Global Skills Strategy Overview for MEDEC Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada Employment and Social Development Canada September 22nd, 2017
Global Skills Strategy: Context • Canadian firms need to be able to access the skills and expertise of talented workers from around the world to succeed in the global marketplace. • Access to talent is critical for Canadian employers, and exponentially more so for firms competing in knowledge sectors, including technology. • As a recognized leader in economic immigration, Canada’s immigration programs need to adapt to accommodate the emphasis on speed, predictability and responsiveness that increasingly drive investment decisions. • In this context, the Global Skills Strategy launched on June 12, 2017 . 1
Global Skills Strategy: Consultations IRCC and ESDC participated in close to 60 events with over 300 stakeholders across Canada promoting awareness of the Global Skills Strategy, soliciting feedback on the design and development of GSS policy, programs and services. • Federal Organizations • Provincial and Territories • Incubators • Legal community • Academic Institutions • Sectoral leaders and associations 2
Global Skills Strategy: Four Pillars Two-week Service Work permits for high-skilled talent will be Standard processed in two weeks or less. to support economic growth & improve predictability Work Permit Skilled workers and top research talent able to Exemptions IRCC come work in Canada for short periods with For short duration, high-value less red tape. work Dedicated Service Departmental staff ready to guide employers Channel through the immigration process to help meet For employers bringing their specific needs. significant investment to Canada Applications processed in two-weeks or less and Global Talent Stream (ESDC) predictable client-focused service to help employers ESDC For employers seeking skilled access highly-skilled global talent while making occupations in shortage or, lasting positive benefits for the Canadian labour specialized and unique talent market 3
TWO WEEK SERVICE STANDARD PURPOSE This is a commitment to provide two week work permit processing for high-skilled workers under the International Mobility Program, and for participants in ESDC’s Global Talent Stream. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA • E-application submitted on June 12, 2017 or later; • Application submitted outside of Canada; • Foreign national has an employer-specific job offer in a NOC 0 or A position; or, • Has been identified within ESDC’s Global Talent Stream. EXPECTED OUTCOMES • Improved speed and responsiveness; • Greater predictability for both employer and prospective recruits; • Canadian employers gain an edge in recruitment; • Canadian workers benefit from knowledge transfer and new economic opportunities . 4
WORK PERMIT EXEMPTIONS PURPOSE GSS’s Work Permit exemptions allow short -term entry (up to 30 days) for high-skilled workers and provide similar facilitative measures for researchers (up to 120 days). ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA • High-skilled workers: • Foreign nationals coming to work in professional and managerial occupations (NOC skill type 0 or skill level A); • Coming to perform work for up to 15 or 30 consecutive calendar days and have not been granted an exemption under this public policy in the last 6 or 12 months (depending). • Researchers: • Coming to perform research at a Canadian publicly-funded, degree granting institution or affiliated research institution; • Coming to perform work for up to 120 days and have not been granted an exemption under this public policy in the last 12 months EXPECTED OUTCOMES • Reduced administrative burden on employers and research institutions that need workers on a short-term basis to meet deadlines, expand operations or perform research. 5
DEDICATED SERVICE CHANNEL PURPOSE The Dedicated Service Channel (DSC) provides select employers making significant investments in Canada or top academics with personalized client service at IRCC to facilitate their immigration needs. IN-SCOPE SERVICES OUT OF SCOPE SERVICES x ✓ Targeted Labour Market Impact Assessment Provision of general information on immigration programs. exemptions. ✓ Case-specific advice and troubleshooting (where x Processing of applications. authorized). x ✓ Seamless connections for the employer with other relevant Faster processing (unless foreign national meets the eligibility criteria for two-week processing of client services within IRCC and OGDs (e.g. Service work permits and visas, where applicable). Canada). REFERRAL MECHANISM IRCC will rely on designated referral partners to identify eligible firms and federally funded research chairs. EXPECTED OUTCOMES • Firms are incentivized to invest in and/or relocate to Canada. • Firms are provided with tailored client service and information to navigate the immigration system. 6
DEDICATED SERVICE CHANNEL: Referral Partners* Bilateral Referral Partners (IRCC): Trilateral Referral partners (IRCC and ESDC): • • Privy Council Office – Foreign Direct Investment Office Global Affairs Canada – Trade Commissioner Service • • Tri-Agency Institutional Programs Secretariat – Social Innovation, Science and Economic Development Sciences and Humanities Research Council Canada – Accelerated Growth Service • • Toronto Global National Research Council – Industrial Research • London Economic Development Corporation Assistance Program • • Waterloo Region Economic Development Corporation Federal Economic Development Agency of Southern • Economic Development Winnipeg Ontario • • Edmonton Economic Development Corporation Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency • • Vancouver Economic Commission Government of Ontario – Citizenship and Immigration, and Economic Development and Growth • Government of Prince Edward Island – Island Investment Development Inc. • Government of Manitoba – Manitoba Education and Training, Immigration Division • Business Development Bank of Canada • Council of Canadian Innovators • Information and Communications Technology Association of Manitoba (ICTAM) • Communitech • MaRS • Venn Innovation • BC Tech Association • Invest Ottawa • Montréal International • Québec International 7 *As of June 19, 2017. Refer to the IRCC website for the Referral Partner updates.
Additional Resources: IRCC and the Global Skills Strategy: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/work/employers/gss.asp Two-week processing: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/resources/tools/temp/work/2- week.asp Short-term work permit exemptions: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/resources/tools/temp/work/short- term-exemption.asp The International Mobility Program: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/work/employers/hire-how.asp 8
10 NOW AND TOMORROW EXCELLENCE IN EVERYTHING WE DO NOW AND TOMORROW EXCELLENCE IN EVERYTHING WE DO The Global Talent Stream
11 NOW AND TOMORROW EXCELLENCE IN EVERYTHING WE DO Outline • Background • What makes the Global Talent Stream different? • Category A: Current list of Designated Partners and Eligibility Criteria • Category B: Global Talent Occupations List • Labour Market Benefits Plan (LMBP) • Additional Resources • Annex A: Mandatory and complementary benefits: Example activities and indicators (3 slides)
12 NOW AND TOMORROW EXCELLENCE IN EVERYTHING WE DO Background • The Government launched the new Global Talent (GT) Stream on June 12, 2017, as part of the Global Skills Strategy. • The GT Stream under the Temporary Foreign Worker (TFW) Program assists: ➢ Innovative Canadian companies to fill positions that require unique and specialized talent in order to help them scale-up and grow (Category A); and ➢ Companies in Canada seeking highly skilled foreign workers to fill positions for in-demand occupations for which there is insufficient domestic supply (Category B). • All employers using the GT Stream must demonstrate their commitment to creating lasting positive benefits for the Canadian labour market via their Labour Market Benefits Plans (LMBPs).
13 NOW AND TOMORROW EXCELLENCE IN EVERYTHING WE DO What makes the GT Stream unique? • Although the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations apply to all streams of the TFW Program, the GT Stream has some unique elements: ➢ It provides eligible employers with client-focused service to assist with the GT Stream application process; ➢ It has no minimum recruitment requirements; ➢ GT Stream applications, including LMBPs, will be processed in 10 business days – service standard to be met by ESDC 80% of the time; and ➢ Work permits for TFWs being requested under the GT Stream* will be eligible for processing in 10 business days – service standard to be met by IRCC 80% of the time. *ESDC will inform employers of the information needed to facilitate the foreign worker’s work permits being processed by IRCC.
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