CALL US

Global Talent Stream Canada (GTS): LMIA, Work Permit Processing Time and Visa.

TALK TO A LAWYER
FREE ASSESSMENT

In 2017, the government of Canada launched the Global Talent Stream (GTS) program to address evident skill shortages and provide a special stream for specific occupations that would be processed within 3 weeks. This page will teach you about the GTS work permit for hiring foreign workers, its categories, requirements, processing time, and much more.

What is the Global Talent Stream?

Global Talent Stream (GTS) is an expedited stream of the Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) program.

It allows you to bring skilled and specialized global talent into any part of Canada considerably faster. Similarly, it can be used to retain current employees who are not Canadian citizens or permanent residents.

Unlike the traditional LMIA application, GTS exempts you from actively advertising for the desired position. It allows you to apply directly to Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) for processing.

Make Your First Step Towards Canada

Global Talent Stream Processing Time in 2024

GTS processing time varies between 2 and 3 weeks. If ESDC is satisfied with the submitted LMIA application and documents, they will issue a positive decision letter stating that the foreign worker will need it for their work permit application.

The work permit application can take anywhere from 2 – 8 weeks, sometimes more, depending on the foreign worker’s country of citizenship and residence.

The worker’s family (spouse and children) will benefit from the same processing time as the GTS applicant.

Global Talent Stream Categories

There are only 2 categories within GTS:

Category A: suitable for innovative companies in Canada that can show willingness and capability of growth and scaling up.

Canadian companies must obtain a referral support letter from a designated referral partner. This category is generally suitable for innovative STEM or research-based companies, start-ups, or companies with niche products or services.

Category B: suitable for any companies in Canada that are looking to maintain employment of foreign workers in these specific occupations. This category suits any company that employs positions per the approved list.

Positions include engineers from different industries, web designers, IT specialists, and many more. Obtaining support from a designated referral partner is not required for Category B, meaning you can directly apply for the GTS once you identify the foreign worker and collect the necessary documents.

Global Talent Stream Program Requirements

The program requirements for GTS are mostly similar except for several distinct features.

GTS Program Eligibility - Category A
The business must:
  • Be a Canadian-registered business operating in Canada
  • Have a strong focus on innovation
  • Have a willingness and capability of growing or scaling up
  • Obtain a referral from a designated partner
  • Have the financial capacity to support the foreign worker’s salary
  • Not be on the list of ineligible employers
The position must
  • Be unique and specialized
  • Have a base annual salary of at least $80,000 or meet the prevailing wage for the occupation depending on the NOC code*, whichever is higher
    • This applies to the first 2 positions. For subsequent additional positions, the annual salary must be at least $150,000 or meet the prevailing wage bracket, whichever is higher
*Prevailing wage is the average (median) wage paid depending on the occupation, industry, and location. In Canada, each position is classified under a National Occupational Classification (NOC) code structure. As such, every position will have its own NOC code and associated prevailing wage depending on the region of Canada. The applicant must:
  • Have advanced knowledge of the industry
  • Have an advanced degree in the area of specialization and/or have a minimum 5 years of experience in the field of specialized experience
  • Be admissible to Canada, meaning they are not in violation of any inadmissibility factors as specified by the Canadian immigration law
 
The business must:
  • Be a Canadian-registered business operating in Canada
  • Provide a good or service to the general public
  • Have the financial capacity to support the foreign worker’s salary
  • Not be on the list of ineligible employers
The position mustThe applicant must:
  • Have relevant education and work experience
  • Be admissible to Canada, meaning they are not in violation of any inadmissibility factors as specified by the Canadian immigration law
Once the foreign worker is identified, the GTS application can be prepared within a few business days and submitted for processing, which will take 3 weeks for companies that haven’t had a recently approved GTS application, and 2 weeks for those that do.
 

GTS Foreign Worker Wage Requirements

Wage requirements are slightly different when considering the two main categories of GTS:

For Category A, the first 2 positions must be paid the highest annual salary between $80,000 or the prevailing wage, whichever is higher. For subsequent positions, the annual salary must be either $150,000 or the prevailing wage, whichever is higher.

