Having recently gone through the Developer category and being fast tracked, I'd like to comment on this. Basically, it really does speed things up. It takes a couple months being fast tracked. This was amazingly helpful. Removing the expediency only means that to get a visa, you need to get approval from an additional agency. Basically, it makes sure that the company offering you the job can't realistically fill your position with a local person. The idea is to ask "Why can't you fill this position with a Canadian?" This makes sense.
We went through that this last time, mostly through miscommunication, and the process was still very painless. It helps if you are specialized in a certain industry. You also need some form of degree in the field you are being hired for. Part of the reason I encourage people to continue their education and to make it clear self-taught doesn't open as many doors as education.
In the end, obtaining a Canadian visa is a straight forward process. The only assistance available covers everything you need, and walks you through. My wife did it for me, and we didn't even need a lawyer.
Sure. I had both a job offer from an employer who scouted me, and I got in while the developer category was still open (I think it's still open, technically). However, during the process, my wife spoke to the border agents (these are the people who actually do the final approval), and they informed her I would also need what essentially amounted to a job offer check. Basically, something the company did to demonstrate that the existing local job marketing couldn't support the position, and why my specific skills and experience couldn't be replicated locally. There was a bit more to this, but the result was the same, everything was good.
After going through this, and paying the fee, we found out that the border agents had informed us wrong. Really, it was just a case of confusion. They didn't realize I was applying under a special category. However, even if that hadn't been the case, we would have done just fine.
The entire process, and all the government officials we spoke with were incredibly helpful. This isn't the first time I've gotten a visa, either. It's just the first time we decided to go through the process without a lawyer. The Canadian government, as well as the Quebec government, were very reasonable and quick about the whole thing.
