Venn Innovation is proud to act as NB’s Designated Referral Partner to the Ministry of Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) and the Ministry of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), and will work in coordination with the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency  (ACOA) to support the roll-out of the Federal Global Skills Strategy by referring NB-based technology companies that meet the program's requirements and qualifications.

What is Venn Innovation's Role as a Designated Referral Partner?

Venn Innovation has been selected as a Designated Referral Partner for NB and will make referrals of companies to IRCC’s Dedicated Service Channel and to ESDC’s Global Talent Stream (under category A). We will help ESDC and IRCC identify Canadian and foreign companies that qualify under the listed program requirements so that together we can continue to support the growth of the tech industry.

Before submitting a referral request, please read all information about the different programs and services carefully so as to better understand which options you may qualify for. If you feel like you've found a program is right for you, and that you meet the requirements, please submit a referral request so that Venn can evaluate your company’s eligibility if applicable.

Please note that being referred by Venn Innovation does not guarantee that you will be approved by ESDC or IRCC. Moreover, we can only refer companies who fully meet the requirements listed for each of these programs. 

What is the Global Skills Strategy (GSS)?

The Federal Global Skills Strategy is designed to attract and expedite the entry of global, highly skilled and qualified talent to support Canadian companies to scale-up and grow.

The GSS has 4 pillars, of which three are led by Immigration Refugee and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) and one by Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC): 

• Dedicated Service Channel (IRCC - referral based);

• Short-Term Work Permit Exemptions (IRCC - not referral based);

• Expedited Work Permit processing (2 weeks) (IRCC - not referral based); and

• Global Talent Stream pilot under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (ESDC - partially referral based).

Dedicated Service Channel (DSC)

What it is:

IRCC's Dedicated Service Channel is a "concierge" service for companies making significant investments in Canada that aims to help them navigate the different immigration options. Companies referred will be linked with a dedicated “Account Manager” at IRCC who will provide services such as: information on available immigration program options; explanation of processes; linking investing companies to relevant operational staff in Canada or abroad where applicable; and serving as a coordinating point of contact to ensure smooth processing and communication. The dedicated service channel will not itself process applications or guarantee positive decisions; rather, it will guide companies through the options, answer their questions and refer them to the appropriate processing network.

Who can access it:

Only companies that are identified and referred by a Designated Referral Partner (like Venn Innovation) can access the DSC. The service is available only to companies making significant monetary or job creation investments that will result in a substantial improvement to the Canadian labour market or economy, without displacing jobs for Canadians. 

To be referred, a company must fall within one of these 3 categories: 

• High value investments: Large scale investments made by foreign or multinational companies in Canada.

• High potential (high growth) companies: Companies with proven market acceptance and a capacity for accelerated growth that will significantly impact the Canadian economy, or start-up companies for which the recruitment of highly-skilled foreign talent will positively impact the company’s growth.

• Innovative Companies: Companies with a focus on innovation and willingness to scale-up and grow that are operating in Canada and recruiting global talent. Same criteria as ESDC’s Global Talent Stream, including: firm is operating in Canada; firm has a focus on innovation; firm has a willingness to grow and is capable of growing or scaling up (see Global Talent Stream - Category A for more details).

Why it's beneficial:

This service will offer you guidance through various immigration options, refer you to other channels for immigration processing when relevant, flag you for faster work permit processing of foreign candidates, if it's applicable to your case. Moreover, companies can access this service at various stages of investment. The DSC's account managers can also answer questions regarding, for instance, whether the investment is still at the planning stage or whether a company is ready to submit applications.

How to apply:

Companies interested in accessing the DSC through Venn Innovation, must complete a referral request. Once your application is reviewed by Venn Innovation, we will contact you for any additional information needed and we will also send you confirmation. If you meet all of the program's requirements, Venn Innovation will notify IRCC, and a DSC account manager will then contact you directly. 

Short-term Work Permit Exemptions and Faster Work Permit Processing

What it is:

Under the Global Skills Strategy, IRCC is committed to providing a two-week processing time for 80% of work permit applications, as well as work permit exemptions for highly-skilled workers on short-term work assignments and for researchers involved in a short-duration research project in Canada

How to access it:

These services do not require a referral, and are generally handled by foreign workers as part of their work permit application.  You can find more information about these services here.

Global Talent Stream 

Note - you are can only apply for Category A if the role you are looking to fill does not fall under Category B. Category A is primarily for Business Development roles.

What it is:

The Global Talent Stream is a 24-month pilot program under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program that aims to facilitate the immigration process of highly skilled and in-demand talent.

There are two categories under which employers in Canada can access the stream. 

Global Talent Stream - Category A (referral-based)

What it is:

Category A is aimed at Innovative Canadian companies that need unique and specialized global talent in order to help them scale-up and grow, and have already identified candidates for a limited number of very unique roles (one or two over the course of the pilot) that are not already listed under Category B. Examples are specialized leadership and business development expertise.

