Canadian industry has indicated it is facing a shortage of software development workers which is hurting its competitiveness. In response, Citizenship and Immigration Canada ("CIC"), in conjunction with Human Resources Skills Development Canada ("HRSDC"), Industry Canada ("IC"), and the Software Human Resources Council ("SHRC"), previously developed a pilot project that would test an approach to expediting the HRSDC confirmation component of the work permit process.

Under the pilot project, the job-specific confirmation is replaced by a national confirmation letter, which states, among other things, that certain software positions cannot be filled by Canadian citizens or permanent residents. The national confirmation letter removes the delay associated with the job-specific confirmation process. In order to qualify for this expedited process, the foreign national must be seeking employment in one of the following jobs:

1. Embedded Systems Software Designer;

2. Software Products Developer;

3. MIS Software Designer;

4. Multimedia Software Developer;

5. Senior Animation Effects Editor;

6. Software Developer - Services; and

7. Telecommunications Software Designer.

Required skills and experience, education, language ability, and an appropriate wage/salary are specified for each job description.

If an applicant arrives at a mission or port of entry seeking a work permit for a job offer fitting one of the job descriptions attached, the job is deemed to have been confirmed by HRSDC. It is still incumbent upon the applicant to provide the written job offer and/or contract of employment , and it will still remain to the issuing officer to satisfy himself or herself as to the qualifications and experience of the applicant and the bona fides of the employer and the job offer.

This pilot project remains strictly targeted at workers entering the software sector on a temporary basis. It does not apply to individuals seeking permanent resident status in Canada.

This pilot project became effective on May 5, 1997, and has been extended several times. The pilot project is expected to continue until the Minister of CIC indicates otherwise.