Last Updated On 14 February 2023, 8:48 AM EST (Toronto Time)

The Global Talent Stream (GTS) is the fastest immigration path for the workers of eligible employers who want to move to Canada.

The processing time for GTS work permits is only two weeks.

What is it?

The Global Talent System allows eligible Canadian employers to hire foreign talent to meet the growing demand for highly skilled workers.

The program was first introduced in June 2017 as a partnership between Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) and Employment and Social Development Canada(ESDC)

And ever since, it has allowed thousands of skilled workers to move to Canada, and many more are expected to come in the future.

These applications are processed under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) category.

TFWP is a category that allows newcomers to come to Canada to meet Canada’s specific labor needs. GTS is a part of TFWP, that allows highly skilled foreign workers, especially those in the field of engineering or technology, to come and work in Canada

Here Are Canada Work Permit Options Without an LMIA

Requirements For Canada GTS

The Temporary Foreign Worker Program makes use of the Labour Market Impact Assessments (LMIAs).

This is to decide if a Canadian employer is eligible to hire a worker from outside of Canada.

LMIA documents determine whether a Canadian position can be filled by inland talent or a foreign talent is required to fill the position.

Who is Eligible?

To be eligible for GTS, your LMIA providing Canadian employer should fit either of the categories—

Category A—To be eligible to apply for Category A of the GTS, the Canadian employer must be referred by one of the GTS’s designated partners.

And, be hiring someone with advanced knowledge or a degree in their industry OR having 5 years of experience in the industry and having a position with a minimum salary of $80,000 or more.

Click here for list of designated partners.

Category A is the less common route. Employers under this category will need to show how would they be increasing the job creation in the Canadian market.

Category B— To be eligible to apply for Category B of the GTS, the employers must want to hire high skilled foreign talent to fill the in-demand positions in occupations of the Global Talent Occupations List.

Click here for list of occupations.

No kind of referral is required for this category. Also, the job position must pay a salary at least equal to or more than the prevailing wage for that position.

Employers under this category need to show how would they increase skills and training investment for Canadians.

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What is the Process?

There is an application form that needs to be filled out and submitted. This form is available on the webpage and can be submitted either online, by mail, or by fax.

The form consists of information about the foreign worker, their employer, the job letter, the salary, and other benefits.

Any employer that is applying for the first time to GTS, needs to submit a Labour Market Benefits Plan.

This plan basically shows how hiring a foreign worker would help the Canadian labor market.

The processing fee for a GTS application is $1000 CAD, non-refundable.

This can be paid by Visa, MasterCard, certified cheque, American Express, money order, or bank draft.

This fee cannot be paid or recovered from temporary foreign workers.

Any applicant whose employer’s application is approved will receive an LMIA.

This LMIA can be used to apply for a Canadian work permit. And, it is processed in approximately 10 business days.