Global Talent Stream Canada: 2-Week Work Permits for Tech

The Global Talent Stream is an employer-driven route in Canada’s Temporary Foreign Worker Program. The employer files an LMIA with a Labour Market Benefits Plan, then the worker applies for a work permit. ESDC’s LMIA standard is 10 business days, 80% of the time, and IRCC aims to process eligible work permits within 2 weeks.

Find the NOC code for the role

Last verified: November 2026

$1,000
The LMIA fee per position paid by the employer
$155
The work permit fee paid by the worker

The Fee Calculator adds the worker’s own permit and biometrics fees.

What is the Global Talent Stream, and who applies?

The Global Talent Stream (GTS) is a specialized part of the Temporary Foreign Worker Program, managed by Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC). It is offered together with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) under the Global Skills Strategy. It helps growing and innovative Canadian employers hire highly skilled foreign workers when they cannot readily find the talent at home.

The stream is employer-driven. The employer applies to ESDC for a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) and makes commitments through a Labour Market Benefits Plan. Only after the LMIA is positive does the foreign worker apply to IRCC for the work permit. A worker’s first step is finding an employer who is willing and eligible to hire through the stream.

What is the difference between Category A and Category B?

Category A: For employers referred to the stream by one of ESDC’s designated referral partners because they need a worker with unique and specialized talent that is difficult to find. It is built around individual, hard-to-source expertise rather than a fixed list of jobs. The referral partner completes a referral form vouching for the employer’s legitimacy and eligibility.
Category B: For employers hiring in an occupation on the Global Talent Occupations List, which leans toward technology and STEM roles. Examples are computer and information systems managers, software engineers and designers, data scientists, computer engineers, and civil, electrical, mining and aerospace engineers. No referral is needed. Eligibility turns on whether the occupation is on the list at the time of application.

The list and the set of designated partners are updated from time to time, so confirm current details on canada.ca. The NOC Finder shows the duties behind each code. The tech workers guide compares this route with the others.

What does the Labour Market Benefits Plan commit the employer to?

The plan is a commitment to actions with lasting, positive effects for the Canadian labour market, such as creating jobs for Canadian citizens and permanent residents, investing in skills and training, or transferring knowledge to Canadian workers. The employer agrees to specific activities and is expected to follow through and report on its progress. ESDC reviews the plan and the rest of the LMIA application together.

Each plan carries one mandatory benefit and at least 2 complementary benefits:

Category A: the mandatory benefit is creating jobs for Canadians and permanent residents.
Category B: the mandatory benefit is increasing skills and training investments for Canadians and permanent residents.

The stream has no minimum recruitment requirement. The high-wage and low-wage streams require the employer to advertise the job, and GTS employers make these benefit commitments instead.

The rule

Every employer hiring through the Global Talent Stream must submit a Labour Market Benefits Plan as part of its LMIA application to ESDC.

ESDC and IRCC, canada.caVerify on canada.ca

How do the steps fit together?

The employer confirms the category
Category A needs a designated referral. Category B needs an occupation on the Global Talent Occupations List.
The employer submits the LMIA
The employer prepares a Labour Market Benefits Plan and submits the LMIA application, with the processing fee, to ESDC.
$1,000
ESDC reviews the application
The service standard is 10 business days, 80% of the time, counted from the first business day after ESDC receives the application.
The worker applies for the work permit
With a positive LMIA, the worker applies to IRCC, where the 2-week priority processing can apply. The worker still has to meet the usual requirements to be admissible to Canada.
$155

What does it cost, and what does the 2-week standard cover?

The LMIA fee: Generally $1,000 per position requested, paid by the employer. It cannot be paid by the worker or recovered from the worker, and it is not refunded if the application is withdrawn, cancelled or receives a negative decision.
The 2-week work permit standard: IRCC’s 2-week processing applies when the worker applies online from outside Canada with a complete application and, if needed, gives biometrics within 2 weeks of applying. ESDC describes that step as 10 business days, 80% of the time.
What neither clock counts: The time the employer spends getting a referral or preparing the benefits plan, and the time the worker spends gathering documents.

Which free tool checks your own case?

Free, with no account. What you enter in a tool stays in your browser.

What do people ask?

What is the Global Talent Stream?

The Global Talent Stream is a part of the Temporary Foreign Worker Program that helps innovative employers hire highly skilled foreign workers quickly. It is delivered under the Global Skills Strategy and gives priority processing to the LMIA and the related work permit. The employer applies first, then the worker. Our guide LMIA Canada: What It Is and How It Works explains the assessment the stream relies on.

What is the difference between Global Talent Stream Category A and Category B?

Category A needs a referral, and Category B needs a listed occupation. Category A is for employers referred by one of ESDC's designated referral partners because they need unique and specialized talent. Category B is for employers hiring in an occupation on the Global Talent Occupations List, mostly technology and STEM roles such as software engineers and designers, data scientists and computer engineers, with no referral needed. Our Canada Work Permit for IT and Tech Workers guide compares this route with others.

What is the Global Talent Stream processing time?

ESDC's service standard for the LMIA is 10 business days, 80% of the time, counted from the first business day after it receives the application. For the work permit, IRCC aims to process eligible applications within 2 weeks when the worker applies online from outside Canada with a complete application. A service standard is a target met a certain percentage of the time, so some files take longer. Neither clock counts the time to get a referral or write the benefits plan. Our processing times page tracks current IRCC figures.

What are the Global Talent Stream requirements?

Most requirements fall on the employer. It must qualify under Category A with a designated referral or Category B with a listed occupation, submit a Labour Market Benefits Plan, and pay the LMIA fee. After a positive LMIA, the worker applies to IRCC for the work permit and must still be admissible to Canada. Our How to Get a Canadian Job Offer From Abroad guide covers the worker's first step.

What is the Labour Market Benefits Plan?

It is a commitment every Global Talent Stream employer submits with its LMIA application. The employer agrees to actions that help the Canadian labour market, such as creating jobs for Canadians and permanent residents, investing in training, or transferring knowledge to Canadian workers. It must follow through and report on progress. Our LMIA Process Explained guide shows how ESDC reviews the plan with the rest of the application.

How much does a Global Talent Stream LMIA cost?

The employer pays a government processing fee of $1,000 per position requested. Fees can change, so confirm the amount on canada.ca before applying. The fee cannot be paid by or recovered from the worker, and it is not refunded if the application is withdrawn, cancelled or receives a negative decision. Our guide LMIA Canada: What It Is and How It Works explains the fee and who pays it.

What is on the Global Talent Stream occupation list?

The Global Talent Occupations List names the occupations that qualify for Category B, each with its NOC 2021 code. ESDC's table is marked "updated December 2022". The list leans toward technology and STEM roles, such as computer and information systems managers, software engineers and designers, and data scientists. Confirm a role is on it before the employer applies. Our NOC Finder shows the duties behind each code.

Does the Global Talent Stream lead to PR in Canada?

Not directly. The stream gives a temporary work permit. Canadian work experience gained on that permit can support a later permanent residence application, for example through the Canadian Experience Class in Express Entry. Each program has its own criteria, and an officer decides every application. Our Canadian Experience Class guide explains how Canadian work experience counts toward permanent residence.

Part of:Working in Canada Work permits

Official sources

This page is based on law and policy published by the Government of Canada.