The announcement was made by Sean Fraser, the Minister of Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship, during the Collision 2023 event.

Under this strategy, Canada has introduced an “innovation stream” that offers open work permits for up to five years to highly skilled professionals in select high-demand occupations.

Additionally, the program includes employer-specific work permits for the same duration, benefiting individuals employed by companies that contribute to Canada’s industrial innovation objectives.

Canada’s status as the top destination for immigrant entrepreneurs has been reaffirmed by a 2023 report from the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, further establishing it as an appealing location for individuals seeking new opportunities.

The new pathways also extend opportunities to holders of the H-1B specialty occupation visa in the United States. They can now apply for Canadian work permits, as well as study or work permit options for their accompanying family members.

The Canadian work permit for H-1B visa holders will be available starting from July 16 and will remain open for one year or until Immigration, Refugee, and Citizenship Canada receive 10,000 applications.

It’s important to note that only principal applicants will count towards the application cap, not their accompanying family members.

Sean Fraser expressed enthusiasm for the immigration goals, highlighting their strategic importance beyond numerical targets. The aim is to attract newcomers who can help solidify Canada’s position as a global leader in various emerging technologies.

The strategy was developed through collaboration with the tech, start-up, and business communities, which provided valuable insights. Fraser credited Canada’s fast and flexible approach, widely supported by Canadians, as the country’s immigration advantage.

In addition to the tech talent strategy, Canada has made revisions to its start-up visa program to attract skilled foreign tech workers. The improvements include increased program spots, the opportunity to apply for a three-year work permit (previously one year), and the chance to obtain an open work permit instead of being limited to working for their start-up.

Furthermore, each member of an entrepreneurial team can now apply for an open work permit, expanding eligibility beyond essential and urgently needed individuals.

These developments in Canada’s immigration policies come in the wake of Germany’s modifications to its immigration laws aimed at attracting skilled foreign workers.

They also follow the United Kingdom’s decision to restrict the ability of foreign students to bring their family members starting in 2024, prompting Canada to introduce faster temporary resident visa processing and more considerate application measures for dependents.

Dr. Vincent Olatunji, National Commissioner/CEO of the NDPB, stated recently at a press conference in Lagos that the agency has already licensed an additional 48 Data Protection Compliance Organizations (DPCOs), bringing the total to 138 DPCOs.

This, he claims, has increased the ecosystem’s wealth and job creation, while also revealing that the rate of NDPR compliance audit returns filing has increased from 1,229 in 2021 to 1,777 in 2022.

To strengthen data privacy and protection, the newly established agency is developing a Code of Conduct for Data Protection Compliance Organizations and working to have the Nigeria Data Protection Bill passed into law by the National Assembly, among other things.

Although the agency is investigating over 110 data controllers and data processors for varying degrees of data privacy and protection breaches, the commissioner stated that

“They are four banks, online lending companies, one telecom company, and one gaming company are being investigated.

“The vulnerabilities in these sectors are high partly due to the capabilities of intrusive mobile apps. When you factor in a lack of due diligence on the part of data controllers in engaging data processors or vendors who have access to the personal data of customers, what you see in some cases is a pattern of abuses in violation of the Nigeria Data Protection Regulation (NDPR) and section 37 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“The position of the government is that those who deal with data have nothing to fear but the consequences of their acts and omissions, which may constitute a civil or criminal liability. We are particularly glad that the Nigeria Police Force is currently working with us in this regard,” he averred.

“Ours has been steady and solid progress in the advancement of data privacy and protection. Every citizen and resident of this country can rest assured that every data controller and data processor within or outside Nigeria will be held accountable for any unlawful processing of personal data from our jurisdiction,” he said.

The bureau will accord priority to awareness, capacity building, the passage of the Nigeria Data Protection Bill, development of sectorial guidelines, collaborations, the launch of the NDPB Strategic Roadmap and Action Plan, and enforcement of regulatory frameworks and guidelines.

In the last year, NDPB was able to reach over 3,000 students and pupils in about 70 schools with the message of data privacy and a 100 percent increase in the rate of integration of the public sector into the Data Privacy and Protection Framework.

He said NDPB has held stakeholder engagements for accelerated integration of public sector data controllers into data privacy and protection framework for the National Assembly, Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Federal Ministry of Health, Central Bank of Nigeria, Nigeria Police Force, Independent Corrupt Practices and Related Offences Commission (ICPC), National Lottery Regulatory Commission, etc.

The Creative Festival is a two-day event scheduled on the 25th and 26th of November, providing a forum for policymakers and industry stakeholders to exchange ideas, resolve challenges, identify opportunities and chart new waters within the creative economy in Nigeria.

According to organizers, the forum also offers young creatives the platform to learn, collaborate and showcase their drive for creativity.

The Nest has in the past events, hosted hangouts, training, and conference for aspiring and emerging creatives.

“This year, over two days, a large global community of entrepreneurs, creatives and policymakers will come together in person and virtually, where they will be joined by renowned speakers, thinkers, artists, and policymakers.

“This is the place to collaboratively and practically engage with players in the creative economy,
helping to build it to be more productive, inclusive, responsible, and progressive.

“With” this festival, we are hosting the key players and stakeholders in the creative ecosystem to interact with one another and take real and progressive steps toward a more sustainable creative economy. Nigeria.”

GOAL

1. To engage 1000 Creatives for 12 hours
2. To equip 120 Creatives with classic information about the Creative Space in Nigeria.
3. To bridge the gap between creatives and
   stakeholders in the Nigerian creative economy
   

With a young tech community geared towards building for the future, it is imperative that the focus should be on the tools used in that future.

https://twitter.com/i/status/1486749386637930496

Buildspace, a company backed by YCombinator and a16z which boasts the world’s largest network of web3 builders offering a community, web3 projects to build and earn NFTs as well as access, is extending those offerings to developers in Africa via Buildspace Africa and held their first event on the 29th of December 2021 in Enugu State.

Over 170 people were in attendance physically along with those following the sessions virtually, sporting their minted NFTs which served as the tickets.

Speakers included Joshua Nwankwo, the organizer of the event; Shannon Li, founder of WECrypto; Jake Randall, founder DoggosNFT, and Angel Opoku, a Product Designer at Bitfinex and then a panel session for a thorough dive on topics such as “web3 for designers”, “NFTs”, “paths available in web3”.

More Africans are making waves in various web3 communities across the world as they develop their skills and this event which was 100% community organized is a testament to that.

Buildspace Africa has more in store for both learning and earning opportunities so do keep in touch @buildspaceafric on Twitter.

Here are some Photo-ups at the event: