What is the Global Talent Stream?
The Global Talent Stream (GTS) is the fast lane of Canada’s Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) process. It lets Canadian employers hire highly skilled foreign workers in weeks instead of months.
Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) runs the LMIA part. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) then issues the work permit under the Global Skills Strategy. Unlike a regular LMIA, you don’t have to advertise the job in Canada first.
Key takeaway
GTS is fast, but it is not light. You trade the job ad for a binding Labour Market Benefits Plan that ESDC checks every year. Choose the right category and set commitments your business can actually meet.
Category A or Category B: which GTS category fits your hire?
There are only two GTS categories. If the job is on the Global Talent Occupations List, ESDC processes it under Category B. Category A is for unique, specialized roles at innovative companies that are referred by a designated partner.
| Feature | Category A | Category B |
|---|---|---|
| Who it is for | Innovative companies hiring unique and specialized talent to scale up | Any employer hiring for an occupation on the Global Talent Occupations List |
| Referral needed | Yes, from a designated referral partner | No |
| Number of positions | Usually 1 or 2 per calendar year | No set limit |
| Minimum wage | $80,000 for the first 2 positions a year; $150,000 after that (or the prevailing wage, if higher) | Prevailing wage, or the occupation’s wage floor if it has one |
| Mandatory LMBP benefit | Create jobs for Canadians and permanent residents | Invest in skills and training for Canadians and permanent residents |
Worth knowing
ESDC may accept more than two Category A positions in a calendar year only in exceptional cases, and only if you have met your Labour Market Benefits Plan commitments so far. ESDC updates its list of designated referral partners; check the current list on the ESDC Global Talent Stream page before you approach one.
Which occupations are on the Global Talent Occupations List?
Category B covers 22 in-demand occupations, most of them in technology and engineering. Most pay the prevailing wage; five carry a set wage floor that you must meet or beat.
Prevailing wage applies to all of these:
- 20012 Computer and information systems managers
- 21210 Mathematicians and statisticians (not actuaries)
- 21211 Data scientists
- 21220 Cybersecurity specialists
- 21221 Business systems specialists
- 21222 Information systems specialists
- 21223 Database analysts and data administrators
- 21230 Computer systems developers and programmers
- 21231 Software engineers and designers
- 21232 Software developers and programmers
- 21233 Web designers
- 21234 Web developers and programmers
Prevailing wage applies to all of these:
- 21300 Civil engineers
- 21310 Electrical and electronics engineers
- 21311 Computer engineers (except software engineers and designers)
- 21330 Mining engineers
- 21390 Aerospace engineers
These roles have a wage floor (or the prevailing wage, if higher):
- 22220 Computer network and web technicians: $40.87/hour (about $85,000 a year)
- 22222 Information systems testing technicians: $41.03/hour (about $85,000 a year)
- 22310 Electrical and electronics engineering technologists and technicians: $41.35/hour (about $86,000 a year)
These roles have a wage floor (or the prevailing wage, if higher) and require specialized experience:
- 51120 (subset) Producer, technical, creative and artistic director and project manager in visual effects and video games: $40.87/hour (about $85,000 a year). Requires 3 years in a listed management role plus 3 years of listed visual effects, video game or animation skills.
- 52120 (subset) Digital media designers: $38.46/hour (about $80,000 a year). Requires at least 3 years of listed digital media design experience.
ESDC last updated this list in December 2022, and the hourly rate is the binding floor. Always confirm the current occupations and wage floors on the official ESDC list before you apply. Quebec employers should check wage floors with the MIFI.
What are the Global Talent Stream eligibility requirements?
ESDC looks at three things: your business, the position and the worker. All three must pass.
Every GTS employer must:
- Be a business operating in Canada that provides a good or service
- Show the job offer is genuine and fits the reasonable needs of the business
- Have the money to pay the wage for the whole job
- Not be on the list of employers banned from the Temporary Foreign Worker Program
Category A only: focus on innovation, show you are willing and able to grow, and get a referral from a designated partner.