For Category B, the annual salary must be at the prevailing wage bracket for most occupations. Some occupations will specify the highest between $80,000 or the prevailing wage.

To check the prevailing wage per occupation depending on the location, you can check this information on Canada’s official Job Bank website.

You must also note that the foreign worker must be offered competitive wages compared to Canadian citizens and permanent residents currently working in the same occupation at the same location, holding similar skills and years of experience.

For example, if you have 10 developers working in the same location and their annual salaries range from $100,000 to $150,000, then the foreign worker must be offered a wage that fits within those ranges, even if it is above the prevailing wage.

Learn about Canada’s High-Wage LMIA Program

GTS and Company Benefits – Requirements

In terms of benefits, this tends to be subjective based on every company policy – some ask for 3-month probation to be completed before the employee is enrolled in the company’s extended health benefits program, and some provide access on the first day of employment.

Either way, it is important to note that the Canadian employer must obtain and pay for private health insurance that covers emergency medical care for any period during which the foreign worker isn’t covered by the applicable provincial/territorial health insurance system.

The coverage must correspond with the foreign worker’s first day of work in Canada, and the costs cannot be recovered from the foreign worker. ESDC will accept a basic plan as long as it ensures that foreign workers won’t have to pay for medical care if they become sick or have an accident while working in Canada.

From this perspective, it makes sense to enrol the foreign worker in the company’s benefits policy on the first day of their employment.

Not sure if Global Talent Stream is right for you? Learn about Intra-Company Transfer Canada.

What is a Labour Market Benefits Plan?

The Labour Market Benefits Plan (LMBP) is a mandatory component of the GTS application. It requires employers to outline specific activities they will undertake to create positive outcomes for the Canadian labour market as a result of hiring a foreign worker.

The LMBP consists of 1 mandatory activity and at least 2 supplementary activities that demonstrate how hiring foreign workers will lead to skills transfer, job creation, or enhanced workforce development for Canadians.

Under Category A, the mandatory activity is to create jobs for Canadian citizens and permanent residents.

Under Category B, the mandatory activity is to invest in the training and improving skills of Canadian citizens and permanent residents.

Are you recruiting foreign tech talent? Learn all about our Canadian Tech Immigration Solutions and Tech Visas

Labour Market Benefits Plan Progress Review

A progress review is a mandatory process that ESDC conducts to check the progress of LMBP activities. It gets conducted annually, and it allows employers to report on the progress of creating lasting, positive impacts on the Canadian labour market.

As such, it is highly important to maintain all records associated with the LMBP commitments in a separate and organized journal so that the required information can be easily accessible during the progress review.

The journal can redact the names and contact information of Canadian employees for privacy and include the following information:

  • Initials of the Canadian employee
  • Their status (citizen or permanent resident)
  • Name of the activity
  • Date of the activity
  • Result of the activity
    • In the case of hiring, how many individuals were hired?
      • Keep a record of their signed offer letter + copy of their Canadian status document or SIN.
    • In the case of training, how many people attended, and what was the event?
      • Keep a record of receipts associated with the training + sign-up sheet of attendees.

If some commitments become very difficult to meet, the ESDC officer who approved the initial GTS application must be contacted to re-negotiate the LMBP.

The success of progress reviews will dictate the business’ continued eligibility for any subsequent GTS applications.

If LMBP commitments have not been met, it may result in penalties or affect future participation in the GTS program.

As such, it is very important that the LMBP is maintained and completed for the committed period, even if the foreign national becomes a permanent resident of Canada.

