Assuming linearity, there's 1/10 of the number of exceptional programmers in Canada vs the US (based on population). The educational system's are comparable, as are the social environments. Canadians can get TN visa to work in the US with a job offer and a CV at the port of entry, so there's no "paperwork problem". Although it's probably a bit more difficult than coming north as it's trivial coming north...
So, if it's important to hoover up the rockstars from Canada, there's nothing stopping companies - they already have the weather advantage, and relo costs are pretty low for most singletons. The only negative is that the TN visa can't lead to a green card. But I doubt most startups are thinking "six years, get green cards for the staff".
So, if it's important to hoover up the rockstars from Canada, there's nothing stopping companies - they already have the weather advantage, and relo costs are pretty low for most singletons. The only negative is that the TN visa can't lead to a green card. But I doubt most startups are thinking "six years, get green cards for the staff".