Former Silicon Valley developer wants to help U.S. tech workers move to Canada

A developer who formerly worked for LinkedInin Silicon Valleyis offering Canadian tech companies a solution to their talent shortage.

Vikram Rangnekarhas founded MovNorth, awebsite and software mix to match upCanadian companies hungry for talentwith tech workers from abroad.

"Traditionally, Canadian companies were not focused on international hiring, but the tech talent gap is real and as the tech ecosystem here has begun to grow within the last few years, they're starting to feel that," said Rangnekar, who now lives in Toronto.

According to Jodi Marner,head of diversity and talent initiatives at Communitech, an organization in Kitchener-Waterloo, Ont. focused on growing the tech sector,thetalent shortage still plagues companies ina region deemed as Canada's growing tech hub.

"It's the job skills that we've noticed the gaps," Marner said. "Everything from developers to tech sales, digital marketing, product management, UX/UIdesign."

Marner said they've been trying to recruit with many strategies, such as offering micro credentialing and experiential training by partnering with universities and recruiting from international talent pools.

"Just to give you an example,Thalmic[Labs], one of our member companies has hired 16 peopleinternationally," Marner said, adding thatMovNorth's appearance in the region will now help with the hiring.

"Without this type of opportunity, we wouldn't be able to meet the talent targets we have in K-W," said Marner.

Rangnekaris visiting Kitchener on Thursday totalk about howLinkedInsurpassed 400 million users.

Prior to his speaking engagement, he's planned to meetand pitch MovNorthto companies such as Velocity,QspiceLabs and the Perimeter Institute, a leader inscientific research and theoretical physics.

"This type of tech immigration is what built Silicon Valley and it's done wonderfully,"Rangnekarsaid.

"There are smart people everywhere and tech needs those people there are lots here, but we need even more."