The Global Skills Strategy (GSS) features faster application processing times, work permit exemptions and enhanced customer service for the employers who want to attract top talent to work for their company, and they want a fast and predictable process to do this. To help employers find these highly skilled workers faster, Global Skills Strategy (GSS) is introduced.

Foreign nationals eligible for this priority processing must still meet all other eligibility and admissibility requirements, including providing police certificates if required. Eligible applicants must submit all required documents with their application. If they don’t submit the required documents, they will not get the 2-week processing time.

Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA)-exempt workers qualify for 2-week processing of their work permit application if they meet all of these requirements:

• They’re applying from outside Canada.
• Their job is either skill type 0 (managerial) or skill level A (professional) of the National Occupational Classification (NOC).
• The employer has submitted an offer of employment using the Employer Portal and paid the employer compliance fee.

Workers who require an LMIA qualify for 2-week processing if they meet all of these requirements:

• They’re applying from outside Canada.
• The employer has a positive LMIA through the Global Talent Stream of the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (this is on the LMIA decision letter).

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. 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.

Contact us for further information regarding the procedures for application under this stream.