The Global Talent Stream (GTS) is Canada’s answer to an economy in need of highly-skilled workers. In this 2023, approximately 5,000 positions in Canada were filled through the (GTS) and 2024 is definitely going to be higher. So if you have a skill and wish to move to Canada.
As part of Canada’s Global Skills Strategy, the Global Talent Stream is an immigration program that allows Canadian employers to expedite the hiring of foreign workers to fill specialised occupations when Canadians aren’t available for specific roles.
Canada aims to process Global Talent Stream work permit applications in only two weeks, making the program the fastest immigration pathway for eligible workers seeking a new life in Canada.
The Canada Global Talent Streams applications are processed under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP), a collection of work permit streams that brings newcomers to Canada on temporary work permits to fill specific labour needs.
The Global Talent Stream is the wing of the TFWP for highly-skilled workers in specialised occupations, prioritising those with experience in engineering and tech-related fields.
Category A of Canada The Global Talent Stream
High-growth companies that can demonstrate a need to recruit unique specialized talent from abroad fall under Category A. Employers in this category must be referred to the Global Talent Stream by a designated referral partner.
The list of designated referral partners for employers located outside Quebec includes the following organizations.
- Accelerate Okanagan
- Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency
- BC Tech Association
- Burlington Economic Development Corporation
- Business Development Bank of Canada
- Canadian Economic Development for Quebec Regions
- Cape Breton Partnership
- City of Brampton
- City of Hamilton’s Economic Development Office
- City of Mississauga
- Communitech Corporation
- Council of Canadian Innovators
- Economic Development Winnipeg
- Edmonton Economic Development
- Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario
- Genesis (Newfoundland)
- Global Affairs Canada’s Trade Commissioner Service
- Government of Alberta, Alberta Labour
- Government of British Columbia, Ministry of Jobs, Trade and Technology
- Government of Manitoba, Manitoba Education and Training
- Government of Nova Scotia, Nova Scotia Business Inc.
- Government of Ontario, Ministry of Economic Development, Job Creation, and Trade – Ontario
- Immigrant Nominee Program
- Government of Ontario, Ministry of Economic Development, Job Creation, and Trade – Ontario
- Investment Office
- Government of Prince Edward Island, Island Investment Development Inc.
- Government of Saskatchewan, Ministry of the Economy
- Halifax Partnership
- Tech Manitoba
- Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada – Accelerated Growth Service
- Invest Ottawa
- Invest in Canada
- Kingston Economic Development Corporation
- Launch Academy
- London Economic Development Corporation
- MaRS Discovery District
- National Research Council – Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC-IRAP)
- Privy Council Office, Special Projects Team
- Regional Municipality of Niagara
- Regional Municipality of York
- Sarnia-Lambton Economic Partnership
- Toronto Global
- Town of Oakville
- Vancouver Economic Commission
- Venn Innovation
- Waterloo Region Economic Development Corporation
- WindsorEssex Economic Development Corporation
Wages for Global Talent Stream
Employers must commit to pay the highest of either:
- An annual salary of at least $80,000, or an annual salary equivalent to the prevailing wage for that occupation if it is higher than $80,000 for the first two unique and specialized positions requested under Category A. For two or more unique and specialized positions requested under Category A, or an annual salary equivalent to the prevailing wage for that occupation if it is higher than $150,000. ESDC says there is no flexibility in the application of the wage requirement for additional positions being requested under Category A;
- The applicable minimum wage for the occupation for a highly-skilled position requested under Category B as identified in the Global Talent Occupations List;
- The wage that is within the wage range that the employer is paying current employees hired for the same job and work location, and with the same skills and years of experience; or
- The median wage on the Government of Canada’s Job Bank. The median wage is listed by job title or National Occupational Classification (NOC) code in the middle column, by community or area in Canada’s job bank.
GTS Program Requirements
The GTS operates two categories, Category A and Category B. While these two categories have unique requirements, they do share a few common requirements to the GTS:
- Processing Fee: Employers applying to the GTS must submit a $1000 CAD application fee.
- Business Legitimacy: Employers applying to GTS, as with all applicants to the TFWP, must submit documentation proving the legitimacy of their business.
- Labour Market Benefits Plan: As the GTS is designed to enable Canadian companies to compete on an international scale, all employers applying to the GTS must work with ESDC to develop a Labour Market Benefits Plan demonstrating that their business activities will have a lasting impact on the Canadian labour market.
How to Apply for the Global Talent Stream
Applying for a work permit through the Global Talent Stream is a two-step process.
First, eligible GTS candidates must receive a positive Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA). It is the responsibility of the employer to apply for and pay for the LMIA process. This may be done by the employer or a third-party representative.
RELATED: Canada Visa Application Process and Guidelines
Once a positive LMIA is received, the employee can apply for a Canadian work permit.
The required documents will depend on your unique profile. To ease the application process, you or your employer may wish to hire a reputable Canadian immigration attorney.
Canada Global Talent Stream processing time
One of the main benefits of the Global Talent Stream is its expedited work permit processing time; Global Talent Stream candidates may have their permits processed in under two weeks.
Prior to applying for a work permit, Global Talent Stream employers must first receive a positive Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA). This process is also expedited with an average processing time of just 8 days.
If the candidate is applying to work in Quebec, they must also apply for a Québec Certificate of Acceptance (CAQ). This application is also expedited for GTS candidates. Read more details by clicking here
