Jul 26, 2017 | Business Immigration, Canadian Employers, In the News, Processing Times, Temporary Foreign Workers, Work Permits, Working In Canada
The Global Talent Stream allows highly skilled workers in certain occupations to receive a temporary work permit in two weeks or less. This new option was announced just a few weeks ago as a pillar of Canada’s Global Skills Strategy, which aims to help innovative companies grow by ensuring they can quickly access the highly skilled talent they need.
This initiative is equally beneficial for Canadian businesses and foreign workers. With two-week-work permit processing, companies are able to fill open positions quickly by hiring foreign talent just as fast as they might hire local talent. The two-week processing also applies for an open work permit for a spouse and study permit for dependent children of the primary applicant. Thus, individuals and their families are able to fast track the application process and begin working much quicker than ever before.
The Global Talent Stream is just one of many options available for temporary foreign workers. Thus, it gives Canadian employers the opportunity to select which of the many work permit options works best for their company and its workforce.
There are two categories of the Global Talent Stream. Category A is available for booming businesses that have been referred by an Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) Designated Partner. A list of partners was released on June 12, 2017 and can be found below. These businesses are required to commit to creating jobs for Canadians, either directly or indirectly. Employers who seek to hire foreign workers in one of the designated high-skill occupations fall under Category B. These businesses must commit to increasing investments in skills and training for Canadians. Working in collaboration; the government, labour market experts, and key stakeholders have come up with the following list of eligible occupations.
List of Partner Organizations for Category A
- Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency
- BC Tech Association
- Business Development Bank of Canada
- Communitech Corporation
- Council of Canadian Innovators
- Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario
- Global Affairs Canada’s Trade Commissioner Service
- ICT Manitoba (ICTAM)
- Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada – Accelerated Growth Service
- MaRS Discovery District
- National Research Council – Industrial Research Assistance Program
- Ontario Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration
- Ontario Ministry of Economic Growth and Development
- VENN Innovation
Eligible National Occupation Classification (NOC) Codes for Category B
(This list is subject to change based on labor market demands)
- 0213 Computer and Information Systems Managers
- 2147 Computer Engineers (except software engineers and designers)
- 2171 Information Systems Analysts and Consultants
- 2172 Database Analysts and Data Administrators
- 2173 Software Engineers and Designers
- 2174 Computer Programmers and Interactive Media Developers
- 2175 Web Designers and Developers
- 2241 Electrical and Electronics Engineering Technologists and Technicians
- 2283 Information Systems Testing Technicians
- 5241 Digital Media and Design
Requirements for Businesses and Workers Applying Under Global Talent Stream
Along with the above minimum requirements, businesses wishing to bring in foreign workers under either category of the Global Talent Stream must commit to two additional benefits including, but not limited to, the following: creating jobs, investment in skills and training, transfer of knowledge to Canadians, and improving company performance. Businesses may meet this requirement in any of the following ways: hiring more Canadians, training existing employees in new methods, forming paid internship programs for local students, and increasing revenue and investments. Employers are also required to pay their foreign workers the prevailing wage or higher.
Applicants who are interested in priority processing of their work permit applications must meet the minimum eligibility requirements of the Global Talent Stream. Applications must be made online on or after July 12 and must come from outside Canada. Two-week processing does not apply to applications made from within Canada, although these applicants are able to maintain implied status if applying to do the same work under the same conditions as their initial work permit.
Our team of immigration consultants can help you determine your eligibility and prepare your work permit application. To find out if you qualify for expedited processing of your work permit application, contact us to discuss your options.
If you are employer looking to hire foreign workers to fill labour shortages, click here to find out more.
Jun 23, 2017 | Blog, Canadian Employers, In the News, Processing Times, Student Visas, Temporary Foreign Workers, Tourist Visas, Work Permits, Working In Canada
Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has announced the launch of the new Global Talent Stream, a part of the Canadian government’s new Global Skills Strategy. As a result, certain high-skilled workers may now be able to obtain their temporary work permits in 2 weeks. This includes an open work permit for a spouse and a study permit for dependent children of the primary applicant.
The Global Talent Stream is comprised of two categories:
- Category A is available for employers who have been referred by an Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) Designated Partner
- Category B allows certain employers to hire foreign workers in one of the designated high-skill occupations.
Employers are required to develop a Labour Market Benefits Plan, which highlights their commitment to the Canadian labour market.
Our team of immigration consultants can help you determine your eligibility and prepare your work permit application. To find out if you qualify for expedited processing of your work permit application, contact us to discuss your options.
If you are an employer looking to hire foreign workers to fill labour shortages, click here to find out more.
Nov 2, 2012 | Immigration, In the News, New Laws, Processing Times, Skilled Workers
In an attempt to clear up the backlog of Federal Skilled Worker applications, Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) issued a pause on all new Federal Skilled Worker applications as of July 2, 2012. This pause prevented thousands of federal skilled workers from applying for immigration to Canada as it requires foreign workers to have a qualifying job offer or to qualify under the PhD stream.
