Dear Miss Powell,
I saw where you wrote something about The Global Skills category of work permit in a recent article. I read that those applications can be processed in two weeks, and it is for highly skilled persons. Can you tell me a bit more about this opportunity and how I can apply for a work permit?
– P.O.
Dear PO,
Immigration, Refugee and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) introduced the Global Skills Stream category under the Temporary Foreign Worker Programme in 2017. Under this stream, most applications can be processed in under a month. To apply under this category, you must have a job offer from an approved employer. The work permit will be granted for you to work with that named employer only.
This category is employer-driven, as the employer will be the one who must first convince the government that there is a general need and shortage of persons with that required talent in Canada.
CATEGORIES A AND B
There are two categories under which individuals may qualify. They are listed as Category A and Category B. For Category A of the Global Talent Stream, employers must be referred by one of the steam’s designated referral partners. These partners will be the one to recommend a company if they are recognised as a legitimate and ‘innovative Canadian company’. The company will need to show that it needs and is hiring an ‘individual with unique and specialised talent’ which is needed to help the company to grow and be more productive. Each province has its own referral partner; for example, organisations such as Invest Ottawa, Invest Brampton, Tech Manitoba, and Launch Academy. They would be the ones that recommend the employer.
The job must be classified as a managerial or professional job and listed under as skill type O or A under the Canadian National Occupational Classification for your application to be expedited. The company will need to offer at least CDN$38.46 per hour (CDN$80,000 annual base salary), or the equivalent to the prevailing wage for the occupation and industry, if it is higher. Additionally, the person that the company is hiring must have a minimum of five years work experience in the field of specialisation, have an advanced knowledge of the industry, as well as an advanced degree in an area of specialisation of interest to the employer.
For Category B of the Global Talent Stream, if an employer wants to hire highly skilled foreign workers to fill positions which are categorised as ‘in-demand occupations’, as listed on the Global Talent Occupations List, then a referral is not necessary from one of the partners. Such jobs are usually in the computer and mathematical fields, such as digital media designers, mathematicians and statisticians, computer engineers, information systems analysts and consultants, software engineers and designers, to name a few.
Once the prospective employer is approved, then IRCC will need the employee to present evidence of the education and experience to carry out the duties of the job. Proof required are a copy of your educational certificates, accompanied by an educational credential assessment report and letters of recommendation from past employers.
The employer will need to apply via the employer portal and pay the requisite fees. The employer must provide documents to prove that both the business and the job are legitimate. Once you have confirmation that your employer has satisfied the requirements, then you may apply online via www.canada.ca for the work permit. A copy of the offer letter is required.
You should also be prepared to submit your biometrics, upfront medical and police records with the application. You must identify that you are applying under the Global Skills Stream for your application to be dealt with on a priority basis. If you fail to submit a complete application with all the required forms and documents, then your application will be processed within the regular processing time.
Remember, the work permit will be employer-specific. That means you must work for that employer for the entire period granted or apply to change the terms of your work permit, if you wish to change your job.
Since this application also falls under the Temporary Foreign Worker Programme, you will be expected to show that you have sufficient ties to your home country, which would motivate you to return to your home once the contract has expired.
Deidre S. Powell is a lawyer, mediator and notary public. Submit your questions and comments via www.deidrepowell.com or call 613.695.8777, or follow her on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for the latest immigration news.
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