Global Talent Stream (GTS)

This stream is designed for innovative firms in Canada that are referred to Employment and Social Development Canada by a designated referral partner and that need unique and specialized foreign nationals to scale-up and grow. The list of designated referral partners for the Global Talent Stream includes the following organizations (as of July 2020):

• Business Development Bank of Canada
• Council of Canadian Innovator
• 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

The Atlantic Region

• Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency(multiple locations across the region)

New Brunswick

• Ignite Fredericton
• Venn Innovation

Newfoundland and Labrador

• Genesis

Nova Scotia

• Cape Breton Partnership
• Government of Nova Scotia, Nova Scotia Business Inc.
• Halifax Partnership

• Government of Prince Edward Island, Island Investment Development Inc.

Ontario

• Burlington Economic Development Corporation
• City of Brampton
• City of Hamilton’s Economic Development Office
• City of Mississauga
• Communitech Corporation
• Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario
• 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
• Invest Ottawa
• Kingston Economic Development Corporation
• London Economic Development Corporation
• MaRS Discovery District
• Regional Municipality of Niagara
• Regional Municipality of York
• Sarnia-Lambton Economic Partnership
• Toronto Global
• Town of Oakville
• Waterloo Region Economic Development Corporation
• Windsor Essex Economic Development Corporation

Quebec

• Canadian Economic Development for Quebec Regions

Alberta

• Calgary Economic Development
• Government of Alberta, Alberta Labour and Immigration

British Columbia

• Accelerate Okanagan
• BC Tech Association
• Government of British Columbia, Ministry of Jobs, Trade and Technology
• Kootenay Association for Science & Technology
• Launch Academy
• Vancouver Economic Commission

Manitoba

• Economic Development Winnipeg
• Government of Manitoba, Manitoba Education and Training
• Tech Manitoba

Saskatchewan

• Government of Saskatchewan, Ministry of the Economy

• The company must be operating in Canada.
• The company has a focus on innovation.
• The company has a willingness and is capable of growing or scaling up.
• The company is seeking to fill a unique and specialized position, and
• Has identified a qualified foreign worker for potential hire into that unique and specialized position.

A unique and specialized position is indicated by

• At least $38.46 per hour ($80,000 annual base salary), or equivalent to the prevailing wage for the occupation if it is higher. Note that employers must offer the equivalent of both the hourly wage rate and annual base salary at minimum, and
• Advanced knowledge of the industry, and
• Advanced degree in an area of specialization of interest to the employer, and/or
• Minimum of 5 years of experience in the field of specialized experience.

In general, an innovative company that is eligible to be referred to Category A should also be seeking to fill a very limited number of unique and specialized positions (for example, 1 or 2 positions per year) on the basis that very few specialized individuals exist with the unique skill-set required for the positions being requested under Category A of the Global Talent Stream.

In certain exceptional circumstances, ESDC may consider accepting more than 2 referrals for an innovative company per calendar year (resetting on January 1) to Category A provided the company has been successful in meeting its Labour Market Benefits Plan commitments to date under the Global Talent Stream. The circumstances under which multiple referrals to Category A (in other words, more than 2 referrals) could be accepted are outlined below:

• For each additional position requested by the innovative company to Category A, the designated referral partner has reconfirmed to ESDC that the employer meets the eligibility criteria for Category A and has also provided its assessment of the additional unique and specialized position being requested, and
• The annual wage for the additional position being requested by the innovative company under Category A per calendar year, is at least $72.11 CAD per hour ($150,000 CAD annual base salary), or equivalent to the prevailing wage for that occupation if it is higher. Note that employers must offer the equivalent of both the hourly wage rate and annual base salary at minimum. There is no flexibility in the application of the wage requirement for additional positions being requested under Category A

This stream is designed for Canadian companies who wants to hire highly skilled foreign workers for occupations found on ESDC’s Global Talent Occupations List, which have been determined to be in-demand and for which there is insufficient domestic labour supply.

• Computer and information systems managers (0213)
• Computer engineers (except software engineers and designers) (2147)
• Mathematicians and statisticians (2161)
• Information systems analysts and consultants (2171)
• Database analysts and data administrators (2172)
• Software engineers and designers (2173)
• Computer programmers and interactive media developers (2174)
• Web designers and developers (2175)
• Computer network technicians (2281)
• Information systems testing technicians (2283)
• Producer, technical, creative and artistic director and project manager – Visual effects and video game (5131)
• Digital media designers (5241)

• The LMIA rules, regulations and requirements are subject to frequent changes. These changes deal with different categories of jobs, duration, exemptions etc. Continuous research, attention to detail and painstaking hard work is required to obtain a positive LMIA. We help in assessment of our client’s profile and advice them on their eligibility to get an LMIA.
• We also assist our clients/employers with the advertisement posting.
• We help Canadian employers for applying Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) application and legally representing them before ESDC during the procedure