US and Canada Tech Visa Changes: What Filipino IT Pros Must Know

In October 2026 the US and Canada moved in opposite directions on foreign tech workers. The US Labor Department suspended eight large tech and IT services employers, including Microsoft, Adobe, Infosys and Tata Consultancy Services, from the PERM green card process on October 8, according to Al Jazeera, and on October 14 the US Department of Homeland Security ended automatic work permit extensions and proposed tougher reviews for H-1B renewals. Two days later, Canada announced extra Express Entry points for people with high-wage jobs or job offers, a change aimed partly at programmers and engineers, reported The Globe and Mail.

If you're a Filipino IT worker with "abroad" on your five-year plan, these are worth understanding properly. Not from a TikTok summary. Not from a "consultant" in your DMs.

What did the US change for foreign tech workers?

The US made three separate moves in about a week. Each affects a different group, so don't lump them together.

1. PERM suspensions for eight employers. PERM is the labor certification step that lets a US employer sponsor a foreign worker for a green card. Al Jazeera reported that the suspension covers Microsoft, Adobe, Capgemini, Cognizant, Infosys, Tata Consultancy Services, Wipro and HCL Technologies, while Meta, Amazon and Google are not affected. Labor Secretary Keith Sonderling said the government "will not accept any new or process any pending" applications from those companies. No end date was given. Vice President JD Vance said it would continue "as long as it needs to", according to the same report. The government cited fraud allegations, which Al Jazeera's earlier story also covered, including Microsoft's response that most of its visas were for existing employees.

2. No more automatic work permit extensions. DHS finalized a rule, published in the Federal Register on October 14, that ends automatic extensions of certain Employment Authorization Documents. Previously, people who filed renewals on time could get automatic extensions of up to 540 days. Now, renewals filed on or after October 30, 2025 generally don't qualify, and the affected groups include H-4 spouses of H-1B workers, according to a WorkWise Compliance summary.

3. A proposal to stop "deferring" to past approvals. Also on October 14, DHS proposed ending USCIS's general practice of relying on earlier approvals when reviewing extension petitions for categories including H-1B and L-1. If finalized, officers could review each extension fresh, which the same summary warns could mean more requests for evidence and delays. This is still a proposal. Public comments are open on Regulations.gov until November 13, 2026.

What did Canada change?

Canada is adding Express Entry ranking points for applicants who have worked at least one year in a high-wage job in Canada or who have a high-paid job offer, announced by Immigration Minister Lena Metlege Diab on October 16, per The Globe and Mail.

The article defines a high-wage occupation as one where the median wage is at least 1.3 times the national median wage for all workers, currently about $57,000, and names programmers, engineers and people in high tech among those expected to benefit. It did not give the number of extra points, the effective date or a full occupation list. Those details should come from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada itself, so wait for the official page at canada.ca before you plan around it.

Why does this matter to Filipino IT workers?

It matters most if the US or Canada is your target, and the effect is different for each.

• For the US: the direction is clearly tighter. Green card sponsorship through some of the largest IT employers is on hold, renewals may face more scrutiny if the proposal goes through, and dependents on H-4 can no longer count on automatic extensions. If you planned to go to the US through a big IT services firm, that route just got slower and less predictable.
• For Canada: the change rewards high-wage experience and offers, which favors people who already have solid, well-paid experience. A fresh grad with no work history doesn't benefit much from this one. A mid-level developer or cloud engineer with real experience might.
• For people already abroad: if you're a Filipino on H-1B or H-4 in the US, check your dates and talk to your employer's immigration counsel now, not the week your EAD expires.

My honest take: none of this changes the basics. The legal routes still go through real employers and official government channels. What changes is how long they take and who they favor. Experienced, specialized people get more options. Beginners hoping to jump straight from a first job to a US green card get fewer.

Read our overview of the honest paths to working abroad as a Filipino IT professional if you're still choosing between countries.

Will scammers use this news?

Almost certainly. Every visa headline brings a new wave of "Canada points package, limited slots, pay reservation fee via GCash" posts. Be careful of anyone who:

• Promises a guaranteed job offer or visa for a fee
• Claims special access to the "new Canada points" or a US "green card slot"
• Asks you to pay a placement fee before you've seen a real contract from a real employer
• Can't show a valid license you can verify on dmw.gov.ph for overseas recruitment

Our guide on how to spot illegal recruiters lists the checks to do before you pay anyone anything.

Is remote work for a foreign company a safer option now?

It's a different option, not automatically a safer one. These rules cover working inside the US and Canada. Working from the Philippines for a foreign company as a contractor or employee of record is a separate arrangement with its own risks, like scams, unclear contracts and tax obligations here. For many Filipino IT workers it's a realistic middle step: you build international experience and English communication skills without a visa.

If that's interesting, our list of legit remote IT jobs in the Philippines is the place to start.

You can figure all of this out alone with official sites and patience. What people usually lack is a structured way to compare paths and someone to check their plan. IT Career Launch's Work Abroad and Remote Track covers exactly this: which resume format foreign employers expect, where legitimate remote and overseas roles are posted, international interview practice, and visa and work-permit basics, with a full week on illegal recruiters and scams. The free preview lessons show how it's taught.

What to do about it this week

1. Decide which group you're in. Planning to go abroad in a few years, already applying, or already abroad on a work visa. The right next step is different for each.
2. If you're already in the US on H-1B or H-4, write down your visa, I-94 and EAD dates and ask your employer's immigration lawyer how the October 14 rules affect you.
3. If Canada is your target, bookmark the official IRCC Express Entry pages and wait for the detailed rules before paying anyone for "assessment."
4. If you're early in your career, focus on getting 1 to 2 years of strong, documented experience here first. Every route above favors experienced people.
5. Get the free IT Job Starter Kit if you still need to pick an IT role to build that experience in.

Immigration rules change often, and nothing here is legal advice. Confirm everything on the official US, Canadian and Philippine government sites before you act.

Frequently asked questions

What is the PERM suspension in October 2026?

On October 8, 2026, the US Labor Department said it would not accept new or process pending PERM labor certifications from eight employers, including Microsoft, Adobe, Infosys and Tata Consultancy Services, citing fraud allegations. PERM is a key step for employer-sponsored green cards.

Did the US end automatic EAD extensions?

Yes. A DHS final rule published October 14, 2026 ends automatic extensions for certain Employment Authorization Document renewals filed on or after October 30, 2025, with some exceptions. Check the Federal Register notice and USCIS for the details that apply to you.

Is the H-1B prior deference change final?

No. It was published as a proposed rule on October 14, 2026, with public comments accepted until November 13, 2026. It would let officers review H-1B and L-1 extensions without relying on earlier approvals.

How does Canada's new Express Entry change help tech workers?

Canada will give extra Express Entry points to applicants with at least a year of high-wage work in Canada or a high-paid job offer, and programmers and engineers are among the expected beneficiaries. The number of points and start date weren't in the announcement coverage, so check IRCC's official site.

Should I pay an agency to help me use the new Canada points?

Be very careful. Verify any overseas recruiter's license on the DMW website, never pay for a guaranteed visa or job, and wait for IRCC's official rules before paying for any assessment.