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Global Skills Strategy

The Global Skills Strategy is a streamlined service offered by the Government of Canada to employers who are seeking to hire highly shilled workers and they are looking to do so quickly and efficiently. The following benefits are offered by the Global Skills Strategy:

Processing Times

Workers who are LMIA-exempt qualify for a 2-week processing time of their work permit application if they meet all of the following requirements:

  • Applying from outside of Canada
  • The job is either skill type 0 (managerial) or skill level A (professional) in accordance with the National Occupational Classification (NOC)
  • The employer submitted an offer of employment using the Employer Portal and paid the employer compliance fee

Workers who require an LMIA qualify for a 2-week processing time if they meet the following requirements:

Worker’s spouse and dependents are also eligible for 2-week processing times for the following applications:

Spouses and dependents must apply at the same time as the worker.

More Global Mobility Services

Global Skills Strategy & Work Permit Exemptions

Under the Global Skills Strategy two types of workers are not required to have work permits for short term work:

Highly Skilled Workers

To be a highly skilled worker, the following requirements must be met:

  • Job is under skill type 0 (executive, managerial) or skill level A (professional) in accordance with the NOC
  • Short term work is performed for one of the following periods of time:
    • Up to 15 consecutive days once every 6 months
    • Up to 30 consecutive days
Researchers

To be a researcher, the following requirements must be met:

  • Perform research at a Canadian, publicly funded, degree-granting institution or its affiliated research institution
  • Work for 1 period of 120 days in Canada once every 12 months

Dedicated Service Channel

The Government of Canada offer a dedicated service channel (DSC) to:

The DSC allows employers to have access to an account manager who can:

  • Assess the employer’s needs
  • Answer the employer’s questions
  • Provide the employer guidance

To be eligible the employer must be referred by one of the referral partners. If the Government of Canada determines that the employer is eligible, the DSC will contact them.