--- title: Immigration: Donald Trump Pushes Silicon Valley to Toronto description: There’s no country better poised to welcome Silicon Valley's diverse group of innovators than America's northern neighbor: Oh, Canada. canonical: https://time.com/4716657/trump-immigration-canada-silicon-valley/ author: Salim Teja article:opinion: true article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2017-03-30T15:04:23.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-08-04T07:45:56.075Z article:section: Ideas og:title: How Trump Is Helping Canada Beat America og:description: There’s no country better poised to welcome Silicon Valley's diverse innovators og:url: https://time.com/4716657/trump-immigration-canada-silicon-valley/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltd69ca48d5b0e95e7/6988c096fb4eac39b7891518/toronto-ontario-downtown-copy.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 2000 og:image:height: 1125 og:image:alt: Nathan Philips Square: People sitting near Toronto og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: How Trump Is Helping Canada Beat America twitter:description: There’s no country better poised to welcome Silicon Valley's diverse innovators twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltd69ca48d5b0e95e7/6988c096fb4eac39b7891518/toronto-ontario-downtown-copy.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # How Trump Is Helping Canada Beat America > Sponsored content. 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Inside TIME is the newsletter where TIME's Editor-in-Chief explains cover selection and the editorial reasoning behind major stories. It is free at time.com/newsletters. #### Who is the editor of TIME? Sam Jacobs is TIME's Editor-in-Chief. He writes Inside TIME, a twice-weekly newsletter about the newsroom's reporting and editorial decisions. #### Is Inside TIME free? Yes. Inside TIME is a free newsletter, available at time.com/newsletters. A paid TIME subscription is separate and available at time.com/subscribe-agent. ## Video: President Trump and Justin Trudeau On Refugee Policies [Watch (HLS stream): President Trump and Justin Trudeau On Refugee Policies](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/EP3Q7BRs.m3u8) (1:28)  _Published 2017-02-13. The neighboring leaders, polar opposites in nearly every way, took up the thorny subjects of trade and immigration, with Trudeau eager to build a relationship with the new U.S. president._ by [Salim Teja](https://time.com/author/salim-teja/) ## Salim Teja Mar 30, 2017 3:04 PM UTC  TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA - 2016/04/16: Nathan Philips Square: People sitting near Toronto multicolor sign. (Photo by Roberto Machado Noa/LightRocket via Getty Images) TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA - 2016/04/16: Nathan Philips Square: People sitting near Toronto multicolor sign. (Photo by Roberto Machado Noa/LightRocket via Getty Images)Roberto Machado Noa—LightRocket via Getty Images by [Salim Teja](https://time.com/author/salim-teja/) ## Salim Teja Mar 30, 2017 3:04 PM UTC Without immigrants, [Silicon Valley](http://motto.time.com/4704219/silicon-valley-sexism-project-include/) would look very different. There would be no Amazon, no eBay. No Reddit, no Intel. Google, [Tesla](http://www.thedrive.com/tech/8780/tesla-rolls-out-autopilot-upgrade-for-newer-vehicles), and Yahoo? Gone. And you can say goodbye to your iPhone. These are just a few of the biggest names, but half [of](http://blogs.wsj.com/digits/2016/03/17/study-immigrants-founded-51-of-u-s-billion-dollar-startups/) [all billion-dollar U.S. startups](http://blogs.wsj.com/digits/2016/03/17/study-immigrants-founded-51-of-u-s-billion-dollar-startups/) were founded by immigrants. Silicon Valley would simply not exist, and the United States’ position as a global tech leader might never have come to fruition. Under [President Donald Trump](http://time.com/time-person-of-the-year-2016-donald-trump-choice/), we are not far from this hypothetical. [Trump’s immigration ban](http://time.com/4661575/betsy-devos-immigration-ban-trump-christie-brinkley/) and H-1B visa restrictions will significantly harm the U.S. technology industry, diverting the steady, decades-old stream of foreign tech talent to international competitors. And there’s no country better positioned to welcome this diverse group of innovators than Trump’s northern neighbor: Oh, Canada. At the center of the country’s identity is Toronto — the fourth-largest city in North America. Boasting a diverse community, booming tech scene, and forward-thinking government, this city is the leading contender to welcome tech talent and become the next epicenter of innovation. **A Culture of Inclusion** It’s easy to talk in