Global Talent Stream
The Global Talent Stream allows certain skilled workers to obtain a work permit within two weeks of applying. It is one of the pillars of Canada’s Global Skills Strategy, which aims to help innovative companies grow by ensuring they can access the highly skilled talent they need quickly.
Among other initiatives, this new work stream establishes a two-week standard for processing of work permit applications (and temporary resident visas, if applicable) for highly skilled talent. The Global Talent Stream is part of Canada’s Temporary Foreign Worker Program.
There are two categories under the Global Talent Stream.
Category A
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.
As of August 13, 2018, the list of designated referral partners for employers located outside Quebec includes the following organizations. This list may be updated periodically.
- Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency
- BC Tech Association
- Business Development Bank of Canada
- Canadian Economic Development for Quebec Regions
- City of Hamilton’s Economic Development Office
- Communitech Corporation
- Council of Canadian Innovators
- Economic Development Winnipeg
- Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario
- 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 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
- ICT Association of Manitoba (ICTAM)
- Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada – Accelerated Growth Service
- Invest Ottawa
- London Economic Development Corporation
- MaRS Discovery District
- National Research Council – Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC-IRAP)
- Ontario Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration
- Ontario Ministry of Economic Development and Growth
- Privy Council Office, Special Projects Team
- Vancouver Economic Commission
- Venn Innovation
- Waterloo Region Economic Development Corporation
Category B
Category B is for employers looking to hire certain highly skilled foreign workers for occupations found on the Global Talent Occupations List, which have been determined to be in-demand and for which there is insufficient domestic labour supply. This list may be updated periodically to respond to labour market needs.
Global Talent Occupations List for Category B
NOC code | Occupation | Minimum hourly rate | Minimum annual salary |
0211 | Engineering managers | n/a | n/a |
0212 | Architecture and Science managers | n/a | n/a |
0213 | Computer and information systems managers | Prevailing wage | Prevailing wage |
2147 | Computer engineers (except software engineers and designers) | Prevailing wage | Prevailing wage |
Sub-set of 2161* | Mathematicians and statisticians |