What is the Global Talent Stream?

The Global Talent Stream in Canada offers an accelerated pathway for Canadian employers to recruit skilled foreign talent. The Global Talent stream is part of the Global Skills Strategy (GSS), which focuses on assisting employers in Canada in finding skilled foreign workers who can fill critical gaps. Innovative companies can access highly skilled foreign tech talent through the Global Talent stream. Work permits under the GTS are usually processed within 7-14 days. The Global Talent stream has two categories: Category A and Category B.
 

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Categories under the Global Talent stream Canada

Global Talent is segregated into Category A and Category B, wherein Category A is for employers with reference from a designated organization to recruit and hire specialized and skilled talent, while Category B is for Canadian employers who are looking to recruit skilled workers for positions on the Global Talent Occupations List.
 

Global Talent Stream Category A

Category A under the Global Talent stream is for companies referred by at least one of the designated referral partners to hire unique and specialized skilled foreign talent.

To be eligible for Category A under GTS, the referral partner must confirm that the hiring company fulfills the below conditions:

• The company is conducting operations in Canada
• Is focused on innovation
• Has the potential to grow or scale up the firm
• Is looking to fill a specialized or unique position in the company
• Has recognized a qualified Temporary Foreign Worker to hire for the vacant positions

The indicating factors of a unique and specialized position are as follows:

• The minimum hourly pay is $38.46, or an annual income of $80,000, equal to the average wage offered for that occupation.
• Advanced industry knowledge
• Have an advanced degree in any of the specialization areas that are of interest to the employer.
• Have at least 5 years of work experience in the specialized area. 

The table below-designated referral partners for recruiters or employers that are based outside Quebec includes the below list of organizations:
 

Global Talent Stream Category B

Category B of the GTS allows Canadian employers to recruit temporary skilled foreign workers for occupations listed on the ESDC's occupations list. These are in-demand roles facing labour shortages.
 

Global Talent Occupations List

The table below has the Global Talent occupations list for Category B under GTS:
 

Eligibility for Global Talent Stream

To be eligible for Category A and B under the Global Talent Stream (GTS), you must fulfill certain criteria.

You may qualify for Category A of the GTS if you meet the following eligibility criteria:

• You have been referred to the Global Talent Stream by any of the eligible designated referral partners
• You must be hiring a person with unique and specialized skills or talent that can help your business scale up or grow

Note: If the occupation you listed is on the list of global talent occupations, the application will be processed under Category B, provided the requirements are fulfilled.

You may qualify for Category B of the GTS if you meet the following eligibility criteria:

• You are looking to recruit temporary foreign workers who are highly skilled to fill up job positions in in-demand occupations on the Global Talent occupations list.
   

GTS Requirements

The requirements to qualify for the Canada Global Talent Stream (GTS) are as follows:

• Fulfill the eligibility criteria for Category A or Category B. 
• Submit a Labour Market Benefits Plan (LMBP)
• Show recruitment efforts for permanent residents and citizens of Canada.
• Meet the wage requirements.
• Health Insurance
• Job agreement
• Proof of language proficiency (English or French)
   

Wage Requirements for the Global Talent Stream

Make sure the wage offered aligns with the prevailing wages for that occupation.

• The annual salary must be at least $80,000
• The minimum wage for occupations for a highly-skilled position under Category B must be listed on the Global Talent Occupations List.
• The wage must be in the same range that the employer pays for the current employees in the same job location, work experience, and skills.
• The median wage is on Canada’s Job Bank.
   

Labour Market Benefits Plan for the Global Talent Stream in Canada

Canadian employers looking to recruit or hire foreign workers under the Global Talent Stream must coordinate with the ESDC and develop a Labour Market Benefits Plan (LMBP). The LMBP should highlight the positive impact that foreign workers will have on the Canadian labour market, including activities that the employer will conduct to contribute to job creation, investments, and skills training. 

• Employers belonging to Category A must create jobs for Canada PR holders and citizens, either directly or indirectly.
• Employers belonging to Category B must increase investments in the skills and training of Canadian PR holders and citizens.

Along with the above-listed benefits, Canadian employers must stay committed to benefits, including job creation, skills investments or training, and transferring knowledge to Canada PR holders and citizens while boosting the company’s performance.
 

Some of the major activities that must be mentioned in an employer’s LMBP are as follows:
 

• Work on increasing the total number of PR holders and citizens with full-time and part-time job roles by the employer
• Set up or improve partnerships with post-secondary educational institutes at a regional and local level.
• Offer paid internships and co-op programs for local students
• Train the employees in unique and innovative ways
• Offer direct training to Canada PR holders and citizens and assist them in attending industry conferences
• Making sure highly skilled temporary foreign workers mentor and supervise Canadian workers
• Boost the employment and revenue of the company
   

Work Permit Exemptions under GTS

Two new categories of workers under the Global Talent Stream are exempt from requiring a work permit.

The work permit exemptions under GTS are as follows:

• Highly-skilled workers falling in the Skill Level A or Skill Type 0 of the NOC will now be allowed to enter Canada and work either for 15 days in a 6-month timeframe or 30 days in a 12-month timeframe without a work permit.
• Researchers working on a research project in a public-funded institute can come to Canada without a work permit for 120 days in a 12-month timeframe.
   

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How do I apply for the Global Talent stream in Canada?

You can follow the steps below for the Global Talent stream application process:

Step 1: Submission of the LMBP

Employers must submit the Labour Market Benefits Plan (LMBP) to the ESDC (Employment and Social Development Canada) for review.

Step 2: Collect your Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA)

Upon the approval of your LMBP, you will receive a positive LMIA.

Step 3: Arrange the required documents

You must now gather the requirements, including a positive LMIA, employment offer letter, proof of experience, etc.

Step 4: Submit your application online

You can complete the work permit application online and submit it via the official IRCC portal.

Step 5: Submit your biometrics and await the status

The last step would be to submit your biometrics. Once that is done, you can await the status.
 

GTS processing fee

The GTS processing fee is around CAD1,000, while the processing fee for a work permit is CAD155. The biometric fee that the foreign workers must pay costs around CAD85.

The processing fee payment can be made through the following payment modes:

• Visa
• American Express
• MasterCard
• Certified cheque
• Money order
• Bank draft

Note: The processing fee, once paid, cannot be refunded if the application is rejected, withdrawn, or canceled.
 

Global Talent Stream processing time

The processing time for GTS applications takes around 10 days, starting from the application submission date. The processing time for Global Talent stream applications may vary depending on the total number of applications received. In such cases, while the standard time remains 10 days, it may take aroudn7-14 days for applications to process.
 

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