GTS Employer Compliance

As an employer of foreign workers, you must ensure that:

  • You comply with all federal, provincial, and/or territorial laws regulating employment and recruiting.
  • The foreign worker obtains a signed offer letter on the first day of work (or earlier) that clearly outlines all relevant details associated with their employment. Check here to learn what information must be presented on the offer letters.
  • All relevant records concerning the GTS application are kept for 6 years.
    • This includes any recruitment records conducted for the role (if there were any), communication threads with the applicant, communication records with any third party involved in this process, the submitted application, expenses, communication threads with the ESDC officer, a copy of the LMBP and the final decision letter.
  • You commit to executing the activities that were agreed on in the LMBP.
  • You inform ESDC of any changes to the foreign worker’s employment conditions.
  • You provide a safe working environment to the foreign worker that is free of abuse and has proper safety measures depending on the industry standards.
  • You maintain the same employment conditions in the GTS application and the signed offer letter.
  • The company remains engaged in the same business for the duration of the foreign worker’s work permit.
    • For example, if the business is acquired or rebranded, the foreign worker may need a new GTS to accurately reflect employment records.

Tips for Succeeding in Global Talent Stream

GTS is a very popular program for hiring foreign workers, and many Canadian companies regularly use this program to expand their international recruitment capabilities and bolster their staff.

GTS can also be used by Canadian companies to retain current employees who are not Canadian citizens or permanent residents.

Below are some crucial tips on how to succeed in GTS based on our experience:

Tips for Preparing a Successful GTS Application

GTS application is submitted online using a digital platform that was created by ESDC. For that, you must have a valid employer Job Bank account. The employer Job Bank account requires an individual to register for an account, as such, it is prudent for this individual to be the one that is the most involved in this application process. It is very important to create a separate folder or a database document saving the login credentials, including the password and all security questions and answers – this will allow a seamless process if you anticipate using the GTS program more than once. Once the Job Bank account is set up and registered, you will then be able to initiate a GTS application using a dedicated ESDC platform and can anticipate the following questions:

  • Basic questions about the business such as primary business activity, date the business was established, address, number of employees and approximate annual revenue for the most recent year.
  • Primary employer contact information – the main point of contact figure which can be a member of the HR team or executive team. A primary employer is someone that is deeply involved in the process and can comfortably attend the interview with the ESDC officer.
  • Information about the available position – title, NOC code, duties, wage, benefits, vacation eligibility and primary work location.
  • Expected employment duration and rationale behind it.
    • The maximum employment period that can be requested is 3 years.
    • The rationale behind the duration can be subjective and varies for every business.
    • For example, you can say that you have important projects in the pipeline that will require the foreign worker’s presence for the entire 3 years.
  • Language requirement for the position:
    • It must be either English or French.
    • For any reason that the foreign worker must speak another language, you must provide reasonable arguments why it is important.
  • Requirements for the position such as education and previous relevant experience.
    • Please keep in mind that if you identified a foreign worker for the position, the education and experience requirements must somewhat align with their background.
    • You must keep it realistic based on the industry standards as well depending on the region.
  • Whether you attempted to recruit Canadian citizens or permanent residents.
    • Even though GTS was created specifically to exempt you from recruitment, the government of Canada still wants to know your previous efforts.
    • It is okay to say that you haven’t attempted at recruiting Canadians, however, this would need to be elaborated on in detail.
  • Commit to a set of activities under the Labour Market Benefits Plan (LMBP), see next section about this.

In terms of supporting documents, ESDC must be satisfied against the following criteria for the Canadian company:

  • It provides a good or service in Canada
  • The job offer made to the foreign worker is genuine and legitimate
  • It offers employment that is consistent with the reasonable needs of the business
  • It has the financial ability to support the wages of the foreign worker

In order to satisfy ESDC that the Canadian company provides a good or service, the following documents are accepted but the requirement is to submit at least 1:

  • A valid municipal/provincial/territorial business license
  • Most recent T4 Summary of remuneration paid
  • Most recent PD7A Statement of account for current source deductions
  • An attestation confirming that the company is engaged in a legal business that provides a good or a service in Canada where an employee could work and a description of the main business activity. The attestation must be prepared by either:
    • a lawyer or any other member in good standing with a law society (lawyers, notaries in Quebec and independent paralegals in Ontario), or
    • a Chartered Professional Accountant in good standing with the respective professional body (attestations from Chartered Accountants in Quebec aren’t authorized by the Ordre des comptables professionnels agréés du Québec)

