Global Talent Stream

 

GTS is a two-year pilot program designed to assists certain Canadian employers to hire highly-skilled talent from around the world enabling them to compete on an international scale. Employers who are successfully through the program will be able to expedite the process for hiring foreign nationals through the Global Skills Strategy. This new workstream establishes a two-week standard for the processing of work permit applications (and temporary resident visas, if applicable) for highly skilled talent.

There are two categories under the Global Talent Stream.

– Category A of the Global Talent Stream

In order to apply to category A of the Global Talent Stream, an employer must have been referred to the stream by one of the GTS’s designated partners and be using the stream to hire unique and specialized talent. The following are designated partners of the GTS, authorized to refer employers to Category A:

• Business Development Bank of Canada

• Council of Canadian Innovators

• Global Affairs Canada’s Trade Commissioner Service

• Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada – Accelerated Growth Service

• Invest in Canada

• National Research Council – Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC-IRAP)

• Privy Council Office, Special Projects Team

• TECHNATION

• Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (multiple locations across the region)

• Ignite Fredericton

• Venn Innovation

• Government of New Brunswick – Department of Post-Secondary Education, Training and Labour

• Genesis

• Cape Breton Partnership

• Government of Nova Scotia, Nova Scotia Business Inc.

• Halifax Partnership

• Government of Prince Edward Island, Island Investment Development Inc.

• Burlington Economic Development Corporation

• Invest Brampton

• Invest in Hamilton

• City of Mississauga

• Communitech Corporation

• Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario

• Government of Ontario, Labour, Training and Skills Development – Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program

• Government of Ontario, Ministry of Economic Development, Job Creation, and Trade – Ontario Investment Office

• Invest Ottawa

• Kingston Economic Development Corporation

• London Economic Development Corporation

• MaRS Discovery District

• Regional Municipality of Niagara

• York Region

• Sarnia-Lambton Economic Partnership

• Toronto Global

• Town of Oakville

• Waterloo Region Economic Development Corporation

• Invest Windsor Essex

• Canadian Economic Development for Quebec Regions

• Calgary Economic Development

• Government of Alberta, Alberta Labour and Immigration

• Accelerate Okanagan

• BC Tech Association

• Government of British Columbia, Ministry Municipal Affairs

• Kootenay Association for Science & Technology

• Launch Academy

• Vancouver Economic Commission

• Economic Development Winnipeg

• Government of Manitoba, Manitoba Education and Training

• Tech Manitoba

• Government of Saskatchewan, Ministry of Immigration and Career Training

Employers should note that applications to Category A cannot be processed until ESDC has confirmed that a designated referral partner has submitted a referral vouching for the employer’s legitimacy and eligibility for Category A of the Stream.

– Category B of the Global Talent Stream

In order to apply for Category B of the Global Talent Stream, employers must be seeking to hire highly-skilled foreign talent to fill positions in occupations found on the Global Talent Occupations List.

Global Talent Occupations List

National Occupations Classification (NOC) code	Occupation	Minimum wage requirement (annual salary)	Minimum wage requirement (hourly rate)
0213	Computer and information systems managers	Prevailing wage	Prevailing wage
2147	Computer engineers (except software engineers and designers)	Prevailing wage	Prevailing wage
Sub-set of 2161*	Mathematicians and statisticians * Positions for actuaries or related occupations are excluded from this subset.	Prevailing wage	Prevailing wage
2171	Information systems analysts and consultants	Prevailing wage	Prevailing wage
2172	Database analysts and data administrators	Prevailing wage	Prevailing wage
2173	Software engineers and designers	Prevailing wage	Prevailing wage
2174	Computer programmers and interactive media developers	Prevailing wage	Prevailing wage
2175	Web designers and developers	Prevailing wage	Prevailing wage
2281	Computer network technicians	$82,000 or higher prevailing wage If you are submitting an application from the province of Quebec, consult Quebec’s ministère de l’Immigration, de la Francisation et de l’Intégration (MIFI) website (French only) for wage floors	$39.42 or higher prevailing wage If you are submitting an application from the province of Quebec, consult Quebec’s ministère de l’Immigration, de la Francisation et de l’Intégration (MIFI) website (French only) for wage floors
2283	Information systems testing technicians	$80,000 or higher prevailing wage If you are submitting an application from the province of Quebec, consult Quebec’s ministère de l’Immigration, de la Francisation et de l’Intégration (MIFI) website (French only) for wage floors	$38.46 or higher prevailing wage If you are submitting an application from the province of Quebec, consult Quebec’s ministère de l’Immigration, de la Francisation et de l’Intégration (MIFI) website (French only) for wage floors
Sub-set of 5131**	Producer, technical, creative and artistic director and project manager – Visual effects and video game **The position must require a minimum of 3 years of experience in the visual effects, video game or animation industries in 1 or a combination of the following roles: producer, technical director, creative director, artistic director or project manager, senior coordinator, department manager, with 3 years of job experience in at least 1 or more of the following skills relevant to the visual effects, video game or animation industries: surfacing and look development; character or simulation rigging; matte painting; managing budgets or teams; or technical pipeline development and application for visual effects, video games, or animation production.	$78,000 or higher prevailing wage If you are submitting an application from the province of Quebec, consult Quebec’s ministère de l’Immigration, de la Francisation et de l’Intégration (MIFI) website (French only) for wage floors	$37.50 or higher prevailing wage If you are submitting an application from the province of Quebec, consult Quebec’s ministère de l’Immigration, de la Francisation et de l’Intégration (MIFI) website (French only) for wage floors
Sub-set of 5241***	Digital media designers ***The position must require a minimum of 3 years of job experience in at least 1 of the following digital media design skills: 3D modeling, compositing, paint and roto, layout and match move, digital environment and Matte painting, texture, lighting shading, character effects, effects and simulations, design and scenario, rigging, user interface or user experience, responsive design (for gaming), virtual reality, augmented reality, digital media animation, levels editing for digital media design, software editing for digital media design, pipeline software development or applications relevant for digital media design	$80,000 or higher prevailing wage If you are submitting an application from the province of Quebec, consult Quebec’s ministère de l’Immigration, de la Francisation et de l’Intégration (MIFI) website (French only) for wage floors	$38.46 or higher prevailing wage If you are submitting an application from the province of Quebec, consult Quebec’s ministère de l’Immigration, de la Francisation et de l’Intégration (MIFI) website (French only) for wage floors

Employers should note that in order to be eligible, talent must meet both the occupation required as well as the minimum wage requirement.

If you need more information about this program, please do not hesitate to get in touch today at info@dhunnaimmigration.ca