Overview of The Global Talent Stream (GTS)

Are you an IT company seeking to relocate your Human Resources to Canada?  Look no further than Canada’s Global Talent Stream (“GTS”) program, which was created in collaboration with Employment and Social Development Canada (“ESDC”) and Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada  (“IRCC”) in order to address critical shortages in Canada’s labour market while facilitating the expediated entry of qualified foreign skilled workers to Canada.

The GTS program is a two (2) step process:

Step 1:  Submit LMIA application to Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC)

Once an employer has identified the foreign worker they wish to hire; has ensured that the position is listed on the approved list of occupations or one of the exceptions; and is satisfied that the foreign worker holds the required qualifications for the position in Canada, the employer may file an LMIA application with Service Canada.

Processing times for LMIA: Approximately 2-4 weeks under normal circumstances. However, please note that due to COVID-19, processing times under the GTS program have been increased to approximately 4-6 weeks due to reduced processing capacity.

Step 2:  Submit Work Permit Application to IRCC

Provided the LMIA application is approved, the second step in the process is the work permit application.  The work permit application can be submitted either at the border or online, depending on the employee’s nationality.

Processing times for Work Permit Application: Approximately 10-days under normal circumstances for Visa nationals and/or online applications; and no processing time for port of entry applications. However, due to COVID-19, processing times for LMIA-based work permits have increased significantly due to reduced processing capacity.

For additional questions or information on the Global Talent Stream, please contact Marani Law LLP at info@maranilaw.com or (647) 351-7795