Canada · Work
Canada Global Talent Stream
First stay: 3 yrs
Global Talent Stream (LMIA with accelerated service)
First checked against official sources on Change log
Key facts
Global Talent Stream is a work route for Canada. Checked 2026-10-10 against the official source.
- Government fees
- CAD 1,000 ≈ $700 · CAD 155 ≈ $110
- Processing
- Up to 60 days
- First stay
- 3 yrs
Cost, time and long term
To apply: 2 government fees listed below; decision: up to 60 days. No lawyer or agent fee is included.
Government feesCAD 1,000 ≈ $700 · CAD 155 ≈ $110
- CAD 1,000 (≈ $700)LMIA processing fee paid by the employer for each position requested; it cannot be paid by or recovered from the worker.
- CAD 155 (≈ $110)Work permit fee per person, including extensions.
RenewalRenewable
A work permit can be extended, or its conditions, job or employer changed, by applying to IRCC.
CitizenshipAfter 3 years as a permanent resident
Each day as a temporary resident counts as half a day (maximum 365 days of credit), and you still need at least 730 days as a permanent resident within the 5 years before applying, for 1,095 days in total.
ProcessingUp to 60 days
The service standard is 60 days for a first work permit applied for from outside Canada and 120 days for an extension inside Canada.
Where to applyAbroad or in-country
You can apply from outside Canada, from inside Canada, or at a port of entry, depending on your situation.
Why this route may not fit
Check this before you apply.
- Needs a job offer from an employer in Canada
What you'll need
Who can apply3
- Category A: the employer is referred by a designated referral partner and hires an individual with unique and specialized talent.
- Category B: the employer hires highly skilled workers in occupations on the global talent occupations list; no referral is needed.
- The employer commits to a Labour Market Benefits Plan: job creation for Category A or skills and training investment for Category B.
What you must show2
- The employer pays a CAD 1,000 (≈ $700) LMIA processing fee for each position.
- The work permit fee is CAD 155 (≈ $110) per person.
Steps1
- An LMIA application can be submitted up to 6 months before the job start date.
After you arrive1
- A high-wage position can request an employment duration of up to 3 years.
What happens at day 183
How Canada decides tax residence and treats foreign-source income, from its tax records.
- Stay on this route
Up to 3 years at first, renewable
- Tax residence
- At least 183 days in a calendar yearDay count used in the CRA residency decision flow (page wording: fewer than 183 days versus more than 182 days throughout the year); significant ties and treaty residence are assessed together with it.
- At least 183 days in a tax yearA person who sojourned in Canada in the year for 183 days or more is deemed resident for the whole year (Income Tax Act s.250(1)(a))
- Foreign-source income
Worldwide income for residents; Canadian-source income for non-residents
All tax rules for Canada Tax records checked
Full official text
Employer-driven LMIA stream for innovative firms hiring highly skilled global talent, with a Labour Market Benefits Plan and referral-partner categories. 1 2 3
What you must show and pay
- A fee of CAD 1,000 (≈ $700) · LMIA processing fee paid by the employer for each position requested; it cannot be paid by or recovered from the worker. 2
- A fee of CAD 155 (≈ $110) · Work permit fee per person, including extensions. 3
Requirements
- Category A: the employer is referred by a designated referral partner and hires an individual with unique and specialized talent. 2
- Category B: the employer hires highly skilled workers in occupations on the global talent occupations list; no referral is needed. 2
- The employer commits to a Labour Market Benefits Plan: job creation for Category A or skills and training investment for Category B. 2
- The employer pays a CAD 1,000 (≈ $700) LMIA processing fee for each position. 2
- The work permit fee is CAD 155 (≈ $110) per person. 3
- An LMIA application can be submitted up to 6 months before the job start date. 1
- A high-wage position can request an employment duration of up to 3 years. 1
Stay
- Work permit validity follows the LMIA employment duration, up to 3 years for high-wage positions.
- First stay: up to 36 months, decided case by case.
- Renewable, subject to the conditions in force at renewal.
Nationality
No nationality restriction.
Work
Work for the sponsoring employer.
Family
Family members may apply for permits.
Official sources
- Hire a top foreign talent through the Global Talent Stream · Employment and Social Development Canada · checked 2026-10-10
- Global Talent Stream: program requirements · Employment and Social Development Canada · checked 2026-10-11
- Citizenship and immigration application fees: fee list · Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada · checked 2026-10-11
- Work in Canada temporarily: types of work permits · Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada · checked 2026-10-10
- Apply for citizenship: who can apply (physical presence) · Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada · checked 2026-10-11
- IRCC service standards · Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada · checked 2026-10-11
Global Talent Stream and its alternatives
| Route | Money needed | Stay | Work |
|---|---|---|---|
| Global Talent Stream | – | 3 yr, renewable | – |
| Atlantic Immigration | – | – | Limited |
| BC PNP Skills Immigration | Needs income from CAD 26k a year ≈ $18k | – | – |
| Employer work permit | – | 3 yr, renewable | Limited |
| Express Entry · Trades | Needs savings from CAD 15k ≈ $11k | – | – |
Questions people ask
How much money do I need for the Global Talent Stream?
A fee of CAD 1,000 (≈ $700). LMIA processing fee paid by the employer for each position requested; it cannot be paid by or recovered from the worker. A fee of CAD 155 (≈ $110). Work permit fee per person, including extensions.
How long can I stay on the Global Talent Stream?
Work permit validity follows the LMIA employment duration, up to 3 years for high-wage positions.
How long does the Global Talent Stream take to process?
The service standard is 60 days for a first work permit applied for from outside Canada and 120 days for an extension inside Canada.
Can I work on the Global Talent Stream?
Work for the sponsoring employer.
Can I bring my family on the Global Talent Stream?
Family members may apply for permits.
How are Global Talent Stream holders taxed in Canada?
No special regime in our records is tied to the Global Talent Stream. The standard rules apply: Tax obligations follow residency status decided on all facts, mainly significant residential ties; residents report world income from all sources.
More in Canada
Work visas elsewhere
≈ USD figures are approximate: daily reference rates from ExchangeRate-API, dated 12 Oct 2026, refreshed when the site is updated.
Ask the AI about this route AI
An AI assistant answers from the published records on this page and cites them. It can't assess your personal eligibility. Don't include personal details.
How this was checked
Checked on 2026-10-10 against 6 official sources. Status: verified against the official sources.
Every figure on this page comes from the official source it links to. The record was researched against these sources, then reviewed separately, with special attention to effective dates and amendments. Where a source does not state something, the page leaves it out.
- Hire a top foreign talent through the Global Talent Stream · Employment and Social Development Canada · checked 2026-10-10
- Global Talent Stream: program requirements · Employment and Social Development Canada · checked 2026-10-11
- Citizenship and immigration application fees: fee list · Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada · checked 2026-10-11
- Work in Canada temporarily: types of work permits · Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada · checked 2026-10-10
- Apply for citizenship: who can apply (physical presence) · Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada · checked 2026-10-11
- IRCC service standards · Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada · checked 2026-10-11
Tracked since 2026-10-10. Rule changes and corrections are listed on the changes page, and the methodology page explains how facts are checked. Found something out of date? Email contact@stayglobe.app with a link to the official source.