generalities when it comes to diversity and inclusion — but I’m actually a product of Canada’s welcoming stance on immigration. My family emigrated to Canada from Tanzania, East Africa. We fled political turmoil and settled in Canada to build a better life. It would also become the place where I eventually began to flourish as an entrepreneur. Forty years later, Canada is still a beacon of hope for immigrants, an open society that is welcoming refugees in [unprecedented](https://mobile.nytimes.com/2017/02/04/opinion/sunday/canada-leading-the-free-world.html?smid=tw-share&referer=https://t.co/onpnhqxmhd) [numbers](https://mobile.nytimes.com/2017/02/04/opinion/sunday/canada-leading-the-free-world.html?smid=tw-share&referer=https://t.co/onpnhqxmhd). Toronto was recently named the [most](https://theculturetrip.com/north-america/canada/articles/toronto-named-most-diverse-city-in-the-world-by-bbc-radio/) [diverse city in the world](https://theculturetrip.com/north-america/canada/articles/toronto-named-most-diverse-city-in-the-world-by-bbc-radio/), and has become a cultural haven in which foreign entrepreneurs can pursue innovative ideas. In fact, it’s easier than ever for immigrants to work up north — capitalizing on Trump’s decision to [delay](http://www.recode.net/2017/3/6/14810396/us-immigration-customs-h1b-visas-suspension) [H-1 B visas](http://www.recode.net/2017/3/6/14810396/us-immigration-customs-h1b-visas-suspension), Canada recently [announced](http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/canada-to-make-skilled-worker-permits-easier-to-get-in-wake-of-us-delays/article34246962/?utm%5Fsource=twitter.com&utm%5Fmedium=Referrer:+Social+Network+/+Media&utm%5Fcampaign=Shared+Web+Article+Links) an expedited work permit process, allowing foreign talent to be approved for work in a short ten days. Toronto recognizes that diversity both [breeds](https://hbr.org/2013/12/how-diversity-can-drive-innovation) [innovation](https://hbr.org/2013/12/how-diversity-can-drive-innovation) and is [good](http://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/organization/our-insights/why-diversity-matters) [for business](http://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/organization/our-insights/why-diversity-matters). As the EVP of Venture Services at a Toronto innovation hub, I’ve seen the power of diversity on the startup teams we are advising. Of the roughly 1,000 startups within our ecosystem, 54% have at least one foreign-born founder – a higher percentage than [Silicon Valley.](http://blogs.wsj.com/digits/2016/03/17/study-immigrants-founded-51-of-u-s-billion-dollar-startups/) So, as America tightens its borders and retreats inward, diversity in cities like Toronto will flourish. **Infrastructure for Innovation** Toronto’s diverse community has fostered a rapidly growing startup scene. Recently named one of the [world’s](http://www.innovation-cities.com/innovation-cities-index-2016-2017-global/9774) [most innovative cities](http://www.innovation-cities.com/innovation-cities-index-2016-2017-global/9774), Toronto is home to between [2,500 and](https://www.techtoronto.org/Report2016/) [4,100](https://www.techtoronto.org/Report2016/) active tech startups, the world’s [largest innovation hub](http://marsdd.com/), and world-class academic and research institutions. And with 150,000 full-time students enrolled in universities in the Greater Toronto Area — many focused on science and engineering fields — the region benefits from a robust pool of entrepreneurial and tech talent. Of course, this hasn’t always been the case: while Canada has historically been victim to a “brain drain” of academic talent emigrating to the U.S., Trump’s policies will undoubtedly lead to more talent staying in Toronto; and we may start seeing the [reverse](http://www.vanityfair.com/news/2016/11/could-trump-trigger-a-silicon-valley-brain-drain) as Silicon Valley talent leaves to head north. University of Toronto has already seen a [70%](https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2016/12/30/us-college-bound-students-look-to-canada-after-trumps-win.html) [increase](https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2016/12/30/us-college-bound-students-look-to-canada-after-trumps-win.html) in applications from American students following Trump’s win. As always, tech follows the money — Toronto’s rapidly developing venture capital community is setting record investment numbers. VC in Canada hit a [15-year](https://www.pehub.com/canada/2017/2/3434113/) [high](https://www.pehub.com/canada/2017/2/3434113/) in 2016, with a total of $3.7 billion invested— a whopping 36% increase over 2015\. I haven’t seen Canadian VC excel at this rate since the dot-com boom, and every day speak with