To prove the ability to fulfill the terms of the job offer, the following documents are accepted but the requirement is to submit at least 1:

  • Most recent T2 Schedule 100 Balance sheet information and T2 Schedule 125 Income statement information
  • Most recent T2042 Statement of farming activities
  • Most recent T2125 Statement of business or professional activities
  • Most recent T3010 Registered charity information return
  • Most recent T4 or payroll records for a minimum of 6 weeks immediately prior to the submission of the application, if the foreign worker already works for you
  • An attestation confirming that the business is in good financial standing and will be able to meet all financial obligations to any foreign workers you hire for the entire duration of their employment. The attestation must be prepared by either:
    • a lawyer or any other member in good standing with a law society (lawyers, notaries in Quebec and independent paralegals in Ontario), or
    • a Chartered Professional Accountant in good standing with the respective professional body (attestations from Chartered Accountants in Quebec aren’t authorized by the Ordre des comptables professionnels agréés du Québec)

You must also make a mandatory application processing fee payment of $1,000 per position.

 

When it comes to creating a successful LMBP, there are a couple of things to keep in mind: First, you must select activities and commitments that align with the business and its roadmap for the next 3 years. While for some businesses it makes sense to select the growth of revenue or investment in the firm, for others – this may be unattainable depending on the stage at which the business finds itself. Perhaps, increasing the participation of underrepresented groups might make more sense to them because of their ongoing relationships and partnerships with similar organizations. Keeping realistic goals is the first key to a successful LMBP. The second key is to use numbers with each activity. For example: Under Category A, the mandatory activity is to create jobs for Canadian citizens and permanent residents. The LMBP must articulate how many jobs the company will create per each year of the foreign worker’s employment. If you request a 3-year work permit for the foreign worker, then the LMBP commitment must be broken down into each year such as:

  • 2023-01-01 till 2023-12-31: commitment to hiring 2 additional full-time employees that are Canadian citizens or permanent residents.
  • 2024-01-01 till 2024-12-31: commitment to hiring 3 additional full-time employees that are Canadian citizens or permanent residents.
  • 2025-01-01 till 2025-12-31: commitment to hiring 4 additional full-time employees that are Canadian citizens or permanent residents.

The number of employees is randomly selected to serve as an example, there’s no minimum or maximum requirement to follow – only what will be the most realistic in alignment with the business activities for the committed period. Under Category B, the mandatory activity is to invest in the training and improvement of skills of Canadian citizens and permanent residents. For the 3-year period of foreign worker’s employment, the LMBP commitment can look something like this:

  • 2023-01-01 till 2023-12-31: commitment to investing $5,000 per year in specialized training for Canadian employees.
  • 2024-01-01 till 2024-12-31: commitment to investing $6,000 per year in specialized training for Canadian employees.
  • 2025-01-01 till 2025-12-31: commitment to investing $7,000 per year in specialized training for Canadian employees.

The dollar amount once again is randomly selected to serve as an example, there’s no minimum or maximum amount – only what will be the most realistic in alignment with the budget of the business. Lastly – repeat the same structure of using quantitative/measurable goals for the 2 supplementary activities and keep a journal that can be used to track documentary evidence of LMBP activities completion for when ESDC comes for a progress review in 12 months. It is worth noting that LMBP can be prepared with the ESDC officer during the interview call. However, if you want to save some time, it is recommended to prepare the LMBP in advance to be submitted for processing at the same time as the GTS application.

 

Benefits of the GTS Program for Employers and Employees

The primary benefit of the GTS program is to provide Canadian businesses access to the global talent pool and bring them over to Canada to fill evident labour shortages.

