Canada Global Talent Stream (GTS)
The Global Talent Stream (GTS) was launched in June 2017 through a partnership between Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) and Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC). The GTS assists certain Canadian employers to hire highly-skilled talent from around the world enabling them to compete on an international scale. Employers who are successfully approved through the program will be able to expedite the process for hiring foreign nationals through the Global Skills Strategy.
Global Talent Stream Overview
- What is the Global Talent Stream?
- Global Talent Stream program eligibility requirements
- How to apply for the Global Talent Stream
- Global Talent Stream work permit processing time
- Labour Market Benefits Plan
FAQ
- Does the Global Talent Stream work permit have any restrictions?
- How much does it cost to come to Canada through the Global Talent Stream?
- Are there any restrictions on the Global Talent Stream work permit?
- Is the Global Talent Stream LMIA-exempt?
- Can I get permanent residence through the Global Talent Stream?
What is the Global Talent Stream?
The Global Talent Stream is one of the streams contained within Canada’s Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP). The GTS aims to facilitate the work permit process for certain Canadian employers, enabling them to compete on an international scale.
Employers who are successfully approved through the program can expedite the process of hiring foreign nationals through the Global Skills Strategy.
The Global Talent Stream (GTS) was launched in June 2017 through a partnership between Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) and Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC).
The GTS accepts applications through two categories. While there are some shared eligibility requirements, each category has unique requirements as outlined below.
Program Requirements
The Global Talent Stream (GTS) is designed to assist Canadian employers with hiring highly skilled foreign talent who will enable Canadians to compete on an international scale. 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.
As the GTS is part of the Temporary Foreign Worker Program, all successful employers applying to the stream must be issued a positive Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) prior to the official hiring of a foreign national. If an employer meets the general stream requirements, they must verify that they meet the additional requirements for the category to which they wish to apply.
Category A
In order to apply to Category A of the Global Talent Stream, an employer must have been referred to the stream by one of the GTS’s designated partners and be using the stream to hire unique and specialized talent. The following are designated partners of the GTS, authorized to refer employers to Category A:
Global Talent Stream - Designated Partners
| Business Development Bank of Canada |
| Council of Canadian Innovators |
| Global Affairs Canada’s Trade Commissioner Service |
| Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada - Accelerated Growth Service |
| Invest in Canada |
| National Research Council - Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC-IRAP) |
| Privy Council Office, Special Projects Team |
| TECHNATION |
| Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (multiple locations across the region) |
| Ignite Fredericton |
| Venn Innovation |
| Government of New Brunswick – Department of Post-Secondary Education, Training and Labour |
| Genesis |
| Cape Breton Partnership |
| Government of Nova Scotia, Nova Scotia Business Inc. |
| Halifax Partnership |
| Government of Prince Edward Island, Island Investment Development Inc. |
| Burlington Economic Development Corporation |
| Invest Brampton |
| Invest in Hamilton |
| City of Mississauga |
| Communitech Corporation |
| Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario |
| Government of Ontario, Labour, Training and Skills Development – Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program |
| Government of Ontario, Ministry of Economic Development, Job Creation, and Trade – Ontario Investment Office |
| Invest Ottawa |
| Kingston Economic Development Corporation |
| London Economic Development Corporation |
| MaRS Discovery District |
| Regional Municipality of Niagara |
| York Region |
| Sarnia-Lambton Economic Partnership |
| Toronto Global |
| Town of Oakville |
| Waterloo Region Economic Development Corporation |
| Invest Windsor Essex |
| Canadian Economic Development for Quebec Regions |
| For other designated referral partners located in Quebec for the Global Talent Stream, employers from Quebec are invited to consult Quebec’s ministère de l’Immigration, de la Francisation et de l’Intégration (MIFI) website (French only). |
| Calgary Economic Development |
| Edmonton Metropolitan Region Economic Development Company a.k.a Edmonton Global |
| Government of Alberta, Alberta Labour and Immigration |
| Accelerate Okanagan |
| BC Tech Association |
| Government of British Columbia, Ministry Municipal Affairs |
| Kootenay Association for Science & Technology |
| Launch Academy |
| Vancouver Economic Commission |
| Venture Kamloops |
| Economic Development Winnipeg |
| Government of Manitoba, Manitoba Education and Training |
| Tech Manitoba |
| Government of Saskatchewan, Ministry of Immigration and Career Training |
| Last updated May 10, 2022 |
|---|
For a person to qualify as unique and specialized talent for Category A of the Global Talent Stream, the talent is indicated by advanced knowledge of the industry, coupled with advanced education and at least 5 years of specialized experience in the field. As well, unique and specialized talent are usually paid a minimum annual salary of at least $80,000 CAD.