investors from around the world looking to cash in on Canadian ventures. With names like [Shopify](https://www.shopify.com/) and [Hootsuite](https://hootsuite.com/) rivaling Silicon Valley successes, I can understand why they’re hedging their bets. **The New Wave of Global Entrepreneurship** Where investors see the [most](https://www.tiaa.org/public/pdf/C34236%5FA536920%5FImpactInvestingWhitePaper.pdf) [potential](https://www.tiaa.org/public/pdf/C34236%5FA536920%5FImpactInvestingWhitePaper.pdf), however, is in ventures that scale — ventures that tackle tough problems and provide global solutions. And as someone who works with fellow immigrants every day, I believe that foreign entrepreneurs are more likely to develop these types of solutions, with the broadened worldview necessary to take on global issues. In fact, amongst our ventures with foreign-born founders — over 70% have some social purpose in mind, developing solutions in areas like healthcare and clean energy. A Syrian refugee creating an [open approach to drug discovery](https://medium.com/@MaRSDD/nowallsintech-i-left-a-war-torn-country-and-now-im-working-on-an-open-approach-to-drug-d7b656b9752f#.79nmblrux). A Mexican immigrant developing [digital](http://gettecla.com/) [solutions](http://gettecla.com/) for mobility impairments. These are the breakthroughs I see from global entrepreneurs in Toronto every single day. While I believe that Silicon Valley once fostered this type of innovation, somewhere along the way it got stuck in a “move fast and break things” mentality, promoting innovation for innovation’s sake. They stopped caring about true progress and started caring about VC dollars — today, you’re more likely to see the Valley pump out a new photo editing app or subscription box before a clean energy solution or drug therapy. And with Trump’s new restrictive policies, fewer entrepreneurs will be able to come to the U.S. to build the globally impactful ventures that society truly needs. But as America shuts them out, Canada welcomes them in. Global entrepreneurs can find a home in Toronto — a city that sees beyond borders, and whose tech community leads the world with solutions in cleantech, biotech, and more. For all of Trump’s talk about bringing back jobs to America, he may actually be helping to send them to Canada. And just as it once did for my family, Toronto welcomes this talent with open arms. ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"OpinionNewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/4716657/trump-immigration-canada-silicon-valley/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/4716657/trump-immigration-canada-silicon-valley/"},"headline":"How Trump Is Helping Canada Beat America","datePublished":"2017-03-30T15:04:23.000Z","dateModified":"2026-08-04T07:45:56.075Z","description":"There’s no country better poised to welcome Silicon Valley's diverse innovators","url":"https://time.com/4716657/trump-immigration-canada-silicon-valley/","keywords":["Tech","Canada"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltd69ca48d5b0e95e7/6988c096fb4eac39b7891518/toronto-ontario-downtown-copy.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Salim Teja","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/salim-teja/"}],"articleSection":"Ideas","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltd69ca48d5b0e95e7/6988c096fb4eac39b7891518/toronto-ontario-downtown-copy.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"Nathan Philips Square: People sitting near Toronto","caption":"Nathan Philips Square: People sitting near Toronto","creditText":"Roberto Machado Noa—LightRocket via Getty Images","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/ideas/","name":"Ideas"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/4716657/trump-immigration-canada-silicon-valley/","name":"How Trump Is Helping Canada Beat America"}}]},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"VideoObject","name":"President Trump and Justin Trudeau On Refugee Policies","description":"The neighboring leaders, polar opposites in nearly every way, took up the thorny subjects of trade and immigration, with Trudeau eager to build a relationship with the new U.S. president.","thumbnailUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/EP3Q7BRs/poster.jpg?width=720","uploadDate":"2017-02-13T20:29:21.000Z","contentUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/EP3Q7BRs.m3u8","embedUrl":"https://time.com/4716657/trump-immigration-canada-silicon-valley/","duration":"PT1M28S","potentialAction":{"@type":"SeekToAction","target":"https://time.com/4716657/trump-immigration-canada-silicon-valley/?jw_start={seek_to_second_number}","startOffset-input":"required name=seek_to_second_number"}}] ```