November 24, 2017

The Global Talent Stream Facilitates Entry of High-Skilled Foreign Workers

Posted by Legal Team - Bellissimo Law Group PC

The Global Talent Stream provides Canadian employers with expedited access to global workers with specialized talent. The Global Talent Stream is part of the Global Skills Strategy implemented in June, 2017 and became available to employers in Quebec in September, 2017.  Since its launch, the Global Talent Stream is estimated to have brought in over 1,600 workers.

Employers are required to pay a $1,000 CAD fee per position and work with ESDC to develop a labour market benefits plan, which demonstrates their commitment to activities that will have lasting, positive impacts on the Canadian labour market.

The standard processing time for a positive Labour Market Impact Assessment from ESDC is 10 days, while the processing time to obtain a work permit from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) is an additional 10 days. Employers are not required to complete the minimum recruitment requirements or provide a transition plan, which are typically needed to obtain a positive LMIA.

There are two categories under the Global Talent Stream:

  1. Category A: Applies to employers who were referred to the Global Talent Stream by one of ESDC’s designated partners AND who are hiring specialized talent to grow. The list of designated partners includes the following organizations:
  • Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency
  • BC Tech Association
  • Business Development Bank of Canada
  • Communitech Corporation
  • Council of Canadian Innovators
  • Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario
  • Global Affairs Canada’s Trade Commissioner Service
  • Government of Alberta, Alberta Labour
  • Government of Manitoba, Manitoba Education and Training
  • Government of Prince Edward Island, Island Investment Development Inc.
  • ICT Association of Manitoba (ICTAM)
  • Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada – Accelerated Growth Service
  • Invest Ottawa
  • 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

Quebec designated partners include the following:

  • Investissement Quebec
  • Montréal International
  • Quebec International
  1. Category B: Applies to employers seeking to hire highly skilled foreign workers to fill positions in occupations found on the Global Talent Occupations List:
  • NOC 0213 – Computer and information systems managers
  • NOC 2147 – computer engineers (except software engineers and designers)
  • NOC 2171 – Information systems analysts and consultants
  • NOC 2172 – Database analysts and data administrators
  • NOC 2173 – Software engineers and designers
  • NOC 2174 – Computer programmers and interactive media developers
  • NOC 2175 – Web designers and developers
  • NOC 2241 – Electrical and electronics engineering technologists and technicians
  • NOC 2283 – Information systems testing technicians
  • NOC 5131 (subset) – Producer, technical, creative and artistic director and project manager: Visual effects and video game (positions requiring a minimum of five years’ industry experience)
  • NOC 5241 (subset) – Digital media designers (positions requiring a minimum of five years’ industry experience in one of the specified skills)

For more information on The Global Talent Stream, please contact us.