How can I quickly bring in foreign workers for my Canadian company? What is Global Talent Stream (GTS)?

Employers qualifying under Global Talent Stream (GTS) benefit from highly expedited processing for bringing in a foreign worker to Canada:

• The Labor Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) application is processed within 10 business days.
• Once the LMIA is obtained, the employee’s work permit application is also processed within 10 business days.
• The employer is exempt from the “recruitment requirement,” which means employers are not required to post job advertisements for a certain period of time to test the Canadian labor market before applying for the LMIA for permission to bring in the foreign worker.

Note: As a threshold matter, before looking into the GTS option, employers should first ask whether an LMIA is even necessary. For example, employers with corporate branches established outside of Canada can also use the intracompany transferee category to bring in certain types of employees to a Canadian branch, which does not require an LMIA.

GTS can be a great option for two types of work arrangements:

• Category A, where an employer is engaged in an innovative business in Canada with high growth potential and requires a worker with a relevant advanced degree (or 5+ years of specialized experience) to fill a “unique and specialized role” in any field related to the business; and
• Category B, where any employer seeks to bring in an employee in designated high-demand occupations (“Global Talent Occupations List”), which is currently limited to computer-related occupations such as engineers, software developers, web designers, IT specialists, game developers. See below for a more detailed discussion of each.

An employer does not need to obtain a referral to benefit from Category B GTS classification. As long as the position offered is in one of the “Global Talent Occupations List” categories and meets the prevailing wage requirements for that region, the employer can go ahead and apply for the LMIA and benefit from expedited processing.

The eligible occupations as of the date of writing are listed below:

• NOC 20012 – Computer and Information Systems Managers
• NOC 21300 – Civil Engineers
• NOC 21310 – Electrical and Electronics Engineers
• NOC 21330 – Mining Engineers
• NOC 21390 – Aerospace Engineers
• NOC 21311 – Computer Engineers
• NOC 21210 – Mathematicians and statisticians (except actuaries)
• NOC 21211 – Data scientists
• NOC 21220 – Cybersecurity specialists
• NOC 21221 – Business System Specialists
• NOC 21222 – Information Systems Specialists
• NOC 21233 – Web Designers
• NOC 21223 – Database analysts and data administrators
• NOC 21231 – Software engineers and designers
• NOC 21230 – Computer Systems developers and programmers
• NOC 21232 – Software developers and programmers
• NOC 21234 – Web developers and programmers
• NOC 22310 – Electrical and electronics engineering technologists and technicians
• NOC 22220 – Computer network technicians
• NOC 22222 – Information systems testing technicians
• NOC 51120 – Visual effects/video game producer, director, project manager with a minimum of 3 years of experience in specified skills
• NOC 52120 – Digital media designers with a minimum of 3 years of experience in specified skills

With the benefits of the GTS, important requirements for compliance also attach. Employers are required to submit a Labour Market Benefits Plan, proposing certain initiatives to positively impact the Canadian labour market, and commit to following through with such initiatives.

• Category A employers must commit to creating jobs for Canadians and permanent residents.
• Category B employers must commit to increasing skills and training investments for Canadians and permanent residents.

• In addition to the mandatory benefits, each employer must commit to at least 2 complementary benefits with at least 1 committed activity for each benefit.
• Complementary benefits may include:
  • Job creation
  • Investment in skills and training
  • Transferring knowledge to Canadians and permanent residents
  • Enhanced company performance
  • Implementing best practices or policies to your workforce

Employers are asked to complete a Progress Review each year with respect to their actions taken pursuant to the Plan, and may be asked to update or make additions to their Labour Market Benefits Plan when submitting additional applications under the Global Talent Stream.

GTS is a great way for employers to quickly bring in talented foreign workers to support their innovative businesses or to fill positions in computer and engineering-related occupations specified in the Global Talent Occupations List. GTS LMIA and work permit applications are each processed on an expedited basis within 10 business days.