DAVID GREENE, HOST:
OK. Our last word in business today is: Pivot to Canada.
That's on a billboard alongside the freeway in Northern California, meant to lure people even farther north.
STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:
The billboard is urging a very particular audience to pay attention to Canada, not the United States. They are high-tech immigrants living in the U.S.
GREENE: Canada's trying to poach highly-skilled, foreign-born tech workers who are fed up with the visa process that they must follow to remain in the U.S.
INSKEEP: Canada's startup visa grants permanent residency to entrepreneurs who can raise enough venture capital to start a Canadian business. Jason Kenney is Canada's Immigration Minister and he's been in Silicon Valley the last few days, trying to lure entrepreneurs into his country.
JASON KENNEY: An uncharacteristic bout of aggression, is we're actually going out and saying, please come to Canada. We've got a better immigration system and lower taxes. And I'm proud of it. I have no - make no apologies for saying that.
GREENE: Although Steve, I noticed that in this bout of aggressiveness, the Canadian minister still managed to say the word please.
INSKEEP: In an uncharacteristic bought of aggressiveness, we are really raising our voices here. Anyway...
GREENE: Right.
INSKEEP: ...let's give to Canada.
GREENE: There it is.
That's the business news on MORNING EDITION from NPR News. I'm David Greene.
INSKEEP: I'm Steve Inskeep.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "BLAME CANADA") Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.