Canadian employers can benefit from the GTS program in the following ways:

  • Expedited processing time of 2~3 weeks to obtain a GTS approval letter that will be used to support foreign workers’ work permit applications.
    • This is comparable to the traditional Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) application that takes approximately 4 months to finalize overall.
  • Target the highest-skilled talent from all over the world and bring them to Canada to work for your business.
  • No limit on how many foreign workers you can bring from any country in the world.
  • The foreign worker’s work permit will be issued specifically to your company and location for 3 years maximum – they won’t be eligible to work elsewhere.
  • The initial duration of the work permit will be 3 years, with possibilities of extension or transition of the foreign worker into permanent resident status in Canada.
  • Retain existing talent and save precious resources from hiring and training a brand new person.

The GTS program benefits the employees by allowing them to live and work in Canada and bringing their spouses and children with them.

After 1 year of continuous work experience, foreign workers generally become eligible for permanent residence, which can be a win for both parties.

“The Global Talent Stream is Canada’s strategic answer to the fast-paced demands of the global innovation economy. It’s not just about filling a position; it’s about rapidly acquiring the world’s top talent to scale your business and enhance Canada’s workforce. We help innovative companies leverage this powerful tool, ensuring a streamlined process for bringing in the specialized skills needed to compete and win on a global scale.” – Rakhmad Sobirov, Managing Lawyer

Frequently Asked Questions about Canada’s Global Talent Stream Program

Below, you will find answers to the most commonly asked questions about the GTS program.

How many categories of GTS are out there?

There are only 2 categories under GTS:

  1. Category A targeting specialized talent to work for an innovative business in Canada.
  2. Category B targeting specific occupations to work for any business in Canada.
 

There is no limit to the GTS program – Canadian employers are free to bring as many foreign workers as they need without any limitations on the citizenship of the foreign workers. However, it is worth mentioning that Category A has a standard limit of 2 candidates per year. In the event the business will require more, then the requirement for additional candidates mandates that:

  1. The designated referral partner confirms to ESDC that the employer continues to meet eligibility criteria for Category A and has provided its assessment of the additional unique and specialized position being requested.
  2. The annual wage of the foreign worker must be at least $150,000 or meet the prevailing wage bracket, whichever is higher.
 

The employer must be a Canadian-registered business providing a good or a service to the general public. The employer must not have any previous compliance issues or be on the list of ineligible employers. The employer must be in good financial standing to pay the foreign worker’s salary and provide a safe working environment free of abuse. For Category A, the employer must be a business with a strong focus on innovation and the capability to grow or scale up.

 

First and foremost, the Canadian employer must meet the employer requirements and identify a foreign worker that meets the job requirements. Once completed, the GTS application can be prepared which consists of:

  1. On-line GTS application form
  2. Supporting documents from the Canadian company such as CRA-issued T2 Schedule 100 and 125, and the most recent PD7A
  3. Labour Market Benefits Plan – activities and commitments. Alternatively, you can discuss these commitments with the ESDC officer during the interview call

The government filing fee of $1,000 per position

 

GTS applications get processed within approximately 3 weeks for companies that didn’t have a recently approved GTS. For companies that do, the processing time will be approximately 2 weeks.

 

Traditionally, before GTS came into effect, the most popular and widely used program to bring foreign workers was LMIA (Labour Market Impact Assessment). LMIA applications require the Canadian employer to advertise for the position for 4 weeks and then the application itself would take anywhere between 2 to 3 months to process. GTS processing time is 2 to 3 weeks, and it exempts the Canadian employer from the advertisement requirement.

 

In order to qualify for Category A of GTS, the position needs to be highly specialized and unique. To qualify for Category B of GTS, the position needs to fall within one of the accepted occupations.

 

The general requirements for foreign workers are:

  • Be admissible to Canada, meaning they are not in violation of any inadmissibility factors as specified by the Canadian immigration law
  • Have industry-relevant education or specialized licenses
  • Have relevant and matching previous experience
  • Show initial settlement funds to cover incidental expenses in Canada until they are placed on the Canadian payroll and start earning Canadian salary
  • Fluency in English or French
 

GTS was initially created to provide temporary relief to Canadian employers that are facing challenges in hiring and retaining highly skilled workers. The work permit under GTS can be requested for 3 years with a possibility of renewal by way of submitting another GTS to support another 3-year work permit. However, after 1 year of employment, the foreign worker could be eligible for permanent residence, hence GTS can be used as a solution for a permanent position.

