The Global Talent Stream provides a responsive, predictable, timely (10 business days 80% of the time), client-focused service that aims at helping companies access highly skilled global talent to expand their workforce in Canada and compete globally.

This Stream, which is a part of the Temporary Foreign Worker Program, is designed for innovative firms in Canada that are referred to Employment and Social Development Canada by a designated referral partner and that need unique and specialized foreign nationals in order to scale-up and grow. It is also intended for firms in Canada that need to fill an in-demand highly-skilled position on the Global Talent Occupations List.

• If you hire a worker through the Global Talent Stream, you must develop a Labour Market Benefits Plan that demonstrates your employer-specific commitment to activities that will have lasting, positive impacts on the Canadian labour market. Progress Reviews of your Plan will be conducted annually to assess how well you are meeting your commitments.
• Progress Reviews of your Labour Market Benefits Plan as a Global Talent Stream employer are separate and distinct from all compliance-related activities conducted under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program.

As of April 4, 2022, employers submitting an LMIA application for a high-wage position may request an employment duration of up to 3 years. The employment duration must align with the employer’s reasonable employment needs. (High-wage positions include the Global Talent Stream, High-wage Stream including caregiver positions, Agricultural Stream and Express Entry). The duration may be issued for longer in exceptional circumstances whereby the employer provides an adequate rationale.

This component is carried out under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program. There are 2 components namely A and B.

Labour Market Benefits Plan

You are required to work with Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) to develop a Labour Market Benefits Plan that demonstrates your commitment to activities that will have lasting, positive impacts on the Canadian labour market.

A Labour Market Benefits Plan will help you and the Government of Canada identify and track your overall job creation, skills and training investments that will benefit the Canadian economy through your employment of highly-skilled global talent.

The commitments in your Labour Market Benefits Plan will be divided into mandatory and complementary benefits.

If you have been referred by 1 of the Global Talent Stream’s designated partners and are seeking to hire unique and specialized talent (Category A), you must commit to creating jobs for Canadians and permanent residents as your mandatory benefit.

If you are an employer in Canada seeking to hire highly-skilled foreign workers to fill positions in occupations on the Global Talent Occupations List (Category B), you must commit to increasing skills and training investments for Canadians and permanent residents as your mandatory benefit.

Eligibility criterias

Category A

To be eligible for Category A, a designated referral partner must make sure that the business meets the following eligibility criteria when submitting a referral to ESDC:

• operates in Canada;
• is innovative;
• has the will and the capacity to grow or expand;
• seeks to fill a unique and specialized position within the company; and
• has identified a qualified foreign worker able to take on the unique and specialized position.

A unique and specialized position is demonstrated by:

• a salary of at least $ 38.46 per hour (annual base salary of $ 80,000) or a salary equivalent to the current salary for this occupation, whichever is higher. The base salary offered must at least be equal to the hourly and annual rates required; and
• an in-depth knowledge of the industry; and
• an advanced studies diploma in a field of specialization relevant to the employer; and or
• a minimum of 5 years of experience in a specialized field.

Category B

Under Category B of the Global Talent Stream, employers must hire highly skilled foreign workers to fill positions for occupations on the list of occupations requiring global talent. These professions were identified as being in demand and for which the supply on the domestic market is considered insufficient.

For Category B of the Global Talent Stream, applications will be accepted from firms in Canada that need to hire highly skilled foreign workers for occupations found on ESDC’s Global Talent Occupations List, which have been determined to be in-demand and for which there is insufficient domestic labour supply.

For occupations with wage floors, note that employers must offer the hourly wage rate at minimum. Annual wage floors are provided for illustrative purposes only.

See occupations list.