Skilled workers in these occupations can get a work permit within two weeks
Highly skilled workers in specialized tech or in-demand occupations may be eligible for expedited work permit processing.
The Global Talent Stream (GTS) of the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) targets foreign nationals with a job offer in one of 22 eligible in-demand occupations.
The GTS has two streams (or categories), and either can lead to an expedited work permit.
This article will explore which occupations are eligible for faster work permit processing and the steps to follow for a GTS-linked work permit.
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Below is a list of occupations eligible under Category B of the TFWP's GTS, which targets specific occupations.
In most cases (80%), Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) will process work permit applications for these roles within just two weeks.
| Occupation title | NOC code |
|---|---|
| Computer and information systems managers | 20012 |
| *Civil engineers | 21300 |
| *Electrical and electronics engineers | 21310 |
| Mining engineers | 21330 |
| Aerospace engineers | 21390 |
| Computer engineers (except software engineers and designers) | 21311 |
| Mathematicians and statisticians (subset) | 21210 |
| Data scientists | 21211 |
| *Cybersecurity specialists | 21220 |
| Business system specialists | 21221 |
| Information systems specialists | 21222 |
| Web designers | 21233 |
| Database analysts and data administrators | 21223 |
| Software engineers and designers | 21231 |
| Computer systems developers and programmers | 21230 |
| Software developers and programmers | 21232 |
| Web developers and programmers | 21234 |
| *Electrical and electronics engineering technologists and technicians | 22310 |
| Computer network and web technicians | 22220 |
| Information systems testing technicians | 22222 |
| Producer, technical, creative and artistic director and project manager – Visual effects and video game (subset) | 51120 |
| Digital media and design (subset) | 52120 |
On top of GTS requirements, you must also meet general work permit and admissibility requirements.
*Work experience gained while in Canada in these occupations can make you eligible for Express Entry category-based selection, under the “Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM)” category.
To be eligible for a category-based STEM draw, you need a minimum of six months’ worth of full-time, continuous work experience (or part-time equivalent) in an eligible occupation (in addition to meeting the eligibility criteria for one of Express Entry's programs).
How to get a work permit through the GTS
Getting a work permit through the GTS is a two-step process:
Step 1: Your employer submits a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) for your role.
Employment and Social Development Canada will process GTS-aligned LMIAs submitted by employers within about 10 business days—as opposed to weeks, or even months for other LMIA applications.
Step 2: Once the LMIA is approved, you can apply to IRCC for a GTS work permit (which you must do from outside Canada). Your employer will provide you with a copy of the LMIA decision letter, which you need to include in your work permit application.
When applying, you will also have to identify yourself as part of the GTS—when asked whether your employer’s LMIA was issued under the GTS, answer “Yes.”
Your GTS work permit will be processed within two weeks, compared to the five to 10 weeks it currently takes for non-GTS work permits.
Because both the LMIA and work permit are fast-tracked, you can start working in Canada much sooner than usual.
I don’t have a job offer in an eligible occupation – can I still benefit?
You may still be eligible for priority work permit processing under the referral stream of the GTS (known as Category A) if you possess “unique and specialized talent.”
A role qualifies as unique and specialized when it meets the following criteria:
- It pays at least $38.46 per hour (equivalent to an $80,000 annual base salary) or the prevailing wage, whichever is higher;
- It requires advanced industry-specific knowledge; and
- It requires an advanced degree in a field relevant to the employer’s needs and/or at least five years of specialized professional experience.
Your job offer must come from a company that operates in Canada, has a clear focus on innovation, and shows the capacity and intention to grow or scale its business.
Only workers with job offers from companies that have been referred to the GTS by one of the stream’s designated referral partners can benefit from accelerated work permit processing through the GTS, if their occupation is not among those listed as eligible.
For more information on the GTS, visit our dedicated webpage.
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