Putting highly-skilled workers on the fast track will support innovation, investment
Mississauga, ON –Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Minister John McCallum and Innovation, Science and Economic Development Minister Navdeep Bains announced that companies will soon be able to bring in the highly-skilled experts they need to grow, flourish and provide good jobs for Canadians faster than ever before.
Minister McCallum and Minister Bains spoke about the Global Skills Strategy and the Innovation Agenda with stakeholders, including the Council of Canadian Innovators, at Therapure Biopharma, a fast-growing biopharmaceutical company founded in 2008.
The Global Skills Strategy will help attract highly qualified talent from around the world to support the growth of companies in Canada, spurring innovation and driving our economy, ultimately creating more jobs for Canadians.
To be implemented later in 2017, the Global Skills Strategy will:
• Establish an ambitious two-week standard for processing visas and work permits for low-risk, high-skill talent for companies in Canada;
• Create a dedicated service channel for companies looking to make large, job-creating investments in Canada; and
• Drop the work permit requirement for very short-term work (for instance, 30 days or less) in low-risk fields. Brief academic stays would also be eligible.
The global demand for highly skilled talent in the knowledge economy is outpacing the supply, leaving companies in Canada without the talent needed to fill vacancies and grow their businesses.
In the coming months, the Government will seek feedback from stakeholders on the design of the Global Skills Strategy, making sure companies in Canada will benefit from day one. (CIC media relations)