Category B
In order to apply for Category B of the Global Talent Stream, employers must be seeking to hire highly-skilled foreign talent to fill positions in occupations found on the Global Talent Occupations List:
Global Talent Occupations List
| National Occupations Classification (NOC) code | Occupation title |
|---|---|
| 20012 | Computer and information systems managers |
| 21300 | Civil engineers |
| 21310 | Electrical and electronics engineers |
| 21330 | Mining engineers |
| 21390 | Aerospace engineers |
| 21311 | Computer engineers (except software engineers and designers) |
| Sub-set of 21210* | Mathematicians and statisticians * Positions for actuaries or related occupations are excluded from this subset. |
| 21211 – Data scientists 21220 – Cybersecurity specialists 21221 – Business system specialists 21222 – Information systems specialists 21233 – Web designers | Information systems analysts and consultants |
| 21211 – Data scientists 21223 – Database analysts and data administrators | Database analysts and data administrators |
| 21231 – Software engineers and designers 21211 – Data scientists | Software engineers and designers |
| 21230 – Computer systems developers and programmers 21232 – Software developers and programmers 21234 – Web developers and programmers | Computer programmers and interactive media developers |
| 21233 – Web designers 21234 – Web developers and programmers | Web designers and developers |
| 22310 | Electrical and electronics engineering technologists and technicians |
| 22220 | Computer network technicians (NOC 2021 occupation: Computer network and web technicians) |
| 22222 | Information systems testing technicians |
| Sub-set of 51120** | Producer, technical, creative and artistic director and project manager – Visual effects and video game |
| Sub-set of 52120*** | Digital media designers |
Employers should note that in order to be eligible, talent must meet both the occupation required as well as the minimum wage requirement.
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.
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.
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.
Labour Market Benefits Plan
All applicants to the Global Talent Stream must work with ESDC to develop a Labour Market Benefits Plan demonstrating a commitment to activities which will positively impact the Canadian labour market. Applicants through Category A must commit to the creation of jobs for Canadian citizens and permanent residents. This job creation can be either direct or indirect. Applicants through Category B must commit to increasing skills and training investments for Canadian citizens and permanent residents.
How much does it cost to come to Canada through the Global Talent Stream?
The total cost of coming to Canada through the Global Talent stream is between $155 – $365 CAD, depending on where you intend to work.
The processing fee for a Global Talent Stream work permit is $155 CAD.
If you will be working in Quebec, you must also pay for the Québec Certificate of Acceptance (CAQ) processing fee of $210 CAD.
The LMIA application fee is $1000 CAD and is the responsibility of the GTS employers.
Global Talent Stream work permit restrictions
Global Talent Stream work permits are closed permits. This means that GTS candidates may only work for the employer indicated on their permit.
Is the Global Talent Stream LMIA-exempt?
The GTS is not LMIA-exempt, but the LMIA process is significantly simplified. GTS employers are not required to provide proof of their efforts to recruit a Canadian citizen or permanent resident. This exemption considerably reduces the burden when submitting an LMIA application.
Can I get permanent residence through the Global Talent Stream?
The Global Talent Stream is a temporary residence program for a Canadian work permit, and not a permanent immigration program.
However, working in Canada can significantly increase one’s chances of becoming eligible for a permanent residence program. To learn more about your options for Canadian permanent residence, complete our free online assessment form today.
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