 

That depends on how far you are in the GTS application process: Scenario 1: GTS application was not submitted yet and can be abandoned. Scenario 2: GTS application was submitted but not issued a final decision letter – you must contact ESDC and request that the application is withdrawn. Scenario 3: GTS application was approved, and a positive decision letter was issued – you must contact ESDC to confirm the changes and ask to re-use the same GTS approval letter on another foreign worker. A positive GTS decision letter will be valid for 18 months, leaving plenty of time to find a substitute in the event the initial candidate doesn’t want to proceed.

 

While we generally don’t see GTS applications refused, the following factors could be a reason behind a GTS application refusal:

  1. The offered position is not on the list of eligible occupations
  2. The offered position doesn’t align with the needs of the business
  3. The offered position is not specialized enough or the company is not focused on innovation (for Category A)
  4. Lack of supporting documents to prove business legitimacy
  5. An incomplete application that contains false information
  6. The employer had previous compliance issues and is on the list of ineligible employers
  7. A weak LMBP failing to demonstrate benefits to the Canadian labour market
  8. The company’s inability to support the wages of the foreign worker
  9. Non-compliance at the 12-month progress review
 

Yes, you can – in the event the foreign worker is failing to meet the responsibilities and duties associated with their job, you can let them go following internal proceedings and ensuring they meet the employment standards of the region or province. As an employer, you are not responsible to maintain the employment of the foreign worker for the entire duration.

 

No – the foreign worker will have an employer and occupation-specific work permit that will authorize employment with the same company that obtained a GTS for them. However, if the foreign worker obtains a GTS from another company, they would be eligible to apply for a new work permit and work for another company.

 

The signed job offer letter must include:

  • Legal name of the company in Canada and its operating name (if different from the legal name)
  • Title/position of the foreign worker in Canada
  • Start date:
    • An anticipated start date is fine if it will depend on when the foreign worker will be able to secure Canadian work authorization documents
  • Salary (including currency) and payment schedules (weekly, bi-monthly, monthly, etc)
  • Location of employment – physical office location or at least city and province of employment
  • Statutory holidays, sick days and vacation days:
    • For statutory holidays, an indication such as “statutory holidays in accordance with the province of employment’s Employment Standards Act” is acceptable
  • Vacation days/sick days should be specified
  • Hours of work per week including overtime:
    • If there is no overtime, this must be clearly mentioned in the offer letter, but you must ensure that this is in line with the ESA in the province of employment.
  • Benefits such as health or medical insurance must be mentioned:
    • If there is an indication that benefits will be provided in accordance with the company’s benefits policy, this is fine, however, the employee must be presented with a copy of the benefit policy document
    • In the event the foreign worker will need private health insurance to cover the period until they become eligible for the provincial/territorial health plan, you can indicate it in the offer letter as well
      • Please keep in mind that the cost of this plan cannot be reclaimed from the foreign worker
    • Other non-taxable benefits such as bonus payouts, transportation and accommodation costs, visa support costs, etc.:
      • In the event you use third parties such as recruiters or immigration practitioners, the associated costs cannot be reclaimed from the foreign worker
    • The offer letter must be signed and dated by both the employer and the foreign worker
      • In the event there are any insignificant changes to the offer letter, they can be recorded on an addendum that must be dated and signed referencing the original offer letter
 

👋 Hi! I'm LIA
×
LIA Avatar

Hi, I'm LIA

Your AI Immigration Assistant

👋 I'm here to help you explore Canadian business immigration options — specifically for investors, entrepreneurs, and business owners.

How it works: We'll chat for up to 60 minutes. I'll ask a few questions, suggest immigration pathways, and answer yours. I’ll notify you when 15 minutes remain.

📌 What I Can (and Can't) Do:

  • Not legal advice — I guide your search; for legal help, book a strategy meeting.
  • Business immigration only — no help with refugee claims, family sponsorships, or job search.
I Understand and Agree

Already Have Premium? Login