- Category A: a highly skilled role that is unique and specialized to your business
- Category B: one of the occupations on the Global Talent Occupations List
- Pay at least the prevailing wage, and any Category A minimum or Category B floor
- English or French as the job language, unless you can justify another language
- Up to 3 years of employment, explained by your business needs
- Education and experience that match the job requirements
- Category A: usually an advanced degree in the specialty and/or at least 5 years of specialized experience
- Admissible to Canada (no criminal, medical or security issues)
- Meets IRCC’s general work permit requirements
What wage must you pay a GTS worker?
You must pay the prevailing wage. That is the highest of three numbers: the Job Bank median wage for the occupation and region, the wage range you pay Canadians in the same job and location, and any GTS minimum or floor. Check medians on Job Bank.
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Category A, first 2 positions each calendar year
At least $38.46 per hour (about $80,000 a year), or the prevailing wage if higher.
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Category A, each position after the first 2
At least $72.11 per hour (about $150,000 a year), or the prevailing wage if higher.
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Category B occupations with a wage floor
Five occupations have a floor of $38.46 to $41.35 per hour. All others: the prevailing wage.
Example
You employ 10 developers in Toronto earning $100,000 to $150,000. Your GTS hire must be paid within that range, even if the Job Bank median is lower. Read more about the High-Wage LMIA.
How long does the Global Talent Stream take?
ESDC’s service standard is 10 business days for a GTS LMIA, met 80% of the time. IRCC’s target for the work permit is 2 weeks, also 80% of the time. ESDC’s published monthly averages in 2026 have been about 8 to 10 business days for GTS, compared with 60+ business days for a regular high-wage LMIA.
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1
Confirm the category
Check the occupation list. For Category A, get your referral from a designated partner.
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2
Build the file
Prepare the online LMIA, supporting documents and your Labour Market Benefits Plan. You can apply up to 6 months before the start date.
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3
ESDC decision
Target: 10 business days. An ESDC officer usually calls to discuss the job and your benefits plan.
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4
Work permit
The worker applies within the 6-month LMIA validity. IRCC targets 2 weeks for complete applications.
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5
Annual review
ESDC checks your progress on the benefits plan about every 12 months.
Worth knowing
Times are targets, not guarantees. Missing documents, a weak benefits plan or a slow referral can add weeks. The 2-week work permit target also covers a spouse and dependent children who apply at the same time as the worker.
How much does a GTS hire cost?
Government fees are modest. The bigger investment is the wage and the benefits plan commitments.
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LMIA processing fee: $1,000 per position
Paid by the employer. Generally non-refundable, and you can’t recover it from the worker.
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Work permit: $155 plus $85 biometrics
Paid by the worker (IRCC fees). Family members pay their own fees.
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Private emergency health insurance
You must pay for it from the worker’s first day until provincial or territorial coverage starts. You can’t recover the cost from the worker.
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Labour Market Benefits Plan activities
Hiring, training or other commitments you make in the plan.
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Professional fees
Legal fees are separate and depend on the category and complexity.
What is a Labour Market Benefits Plan (LMBP)?
The LMBP is your promise to leave a lasting benefit for Canadian workers in return for fast processing. Every plan has one mandatory benefit plus at least two complementary benefits, each with at least one measurable activity.
Complementary benefits can include extra job creation, training, knowledge transfer to Canadian staff, partnerships with schools or groups that are under-represented in the workforce, and growth in company performance.
Category A: job creation
What you commit to
Creating jobs for Canadian citizens and permanent residents, directly or indirectly.
Make it measurable
State how many full-time jobs you will create in each year of the worker’s employment.
Category B: skills and training
What you commit to
Increasing skills and training investments for Canadian citizens and permanent residents.
Make it measurable
State the dollar amount or number of people trained in each year.
For a 3-year permit, break the commitment down by year:
- Year 1: hire 2 additional full-time Canadian citizens or permanent residents
- Year 2: hire 3 more
- Year 3: hire 4 more
These numbers are only an example. There is no set minimum; ESDC wants targets that fit your business plan.
