion over 12 years, the programme will fund up to 1,000 new chairs for internationally-renowned and expatriate academics across science, technology, engineering, mathematics, health and social-impact disciplines.
The scheme sets aside roughly C$1 billion for salary top-ups and long-term research grants that match, and in some fields exceed, the packages offered by elite U.S. universities. A further C$400 million will modernise or build laboratories and collaborative spaces, while C$134 million is earmarked for fully-funded international PhD and post-doctoral fellowships. Another C$120 million will underwrite early-career “rising star” awards designed to cement Canada’s pipeline of future principal investigators.
Industry Minister Mélanie Joly framed the move as “a generational investment in people” that will bolster Canada’s innovation capacity and differentiate it from jurisdictions “turning their backs on open science.” The initiative is widely viewed as a strategic response to the tightening of U.S. immigration rules, higher visa fees and political pressure on academic freedom south of the border. Ottawa expects a significant share of recruits to arrive via the existing Global Skills Strategy fast-track work-permit stream, which promises two-week visa processing for most research roles.
![Canada unveils C$1.7 billion Global Impact+ Research Talent Initiative to lure world-class scholars]()
Navigating these expedited immigration pathways can be daunting for both institutions and the scientists they recruit. VisaHQ’s Canada portal (https://www.visahq.com/canada/) offers streamlined visa and work-permit processing, document validation and live status updates, making it easier for applicants—and their families—to take advantage of programmes like the Global Skills Strategy and settle into Canadian labs without administrative delays.
Universities have reacted swiftly. The University of Toronto confirmed it has already signed letters of intent with three senior Yale professors in quantum information science, and the University of British Columbia is negotiating with a high-profile climate-modelling team from California. Private-sector partners such as pharmaceutical giant Sanofi and cleantech firm CarbonCure said they will co-fund selected chairs to accelerate commercialisation.
For global-mobility managers, the programme creates an unparalleled relocation window: employers can pair permanent academic roles with spousal open work permits, priority school-seat allocations and provincial tax incentives. Immigration counsel, however, warn that demand will be intense and advise early coordination between HR, legal and academic departments to secure labour-market impact assessments and credential recognition where required.
The scheme sets aside roughly C$1 billion for salary top-ups and long-term research grants that match, and in some fields exceed, the packages offered by elite U.S. universities. A further C$400 million will modernise or build laboratories and collaborative spaces, while C$134 million is earmarked for fully-funded international PhD and post-doctoral fellowships. Another C$120 million will underwrite early-career “rising star” awards designed to cement Canada’s pipeline of future principal investigators.
Industry Minister Mélanie Joly framed the move as “a generational investment in people” that will bolster Canada’s innovation capacity and differentiate it from jurisdictions “turning their backs on open science.” The initiative is widely viewed as a strategic response to the tightening of U.S. immigration rules, higher visa fees and political pressure on academic freedom south of the border. Ottawa expects a significant share of recruits to arrive via the existing Global Skills Strategy fast-track work-permit stream, which promises two-week visa processing for most research roles.
Navigating these expedited immigration pathways can be daunting for both institutions and the scientists they recruit. VisaHQ’s Canada portal (https://www.visahq.com/canada/) offers streamlined visa and work-permit processing, document validation and live status updates, making it easier for applicants—and their families—to take advantage of programmes like the Global Skills Strategy and settle into Canadian labs without administrative delays.
Universities have reacted swiftly. The University of Toronto confirmed it has already signed letters of intent with three senior Yale professors in quantum information science, and the University of British Columbia is negotiating with a high-profile climate-modelling team from California. Private-sector partners such as pharmaceutical giant Sanofi and cleantech firm CarbonCure said they will co-fund selected chairs to accelerate commercialisation.
For global-mobility managers, the programme creates an unparalleled relocation window: employers can pair permanent academic roles with spousal open work permits, priority school-seat allocations and provincial tax incentives. Immigration counsel, however, warn that demand will be intense and advise early coordination between HR, legal and academic departments to secure labour-market impact assessments and credential recognition where required.
