The Global Talent Stream was deployed to ensure that Canada’s highly innovative as well as high-growth companies have access to global talent, as and when they need it. Though the global talent stream, Canadian work permits are issued to certain category of skilled workers in 2 weeks’ time.

The participants (employers) of the Global Talent Stream of Canada’s Temporary Foreign Work Program (TFWP) are classified into 2. They are:

1. Category A of the Global Talent Stream
2. Category B of the Global Talent Stream

Category A of the Global Talent Stream

Under this category, high performing companies in shortage of skilled talent need to satisfy 2 conditions to take part effectively. They are:

1. The employer need to be designated by one of the stream’s designated partners; AND
2. The employer must be hiring for unique and specialized talent.

Below is the list of designated referral partners (as of 21 March 2018) applicable to Category A of the Global Talent Stream:

• Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency
• BC Tech Association
• Business Development Bank of Canada
• Canadian Economic Development for Quebec Regions
• City of Hamilton's Economic Development Office
• Communitech Corporation
• Council of Canadian Innovators
• Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario
• 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 Prince Edward Island, Island Investment Development Inc.
• Government of Saskatchewan, Ministry of the Economy
• Halifax Regional Business and Community Economic Development Association
• ICT Association of Manitoba (ICTAM)
• Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada - Accelerated Growth Service
• Invest Ottawa
• London Economic Development Corporation
• MaRS Discovery District
• National Research Council - Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC-IRAP)
• Ontario Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration
• Ontario Ministry of Economic Development and Growth
• Privy Council Office, Special Projects Team
• Vancouver Economic Commission
• Venn Innovation

Note: This list will be updated here in this section periodically. The above collation is as of 21 March 2018.

Category B of the Global Talent Stream

Under Category B of the Global Talent Stream, a referral from the above referral partners is not required. Instead under this category, the employer may hire a person if the occupation to which the person is being hired falls under any one of the listed occupations in the Global Talent Occupations (GTO) list. The latest version (as of 21 March 2018) of the Global Talent Occupations (GTO) list has been given below. The list is maintained and updated periodically by Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC):

  *Prevailing wage: Prevailing wage is defined as the highest of the below 3:

• The minimum wage floor exhibited in the GTS occupations list, if applicable;
• The exact same wage-range an employer in that specific region or location would pay to the current employees with compatible work experience and skill-set;
• The median wage for the job in the specific region or location as defined in Canada’s job bank.

Compliance: Categories A & B 

Both Category A as well as Category B employers or companies are required to comply with the minimum wage requirements of skilled workers they are hiring through the Global Talent Stream (GTS).