- Year 1: invest $5,000 in specialized training for Canadian employees
- Year 2: invest $6,000
- Year 3: invest $7,000
Again, there is no set minimum. Pick amounts your budget can carry for the full period.
Keep a separate LMBP log so you can answer ESDC quickly. For each activity, record:
- The Canadian employee’s initials and status (citizen or permanent resident)
- The activity name, date and result
- For hires: the signed offer letter and proof of status
- For training: receipts and attendee sign-in sheets
Contact ESDC early to discuss changing the plan. Unmet commitments can affect your future GTS applications. Keep delivering the plan for the full period, even if the worker becomes a permanent resident.
What documents does ESDC need for a GTS application?
You apply online through LMIA Online, using an employer Job Bank account. ESDC needs proof that your business is real and that you can pay the wage.
- A valid municipal, provincial or territorial business licence
- Your most recent T4 Summary
- Your most recent PD7A statement of account for source deductions
- An attestation from a lawyer or Chartered Professional Accountant in good standing confirming your business activity
- Most recent T2 Schedule 100 (balance sheet) and Schedule 125 (income statement)
- Most recent T2125, T2042 or T3010, depending on your business type
- T4s or 6 weeks of payroll records, if the worker already works for you
- An attestation from a lawyer or CPA confirming good financial standing
- Business details: main activity, start date, address, number of employees and revenue
- A primary contact who knows the file and can take ESDC’s call
- Job title, NOC code, duties, wage, benefits, vacation and work location
- Requested duration (up to 3 years) and why
- Language, education and experience requirements that match the job
- Any past efforts to recruit Canadians
- Your Labour Market Benefits Plan and the $1,000 fee
- Have the person most involved in hiring register the Job Bank account, and store the login details securely for future applications
- Prepare the LMBP before you file rather than drafting it during the officer’s call
- Keep job requirements realistic for your industry and aligned with the worker’s background
What are the common GTS mistakes and compliance risks?
Most GTS problems start with small choices that ESDC later reviews. These are the ones we see most often in our practice.
Wrong category or NOC code
Why it hurts
The file can be refused or moved to a slower stream.
What works instead
Match the actual duties to the NOC code and check the occupation list first.
Wage below your own pay range
Why it hurts
ESDC compares the offer with what you pay Canadians in the same role.
What works instead
Use the highest of the Job Bank median, your internal range and any GTS floor.
A vague benefits plan
Why it hurts
Unmeasurable commitments are hard to approve and harder to prove at review.
What works instead
Set yearly numbers you can track and document.
Letting the LMIA expire
Why it hurts
A positive LMIA is valid for only 6 months.
What works instead
Have the worker’s work permit application ready before the LMIA arrives.
Changing the job without telling ESDC
Why it hurts
Different duties, wage or location can break compliance. A sale or restructuring may require a new LMIA.
What works instead
Report changes and get advice before they take effect.
No health coverage on day one
Why it hurts
You must pay for private emergency health insurance until provincial or territorial coverage starts, and you can’t recover the cost from the worker.
What works instead
Arrange coverage that starts on the worker’s first day of work.
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Follow federal and provincial employment and recruitment laws
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Give the worker a signed offer letter by the first day of work
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Keep the same wage and conditions as in the LMIA and offer letter
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Deliver the activities in your benefits plan
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Provide a safe workplace free of abuse
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Keep all GTS records for 6 years
Including the application, LMBP, decision letter and communications with ESDC.
Can a GTS worker bring family and become a permanent resident?
GTS leads to a temporary work permit, but for many workers it is the first step to permanent residence. Family rules changed in 2025, so plan them before the worker arrives.
Spouse or common-law partner
Key rule
Since January 21, 2025, a spouse qualifies for an open work permit only if the worker is in a TEER 0 or 1 job (or a listed TEER 2 or 3 job) with at least 16 months left on the permit.
