Working and living in Vancouver as a foreigner, I'll share my experience. About two years ago, I decided I wanted to settle in Vancouver and therefore proceeded

Working and living in Vancouver as a foreigner, I'll share my experience. About two years ago, I decided I wanted to settle in Vancouver and therefore proceeded to find a job here. I contacted a whole bunch of startups, maybe 5% got back to me. Half of those would call me, tell me they were interested, until I reminded them I needed a working visa (which I systematically mentioned in my emails), following which they would pretty much immediately drop me. As for the remaining half, I went to interviews, most of which went really well, only to be told weeks later that they assumed I would be able to just get the visa on my own. All I needed was for the company to be willing to sponsor me, which is a relatively easy process on their end. One particular company had the guts to call me, tell me they really liked me but wouldn't hire me because of the visa situation, and asked me if instead I could direct other people like me in their direction. It doesn't get much more rude than that. Bottom line, I ended up working for the public health sector, who not only sponsored my visa but also helped me through the process. So, dear Vancouver startup scene, if you want to attract talent, start by getting off your high horses.