Why it's beneficial:

This program offers expedited processing, flexible recruitment criteria, and direct application support. Companies will have a dedicated “Account Manager” at ESDC who will work jointly with the company during the shortened Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) process, on their  Labour Market Benefits Plan (LMBP). ESDC will assess Global Talent Stream applications within 10 business days 80% of the time, and IRCC will process the foreign talent’s work permit application made as part of the GT Stream within 2 weeks 80% of the time (provided that the foreign national meets the application criteria, and is applying from outside of Canada).

Who can access it:

Only companies referred by a Designated Referral Partner can access Category A. Companies may operate in any economic sector, as long as they meet the following requirements for eligibility:

(Please note that the list of examples shown below is not exhaustive. It is merely an example of the information that will be evaluated by Venn Innovation when assessing each of the six eligibility criteria.) 

• Does your firm operate in Canada? Eg. CRA business number, NB incorporation, or extra-provincial registration

• Does your firm have a focus on innovation? Eg. commercialization of intellectual property, Research & Development capacity, innovative/unique business model

• Is your firm seeking to scale up? Eg. established market fit; achievable business plan with HR strategy; plan to sell internationally or have international sales; competitive technical/business intelligence capacity; financial plan with investors or funding; verified/audited financial statements in good standing; strong management team with a professional Board and C-suite in place or in development

• Is your firm willing and capable of growing or scaling up? Eg. established market fit; achievable business plan with HR strategy; plan to sell internationally or have international sales; competitive technical/business intelligence capacity; financial plan with investors or funding; verified/audited financial statements in good standing; strong management team with a professional Board and C-suite in place or in development; annual revenues of more than $3 million or an average annualized growth greater than 10% per annum (in revenue or in number of employees), over a three year period or a significant investment (i.e. $5M or more).

• Does your firm have a need to fill a unique and specialized position? Unique and specialized is indicated by the minimum requirement for: advanced knowledge of the industry; and, an advanced degree in area of specialization or interest to employer, and/or 5 years of experience in the field of specialized experience; and, an annual salary of at least $80,000 or an annual salary equivalent to the prevailing wage for that occupation if it is higher than $80,000;

• Has your firm identified a qualified foreign worker for potential hire into that unique and specialized position?

A company may be referred to Category A more than twice if it has been successful in meeting its Labour Market Benefits Plan commitments to date under the Global Talent Stream, as well as each of the conditions outlined below:

A company may be referred to Category A more than twice if it has been successful in meeting its Labour Market Benefits Plan commitments to date under the Global Talent Stream, as well as each of the conditions outlined below:

1.    At the time that each additional position is requested, the company meets the standard eligibility criteria for Category A and at least one of the following benchmarks:

o   Is “high growth” in terms of revenue, as indicated by:

§  Average annualized growth rates in revenue greater than 20% per year, over a three-year period, and with 10 or more employees at the beginning of the period; or

o   Is “high growth” in terms of job creation in Canada, as indicated by:

§  Average annualized growth rates in job creation in Canada greater than 20% per year over a three-year period, and with 10 or more employees at the beginning of the period; and

2.    The annual wage for the additional position requested is at or above $150,000. There is no flexibility in the application of the wage requirement for additional positions being requested under Category A.

Note that companies will be expected to continue to not only scale-up and grow, but also show an increase in jobs for Canadians or permanent residents within their companies following the entry of top global talent. This benefit also ensures that Canadians are not at risk of experiencing job losses.

How to apply:

Companies interested in the Global Talent Stream Category A must complete a Venn Innovation referral request. Once your application is assessed by Venn Innovation, we will contact you for any additional information needed and provide you with confirmation. If you meet all of the program's requirements, Venn Innovation will provide you with the necessary information to submit your application to Category A, as well as notify ESDC of the referral. An ESDC account manager will contact Venn Innovation to confirm the referral, and then contact you directly for engagement. For more information on the Global Talent Stream and what happens after your referral is approved, click here.

What if I don't meet the criteria for Category A? Consider these options: 

• Apply to Category B of ESDC’s GT Stream if applicable;

• Look at the TFW Program Web Portal to learn about other TFW Program Streams or contact the Employer Contact Centre at 1-800-367-5693;

• Request to be referred to the IRCC’s Dedicated Service Channel as per the information above.

For questions or comments, please email talent@venninnovation.com.  

Why it's beneficial:

This program offers expedited processing and flexible recruitment criteria. The ESDC will evaluate the Global Talent Stream applications within 10 business days 80% of the time, and the IRCC will process the foreign talent’s work permit application made as part of the GT Stream within 2 weeks 80% of the time (provided that the foreign national meets the application requirements).

How to apply:

Companies can learn more about the program's criteria and read the instructions on how to apply.

For questions or comments, please email talent@venninnovation.com.