WHATSAPPThe Council of Canadian Innovators has welcomed the Canada government’s proposal to make the Global Talent Stream permanent. Introduced in 2017 under Canada’s Temporary Foreign Worker Program, the Global Talent Stream has proved to be a game-changer for Canadian startups.
The Global Talent Stream helps fastrack visa applications from eligible foreign workers having skills that Canadian employers demand in fields such as Information Technology and Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM).
Under the program, employers are allowed to submit a facilitated Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) so they need not prove they tried to recruit from Canada first. If LMIA finds no Canadian workers are available, a work visa can be obtained within 10 business days.
The proposal to make Global Talent Stream was announced in the 2019 federal budget. Several business associations including the Council of Canadian Innovators had demanded the same. The Council expects that the Stream, if made permanent, would help Canadian tech leaders in their efforts to access the talent they need to “scale-up globally.” Canada’s Information and Communication Technology Council (ICTC) predicts that by 2021, this sector will have 216,000 vacancies. ICTC believes that attracting skilled digital workers worldwide is the immediate solution for industry leaders to grow their businesses and reduce opportunity costs caused by talent scarcity.
The Canada government has not revealed how many visas were issued through Global Talent Stream so far since its introduction. Under the Global Talent Stream, the employers must develop a Labour Market Benefits Plan explaining how they are going to contribute to the Canadian labour market and economy, in terms of factors such as job creation and knowledge transfer. In 2019 budget, Canada government revealed that Canadian employers have committed to create 40,000 new jobs, develop more than 10,000 co-op placements and invest more than $90 million in skills development and training under the Global Talent Stream. The government has also committed $35.2 million to support the Global Talent Stream over the next five years.
Are you a skilled worker interested in migrating to Canada? Make the best use of this opportunity to make your Canadian dream come true! Contact us for a free assessment to know your eligibility
