On December 22nd, Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) expanded the list of eligible occupations in the Global Talent Stream (GTS).
ESDC is a government department that works to support Canada’s labour force and has oversight over many immigration matters, including the issuance of Labour Market Internal Assessments (LMIAs) and the GTS.
GTS is a work permit program with expedited processing designed to assist Canadian employers in hiring foreign skilled workers in the technology sector.
Employers who want to hire a foreign skilled worker for one of 17 in-demand professions can apply for and receive a work permit under the GTS.
New Engineering Positions: Previously at 12 positions, the list of eligible occupations has now expanded to 17 with the addition of five engineering roles. These are:
- Civil Engineers (NOC code 21300);
- Electrical and electronics engineer (NOC code 21310);
- Mining engineers (NOC code 21330);
- Aerospace engineers (NOC code 21390); and
- Computer engineers (except software engineers and designers, NOC code 21311).
Reason for the expansion: The list of eligible occupations for the GTS changes according to Canada’s labour market needs. This has resulted in the inclusion of these five new positions which addresses the country’s labour shortages.
Engineers in Nigeria can again take advantage of this opportunity Canada provides.
This year has also seen a growing trend of specific professions for immigration that directly addresses Canada’s labour market needs. Among these measures are:
- The launch of the New Brunswick Critical Worker Pilot (NBCWP), which collaborates with six employers to directly address the province’s labour needs.
- The removal of barriers to permanent residence for physicians applying through Express Entry (due to historic shortages of healthcare workers)
- The passage of Bill C-19 gives the immigration minister the authority to create groups in the Express Entry pool (based on policy needs such as in-demand positions) and issue invitations to apply (ITAs) to these groups. As a result, Express Entry will most likely target more occupations in 2023.
It seems likely that Canada will continue to address its economic needs in a much more targeted manner given the country’s ongoing high labour shortages and growing retiree population. As a result, the government is utilizing immigration to meet its in-demand labour needs.
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