The Global Talent Stream provides Canadian employers in the fields of Information Technology and Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) with easier access to temporary foreign workers with experience in the listed occupations.

Canadian employers have used the stream to hire approximately 24,000 highly skilled foreign workers since its launch in 2017 as a two-year pilot program.

The Government of Canada has updated the list of occupations that are eligible under its popular Global Talent Stream.

The update saw two professions removed from the Global Talent Occupations List and the addition of computer network technicians (NOC 2281).

The occupations removed were:

• engineering managers  (NOC 0211)
• architecture and science managers (NOC 0212)

Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC), the federal ministry responsible for processing applications to the Global Talent Stream, said the update was necessary “to ensure [the list] continues to reflect the Canadian labour market and the needs of innovative companies.”

The occupations list applies to Category B of the Global Talent Stream. ESDC said it has been determined that there is both a high demand for workers in the occupations listed and an insufficient supply of domestic workers with the required skills.

Canadian employers looking to hire foreign workers on the list benefit from work permits that can be issued in as little as two weeks in exchange for a commitment to increase skills and training investments for Canadians and permanent residents.

Employers using Category B can submit a facilitated Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) that waives the requirement to prove they first tried recruiting Canadians and permanent residents of Canada.

LMIAs can also be processed in as little as two weeks.

ESDC said submissions for occupations being removed from the list will be accepted until August 4, 2019.

Those received after August 4, 2019, will not be processed.