Canada is now offering a special work permit under the Innovation Stream of the International Mobility Program, designed for high-skilled foreign tech workers. This Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA)-exempt permit helps streamline hiring for Canadian tech companies.
Eligibility Criteria
To qualify, workers need a job offer from companies participating in the Global Hypergrowth Project. These roles fall within TEER 0-3 categories of the National Occupational Classification (NOC), targeting tech positions like software engineers, data scientists, and product managers.
IRCC has unveiled a new work permit under the Innovation Stream of the International Mobility Program (IMP), part of Canada’s 2023 Tech Talent Strategy. This initiative aims to attract skilled workers to bolster Canada’s global tech leadership. Eligible foreign workers can now apply for employer-specific permits without needing an LMIA, provided they secure a job offer from one of the eight companies participating in the Global Hypergrowth Project. These companies are recognized as industry innovators with significant growth potential.
To be eligible for a work permit under the Innovation Stream, applicants must meet the following criteria:
- Have a Valid Job Offer: Applicants must secure a job offer from an employer participating in the Global Hypergrowth Project (GHP).
- Hold a Position in a High-Skilled Occupation: The job offer must be for a high-skilled position classified under the National Occupational Classification (NOC) Training, Education, Experience, and Responsibilities (TEER) categories 0, 1, 2, or 3.
- Meet Education and Experience Requirements: Applicants must possess the educational qualifications and work experience required for the occupation as outlined in the NOC for their intended role.
This stream is accessible to qualified candidates regardless of their current location, whether inside or outside of Canada.
Additionally, applicants whose job offers fall under TEER categories 0 or 1 may benefit from expedited processing times for their work permits.
Before submitting an application to the Innovation Stream, employers are required to:
- Submit an Offer of Employment: Provide a formal job offer to the immigration authorities.
- Pay a $230 CAD Employer Compliance Fee: Cover the cost associated with compliance requirements.
- Obtain and Provide an Offer of Employment Number: Receive an offer of employment number from the immigration authorities and provide it to the employee or prospective employee.
Employers must ensure that their offer of employment aligns with the specific regulations and requirements of the Innovation Stream to facilitate a smooth application process for the candidate.
Companies Participating in the Program
Currently, eight Canadian tech firms are eligible, including well-known names such as Ada Support Inc., AlayaCare, and Clio. These companies were selected due to their high growth potential in Canada’s innovation sector. The aim is to attract skilled global talent to support the rapid growth of these firms and contribute to the country’s economy.
| Company | Company Summary |
| Ada Support Inc. | AI-driven Ada Support Inc., a Toronto-based business, is committed to switching from agent-first to AI-first customer care. They offer a platform driven by AI that lets businesses handle customer support interactions automatically across several languages and channels. With the use of speech and generative AI, Ada’s platform enables multi-channel automation, which lowers wait times and improves customer experiences for enterprises. |
| AlayaCare | Home care companies can enhance their planning and management with the help of AlayaCare’s AI-powered platform. With the use of the platform, clinicians may provide better care and achieve better patient outcomes by improving scheduling, time reporting, clinical documentation, and patient monitoring. With the use of AlayaCare’s solutions, clients may minimize hospital readmissions, detect adverse occurrences, and save operational costs. |
| CellCarta | Based in Montreal, Quebec, CellCarta specializes in precision medicine by offering end-to-end sample measurement services and tailored testing solutions in the areas of genomes, immunology, histopathology, and proteomics. By identifying genetic, biochemical, and environmental factors that impact patient reactions to treatments, the company leverages its experience in biomarker research to enable more individualized medicines for each patient. |
| Clarius Mobile Health | Based in British Columbia, Clarius Mobile Health’s mission is to provide high-performance, cost-effective, and user-friendly AI-powered medical imaging solutions to everyone. Clarius, a startup focused on downsizing ultrasound technology, was founded by pioneers who produced the first touchscreen ultrasound device and PC-based ultrasound platform. The firm creates wireless, high-definition point-of-care devices that can be used in a variety of specialties to improve patient care, increase clinical services, and give medical practices access to real-time imaging. |
| Clio | With its cloud-based software, Clio, a legal technology business established in Burnaby, British Columbia, is driving the digital transformation of the legal sector. The Clio platform assists legal practices in handling a range of duties, such as scheduling, document management, billing, payments, trust accounting, client intake, and contact management. |
| Duchesnay Pharmaceutical Group (DPG) | With a distinctive business strategy in Canada, DPG creates novel medications that enhance patient health and quality of life. Through strategic partnerships, it exports therapies to more than 50 nations. Based in Blainville, Quebec, is the firm. |
| Lightspeed Commerce | Founded in Montréal in 2005, Lightspeed Commerce offers technological solutions to assist restaurateurs and shops improve customer experiences and manage operations. The company provides a platform that combines inventory updates, embedded payments, and in-store and online transaction management capabilities, enabling businesses to handle every facet from a single system. The company mainly provides services to small and medium-sized enterprises. |
| Vive Crop Protection | Based in Mississauga, Ontario, Vive Crop Protection creates crop protection solutions that assist farmers in enhancing crop quality while reducing their environmental effect. Vive improves efficacy and lowers dangers to plants and the environment by delivering active substances where needed with its unique Allosperse technology. Vive products can also safely combine with other pesticides, fertilisers, and micronutrients thanks to this technology, which enables farmers to apply treatments in a single pass while conserving resources, time, and fuel. |
Canada’s Push for Innovation and Growth
Canada’s decision to implement this new permit reflects its broader strategy to position itself as a global tech hub. By facilitating easier immigration for tech professionals, Canada aims to compete with other innovation-driven countries like the U.S., continuing to attract top-tier talent and strengthen its tech ecosystem.
Recent updates to Canada’s work permit and LMIA policies include:
- LMIA Restrictions: As of August 26, low-wage LMIAs will not be processed in Canadian cities with an unemployment rate of 6% or higher, with some exceptions for sectors like agriculture, food processing, and healthcare.
- Visitor Work Permit Changes: Visitors in Canada can no longer apply for job-supported work permits from within the country. They can still apply for other types of work permits.
These changes contrast with the new Innovation Stream, which highlights Canada’s ongoing commitment to attracting foreign talent for the tech sector and other industries. This new LMIA-exempt permit underlines Canada’s commitment to fostering innovation, supporting the tech industry’s growth, and providing opportunities for global talent to contribute to its expanding tech landscape.
