The Global Talent Stream is part of Canada’s Temporary Foreign Worker Program. It establishes a two-week standard for processing of work permit applications for highly skilled talent.
It is one of the pillars of Canada’s Global Skills Strategy, which aims to help innovative companies grow by ensuring they can access the highly skilled talent they need quickly.
There are two categories under the Global Talent Stream.
- Category A: 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.
- Category B: Category B is for employers looking to hire certain highly skilled foreign workers for occupations found on the Global Talent Occupations List, which have been determined to be in-demand and for which there is insufficient domestic labour supply.
Work Permit Exemptions
Under the Global Talent Stream, two new categories of workers are now exempt from the requirement to obtain a work permit.
Highly-skilled workers in skill type 0 or skill level A occupations of the NOC may enter Canada to work for 15 days in a six-month period, or for 30 days in a 12-month period, without obtaining a work permit.
Researchers working on research projects at a publicly-funded degree-granting institution or affiliated research institution may come to Canada for 120 days in a 12-month period, without requiring a work permit.
Designated Referral Partners List for Category A:
- Accelerate Okanagan
- Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency
- BC Tech Association
- Burlington Economic Development Corporation
- Business Development Bank of Canada
- Canadian Economic Development for Quebec Regions
- Cape Breton Partnership
- City of Hamilton’s Economic Development Office
- Communitech Corporation
- Council of Canadian Innovators
- Economic Development Winnipeg
- Edmonton Economic Development
- Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario
- Genesis (Newfoundland)
- Global Affairs Canada’s Trade Commissioner Service
- Government of Alberta, Alberta Labour
- Government of British Columbia, Ministry of Jobs, Trade and Technology
- Government of Manitoba, Manitoba Education and Training
- Government of Nova Scotia, Nova Scotia Business Inc.
- Government of Ontario, Ministry of Economic Development, Job Creation, and Trade – Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program
- Government of Ontario, Ministry of Economic Development, Job Creation, and Trade – Ontario Investment Office
- Government of Prince Edward Island, Island Investment Development Inc.
- Government of Saskatchewan, Ministry of the Economy
- Halifax Partnership
- ICT Association of Manitoba (ICTAM)
- Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada – Accelerated Growth Service
- Invest Ottawa
- Invest in Canada
- Kingston Economic Development Corporation
- Launch Academy
- London Economic Development Corporation
- MaRS Discovery District
- National Research Council – Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC-IRAP)
- Privy Council Office, Special Projects Team
- Regional Municipality of Niagara
- Regional Municipality of York
- Sarnia-Lambton Economic Partnership
- Toronto Global
- Vancouver Economic Commission
- Venn Innovation
- Waterloo Region Economic Development Corporation
- WindsorEssex Economic Development Corporation
Global Talent Occupations List for Category B:
| NOC | Occupation | Minimum hourly rate | Minimum annual salary |
| 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 | $39.42 or higher prevailing wage | $82,000 or higher prevailing wage |
| Sub-set of 5131** | Producer, technical, creative and artistic director and project manager – Visual effects and video game** The position requires a minimum of three years’ industry experience in the visual effects, video game or animation industries in one or a combination of the following roles: producer, technical director, creative director, artistic director or project manager, senior coordinator, department manager, with three years of job experience in at least one 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. | $37.50 or higher prevailing wage | $78,000 or higher prevailing wage |
| Sub-set of 5241*** | Digital Media and Design***The position requires a minimum of three years’ industry experience in at least one 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 | $38.46 or higher prevailing wage | $80,000 or higher prevailing wage |
