The global hiring landscape is becoming increasingly competitive as businesses refocus hiring efforts to attract the best talent from a worldwide pool. To remain competitive, the government of Canada recently launched the Global Skills Strategy (GSS) which allows Canadian employers to access highly skilled foreign nationals that meet Canada’s prevailing wage requirements (and obtain work permits for them) in a speedier and more predictable manner.
If you’re a recruiter for a Canada-based company, this is great news for you. The impetus behind the GSS is to enable Canadian companies to thrive and grow via streamlined processes for attracting global talent. Now that your talent pool just got a whole lot bigger, it’s important to know the ins and outs of who you can go after and how you can get them in. Here’s an overview of the various work permit options made more accessible via the GSS.
Work Permit OptionsThe GSS ultimately serves to streamline the various immigration avenues available to skilled workers wishing to join Canada’s tech-industry, which are as follows:
Category A: High-growth companies with a demonstrated need for the in-demand talent of foreign nationals in order to generate growth. Companies that fall into Category A must first be recommended to the GTS by a designated partner, which needs to identify the company as “high-growth”.
Category B: Companies requiring high-skilled foreign nationals for occupations per the above-captioned enumerated list.
In some cases if an applicant does not meet the criteria for the GTS, a ten day speed of service processing option is also available to a different enumerated list of skilled trades that meets prevailing wage requirements, or to those that earn the top ten percent of wages in their profession and location. However, under these categories, the employer is not exempt from the one month advertising/recruiting process.
Employers should be aware that that the GSS allows for foreign workers in Canada who are working in a managerial or professional occupation contemplated by the GSS for 15 consecutive days or less every 6 months, or 16-30 days every year, without having to obtain a work permit. For those coming to Canada as Business Visitors, or coming to Canada to work remotely (i.e. long distance work by telephone or internet) – and the employer is outside of Canada and remunerated outside of Canada – they will also be work permit exempt.
These immigration avenues are non-exhaustive, and there are other options that may be pursued to bring skilled labour into Canada based on specific circumstances. For instance, if the applicant has family in Canada, there may be an option to bring the worker to Canada through a family-based sponsorship application. Or, if the applicant is married and his/her spouse better fits the eligibility criteria, the applicant may be entitled to a Spousal Open Work Permit based on his/her spouse’s work permit.
Summary
Canada’s implementation of the GSS significantly reduces processing times for work permits in the tech-industry and makes it easier for Canadian employers to attract talented foreign nationals to Canada. Depending on the foreign national’s duties, responsibilities and job description the processing times can range from approximately 10 days to approximately two weeks.
Since various options are available to bring skilled tech-labour into Canada and the policies are ever-changing, it’s recommended that employers consult with an immigration professional before pursuing a work permit for a prospective employee.
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