Worth knowing
Most GTS occupations are TEER 0 or 1. A few technician roles are TEER 2, so check before you promise anything.
Dependent children
Key rule
Dependent children no longer get open work permits through the worker.
Worth knowing
Children can come with the worker and attend school in Canada.
Permanent residence
Main routes
After 12 months of full-time skilled work in Canada, many workers qualify for the Canadian Experience Class through Express Entry. A provincial nomination adds 600 points.
Worth knowing
Some GTS occupations, such as cybersecurity specialists and certain engineers, fall in the 2026 STEM category. Most software roles do not.
Processing for family
Key rule
The 2-week processing target can also cover a spouse and dependent children who apply at the same time as the worker.
Worth knowing
Apply together, with complete applications, to keep the whole family on the same timeline.
Learn more about Express Entry, the 2026 Express Entry categories and Provincial Nominee Programs.
How does GTS compare with other Canadian work permit routes?
GTS is usually the fastest LMIA route for specialized and tech talent. But if you are moving an employee from a related company abroad, or the worker will own the business, an LMIA-exempt route may fit better.
| Feature | Global Talent Stream | High-Wage LMIA | Intra-Company Transfer |
|---|---|---|---|
| LMIA needed | Yes (fast track) | Yes (standard) | No |
| Job ad in Canada | Not required | Required (at least 4 weeks) | Not required |
| LMIA processing | 10 business days target | Recently 60+ business days | No LMIA step |
| Employer plan | Labour Market Benefits Plan | Transition plan | None |
| Best for | Fast hiring of specialized or tech talent | High-wage roles outside GTS | Transferring staff from a related foreign company |
Compare the High-Wage LMIA and the Intra-Company Transfer. If the worker will own and run the business, see the C11 work permit.
Short-term work without a permit
Under the Global Skills Strategy, some highly skilled workers can come for short assignments without a work permit:
- TEER 0 or 1 workers: up to 15 days once every 6 months, or 30 days once every 12 months
- Researchers at publicly funded degree-granting institutions: up to 120 days once every 12 months
This can get a specialist on the ground while the GTS file is processed.
Frequently asked questions about the Global Talent Stream
ESDC’s service standard is 10 business days for the LMIA, met 80% of the time. IRCC then targets 2 weeks for a complete work permit application. Most well-prepared hires can be work-authorized in about a month, but times can vary.
The employer pays a $1,000 LMIA fee per position. The worker pays $155 for the work permit plus $85 for biometrics. Legal fees are separate.
No. GTS waives the advertising requirement. ESDC may still ask about any past efforts to recruit Canadians, so be ready to explain.
Category B has no set limit. Category A is meant for 1 or 2 unique positions per calendar year. More are possible only in exceptional cases, if you have met your benefits plan commitments, and each extra position needs a salary of at least $150,000 (or the prevailing wage, if higher).
A positive LMIA is valid for 6 months. The worker must apply for the work permit within that time. You can apply for the LMIA up to 6 months before the job starts. Changes such as a new worker’s name need ESDC’s approval and are not guaranteed.
Up to 3 years for high-wage positions, based on the length of the job offer. The permit is tied to your company, the job and the location. You can support an extension with a new LMIA.
No. The permit only allows work for the employer, job and location named on it. A new employer would need its own LMIA or an LMIA-exempt route.
Yes. Common reasons include an occupation that does not fit the category, a role that does not match the business, weak proof of business or finances, a wage that is too low, a vague benefits plan and past compliance problems.
Is the Global Talent Stream right for your business?
If the role is on the occupation list, or your innovative company has a strong referral, GTS is the fastest way to bring specialized talent to Canada. The trade-off is a benefits plan and compliance that last as long as the permit.
Plan the category, the wage, the family move and the path to permanent residence together from day one. That is what keeps your hire in Canada after the first permit ends.
Related guides: High-Wage LMIA, Intra-Company Transfer, C11 work permit and Express Entry.
