News   Mar 28, 2024
 995     2 
News   Mar 28, 2024
 556     2 
News   Mar 28, 2024
 848     0 

Microsoft to open doors in Vancouver

Edward Skira

http://skyrisecities.com
Staff member
Member Bio
Joined
Apr 22, 2007
Messages
16,175
Reaction score
21,199
Location
Toronto
Indirectly a Toronto issue. I think all levels of government should work to exploit this issue. No reason, for example, that foreign firms that want to be close to New York but want to skirt immigration issues couldn't set up in Toronto instead. They are in the same time zone and close to the action, costs are lower and they can avoid the immigration issues at the same time.

Microsoft to open doors in Vancouver

ROMA LUCIW

http://www.globeinvestor.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20070705.wmicrosoft0705/GIStory/

Thursday, July 05, 2007
U.S. technology giant Microsoft Corp. will skirt Washington's tough stance on immigration by opening a new software development centre in the Vancouver area this fall.

The Microsoft Canada Development Centre will serve as a base for the company's core business — software development. When the company initially opens its doors, likely in September, it plans to hire between 200 and 300 people from around the world. The facility could eventually employ as many as 1,000.

“It is about recruiting the best and brightest, and right now, the majority are coming from overseas,†Marc Seaman, a spokesman for Microsoft Canada, said in an interview.

“The U.S. has immigration quotas and some limitations for bringing in people from outside the country,†he said. “That challenge is an opportunity for Canada, in the sense that this will bring the top software developers to Canada.â€

Mr. Seaman noted, however, that Canada is the third-largest source of Microsoft recruits, after India and Japan.

Microsoft, founded by billionaire philanthropist Bill Gates, is the world's largest software company. The company is based in Redmond, Wash., outside of Seattle. The proximity to the Vancouver area is one reason why it was chosen, along with its reputation as global gateway, its diverse population, solid infrastructure and high quality of life, Mr. Seaman said.

The company is in the process of negotiating a lease for up to 100,000 square feet of space in Richmond, Burnaby or the city of Vancouver. “It will be in the multi-million per year range,†Mr. Seaman said.

Microsoft said the Vancouver area facility will be one of a handful of development centres outside the company's Redmond base. The others are in North Carolina, Ireland, Denmark and Israel. The company also has research and development centres in the United Kingdom, India, China and Silicon Valley.

The company's Canadian operations are headquartered in Mississauga, Ontario, although it has eight regional offices scattered across the country.

© The Globe and Mail
 
I think it'd be great if Microsoft opened an office in Waterloo, but I doubt it.
 

Back
Top