Workers with advanced skills are crucial to a successful business. They help with things like hiring people and teaching them new things. However, they are notoriously difficult to obtain. To fill positions in highly specialized areas like engineering and technology where they can’t find qualified Canadian candidates, companies in Canada often look to the Global Talent Stream (GTS) to hire international workers. In addition, the GTS makes it possible to acquire a Canadian work visa in as little as two weeks for these employees.

Just what is the GTS, or the Global Stream of Talent?

In 2017, the GTS—Global Skills Strategy—was launched. When there is a shortage of qualified candidates among Canadian citizens and permanent residents, the Specialized Occupation Stream enables Canadian companies to quickly bring in foreign employees to fill those positions. It was reported in June 2019 that nearly 40,000 international employees entered Canada through the GTS in its first two years. More than 1,100 companies in Canada have used the pipeline to bring in skilled employees from other countries.

How Do You Apply For the GTS?

The World’s Workers Evaluate Your Capabilities

Keep in mind that only Canadian companies can submit applications to the GTS on your behalf. To employ foreign workers who meet GTS eligibility requirements, they must first file for designation and receive a labor market effect evaluation from the GTS. The first thing to do is see if you meet the requirements for a highly qualified worker in Category A or Category B below. 

Acquire Employment

To be eligible for the GTS, you need to secure an employment contract from a company in Canada that falls into either Category A or Category B.

Submitting an Application for a Work Permit in Canada 

Your company will provide you with a copy of the LMIA, which you will need to include in your application for a work visa. Additional requirements include a proof of successful completion of a criminal background check and a physical examination. If you apply for a work visa to Canada, it can be completed in as little as 10 business days, and you could be working there in no time at all! Your husband, common-law partner, and any children under the age of 18 who are applying for a work permit, student visa, or tourist visa under your sponsorship may also be eligible for expedited visa processing.

GTS Groupings for Canadian Companies

Conversely, forward-thinking businesses can only recruit foreign nationals if they fall into one of two GTS Categories. The application must include data about the business, the overseas worker, and the employment offer, including salary and perks.

Plan for Gaining Benefits in the Labour Market

All first-time GTS applicants must also file a Labour Market Benefits Plan to show how hiring a highly qualified foreign worker will help the Canadian labor market. This is because the GTS is part of the Temporary Foreign Worker Program. Each non-American must pay $1,000 to cover the cost of completing their registration.

The GTS: How Does It Operate?

There are two groups within the GTS. Employers can learn about the types of foreign employees they can recruit and the pay they can anticipate by perusing the classifications provided by the Global Talent Stream (GTS).

Referral from a Designated Partner (Category A)

In order to qualify under this group, Canadian companies seeking to hire exceptional individuals must do so through a referral from a GTS partner company. Exactly what kinds of skills do we deem exceptional and rare? A doctorate degree or five years of experience in a specialized field are both acceptable alternatives to show advanced knowledge in the industry and qualify for the minimal yearly salary of CAD $80,000 required for hiring foreign employees. (or higher if the annual prevailing salary for the occupation is above this level).

If a company discovers a qualified applicant they want to recruit, they should call one of the approved referral partners in their field from the list above to vouch for the candidate. The appointed referral partner will investigate whether or not the company values invention and has room to develop.