LMIA – Global Talent Stream
The Global Talent Stream offers timely, responsive and predictable client-focused service to help you access highly-skilled global talent to expand your workforce here in Canada and to be competitive on a global scale.
Overview
Global Talent Stream
In June 2017, the Global Talent Stream was introduced in Canada to provide client-focused, accelerated processing for Canadian employers seeking to bring in foreign nationals for key, in-demand, and high skilled positions, mainly in the technology sector.
The Global Talent Stream is a two year pilot project.
While the Global Talent Stream is a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) application, evidence of recruitment is not required for applications submitted under this Stream.
Two categories of Global Talent Stream
Category A – Designated Partners
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.
Eligibility
In order to be eligible for Category A, a designated referral partner must validate that a company meets the following eligibility criteria at the time of each referral to ESDC:
- is operating in Canada
- has a focus on innovation
- has a willingness, and is capable of growing or scaling up
- is seeking to fill a unique and specialized position in the company, and
- has identified a qualified foreign worker for potential hire into that unique and specialized position
For a person to qualify as unique and specialized talent for Category A, the talent is indicated by advanced knowledge of the industry, along with advanced education and at least 5 years of specialized experience in the field. Unique and specialized talent are usually paid a minimum annual salary of at least $80,000 CAD as well.
there is no set list of occupations.
the Government of Canada anticipates that employers who utilize Category A – Designated Partners, will only hire one or two foreign nationals under this program.
Category B – Global Talent Occupations List
Under Category B, applications will only be accepted by Service Canada/ESDC whereby the position requested to be filled by a foreign worker is listed under the Global Talent Occupations List, and whereby the minimum wage requirement is met.
The positions listed on the Global Talent Occupations List have been deemed to be highly in-demand and therefore there is a known labour shortage in Canada.
The Global Talent Occupations List
- NOC 0213 – Computer and information systems managers
- NOC 2147 – Computer engineers
- 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 – Producer, technical creative and artistic director and project manager – visual effects and video game
- NOC 5241 – Digital media designers
Labour Market Benefits Plan
Employers seeking to hire skilled workers through the Global Talent Stream must work with Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) to develop a Labour Market Benefits Plan. This plan summarizes the positive benefits that foreign talent will bring to the Canadian labour market, and activities that the employer will undergo to encourage job creation, skills and training investments.
Category A employers are required to commit to creating jobs for Canadian citizens and permanent residents. This job creation may be direct or indirect.
Category B employers are required to commit to increasing investments in skills and training for Canadian citizens and permanent residents.