Many actions have been taken by the government in order to fix the backlog of Federal Skilled Worker applications and allow more federal skilled workers and their families to immigrate to Canada. The Action Plan for Faster Immigration of 2008 was the first step taken by CIC to limit the number of federal skilled worker applications to only occupations which were a priority. CIC took further action to limit the federal skilled worker applications in 2010 and again in 2012 with the Jobs, Growth and Long-Term Prosperity Act. The final step to put a stop to the backlog problem was to place a pause on all new federal skilled worker applications.
Now, Immigration Minister Jason Kenney has announced a new plan which will allow for faster processing times for federal skilled worker applications as well as the possibility of faster processing times for additional immigration programs. In an effort to attract federal skilled workers from around the globe and promote economic growth, CIC will be introducing an Expression of Interest (EOI) system for federal skilled workers. With this system in place, federal skilled workers and their families will have the option of immigrating to Canada and having their immigration applications processed in a period of 12 months or less. This is a huge improvement over the old system which made federal skilled workers wait for years, some as long as eight years, to have their applications processed.
As a result of this new immigration program and the steps taken over the last few years, the backlog of federal skilled worker applications is expected to be cleared by the end of 2014 which will allow new applications for the Federal Skilled Worker Program to be processed as they are received. This new system for processing applications – “a just in time system” – will bring between 53,500 and 55,300 Federal Skilled Workers and their families into Canada. Minister Kenney has stated that “Immigration plays a vital role in our country’s long-term prosperity. By improving our economic immigration system, we can ensure that Canada is competitive on the world stage.” Allowing federal skilled workers to enter the work field more easily and quickly will contribute to Canada’s economic growth and allow Canadian employers to fill shortages in high skill occupations. This new plan is excellent news both for Canada and for federal skilled workers wishing to immigrate to Canada.
More information regarding this new system along with the final regulatory changes and the new selection criteria for the Federal Skilled Worker Program will become available later this year.
We would like to hear from you. Tell us what you think about this new immigration system for federal skilled workers and their families. If you are a federal skilled worker or you know anyone who may benefit from this new plan, we urge you to share, tweet, like, and comment on this issue.
For more information about immigration to Canada under the Federal Skilled Worker Program, contact our office to speak with a certified immigration consultant and find out if you qualify as a federal skilled worker.
Mar 30, 2012 | In the News, Legally Speaking, New Laws, Processing Times, Skilled Workers
On March 22 we posted an article in which we discussed what Citizenship & Immigration Minister Jason Kenney considered would be an option to reduce the current processing times and never-ending backlog. Today, we are continuing our discussion on this topic.
In releasing Canada’s Budget on Thursday March 29, the Department of Finance revealed that Immigration Canada intends to bar the door to applicants who submitted their Skilled Worker applications before 2008. We were under the impression that Minister Kenney’s ‘consideration’ was only such; however we are now beginning to understand more about the “Economic Action Plan of 2012”.
In a media release the Government of Canada is “proposing to return applications and refund up to $130 million in application fees paid by certain federal skilled worker applicants who applied under previous criteria established prior to February 27, 2008”. Canada’s commitment to transforming Canada’s immigration system to a faster and more flexible one will kill the hopes and dreams of thousands of foreign nationals who have been waiting for their applications to be processed for years, some waiting for more than 10 years.
In order to reduce long processing times and a large backlog, Citizenship & Immigration Canada introduced a new set of criteria under Bill C-50. The changes included a yearly quota of 20,000 applications in certain preferred occupations. A year later CIC reduced the quota to 10,000 applications per year. As a result less applications were filed, however the large backlog still remains and those in the pipeline are and will continue to wait for an indefinite period of time. Now we know that these applicants will never have their applications processed. They will be returned and money they paid will be refunded.
A class-action law suit was filed against the Federal Government by several applicants which has now grown to more than 600. We are expecting this number to continue to climb as applicants become aware of this news.
Economic Action Plan 2012 proposes:
- Taking further actions to strengthen the immigration system to make it truly proactive, targeted, fast and efficient in a way that will sustain Canada’s economic growth and deliver prosperity for the future.
- Announcing the Government’s intention to better align the Temporary Foreign Worker Program with labour market demands and to ensure that businesses look to the domestic labour force before accessing the Temporary Foreign Worker Program.
- Signalling the Government’s intention to support further improvements to foreign credential recognition and to work with provinces and territories to identify the next set of target occupations for inclusion, beyond 2012, under the Pan-Canadian Framework for the Assessment and Recognition of Foreign Qualifications.
- Proposing to return applications and refund up to $130 million in fees paid by certain federal skilled worker applicants who applied under previous criteria established prior to February 27, 2008.
Tell us what you think! We want to hear from you – comment and share this article below!
Did you submit your application prior to February 27, 2008? How long have you been waiting? How do you feel that your application will never be processed?
