Immigration to Canada through the Global Talent Stream

The Global Talent Stream (GTS) is a part of the Temporary Foreign Worker Program designed to attract highly skilled professionals to innovative Canadian companies. It speeds up the work permit process for these specialists.

Program Features

The Global Talent Stream is for employers looking to hire foreign workers with unique skills and highly qualified professionals in high-demand occupations. Employers wanting to hire through GTS must work with Employment and Social Development Canada to develop a Labour Market Benefits Plan.

The Global Talent Stream has two categories for Canadian employers to apply through.

Category A

Category A is for employers who have been referred by one of the designated GTS partners and want to hire employees with unique or specialized skills. These specialists play a key role in the employer's business growth and scaling. The list of designated partners includes dozens of organizations across Canada.

Main requirements:

• The salary for a unique foreign specialist must be at least $80,000 CAD per year, or $38.46 CAD per hour for the first two positions requested by the employer in a calendar year;
• For subsequent positions, the salary must be at least $150,000 CAD per year, or $72.11 CAD per hour;
• The specialist must have advanced knowledge in their field, hold an advanced degree, or have at least 5 years of experience in a specialized area.

Category B

Category B is suitable for employers who want to hire highly skilled workers in specific occupations. The list may be updated periodically based on labor market needs.

In 2024, the list includes the following occupations:

• Computer and information systems managers
• Civil engineers
• Electrical and electronics engineers
• Mining engineers
• Aerospace engineers
• Computer engineers
• Mathematicians and statisticians
• Data scientists
• Cybersecurity specialists
• Business systems specialists
• Information systems specialists
• Data specialists
• Web designers
• Database analysts and data administrators
• Software engineers and designers
• Computer systems developers and programmers
• Software developers and programmers
• Web developers and programmers
• Electrical and electronics engineering technologists and technicians
• Computer network technicians
• Information systems testing technicians
• Producers, directors, choreographers, and related occupations
• Digital media designers

How to Apply

Foreign workers cannot apply directly to the Global Talent Stream. Canadian employers must submit the application, providing details of the foreign specialist they wish to hire. This means that if you want to get a work permit through GTS, you must first receive a job offer from a Canadian employer eligible for the program.

Employer applications are typically processed within 10 business days. If approved, the employer receives a positive Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA), allowing the foreign worker to apply for a work permit. Work permit applications through the Global Talent Stream are also eligible for expedited processing (averaging 10 business days).

Spouses/partners and children of foreign specialists are also eligible for 2-week application processing. This applies to visitor visas, work permits, and study permits. Family members of foreign specialists should apply at the same time as the principal foreign specialist's application.