IRCC introduces a new work permit for tech companies in Canada
IRCC introduces a new work permit for tech companies in Canada. This new work permit is under the Innovation Stream of the IMP. Moreover, the Innovation Stream is one of the four pillars of this Tech Talent Highway. It was launched in 2023 to attract skilled talent to help Canada grow as a global tech leader.
Some skilled foreign workers are now eligible to apply for an employer-specific work permit if they get a job offer from any of the employers participating in the Global Hyper Growth Project. In addition, this includes eight selected companies that the Canadian government has identified as industry leaders and innovators with considerable potential. Also, eligible workers will be able to obtain a Labor Market Impact Assessment (LMIA)-exempt work permit.
Note that the Government of Canada needs an LMIA to support the issuance of some employer-specific work permits. The document assesses the impact of hiring a foreign worker on the Canadian labor market. For an LMIA to support an employer-specific work permit, the document must return a ‘positive’ or ‘neutral’ result.
Who Is Eligible For This New Work Permit?
IRCC introduces a new work permit for tech companies in Canada. In order to qualify for this work permit, applicants must:
- Have a job offer from an employer participating in the Global Hypergrowth Project
- Have a job offer in a high-skilled profession. It must include a position within the NOC TEER 0, 1, 2, or 3
- Possess the necessary education and experience specified in the employment requirements section of the NOC
This stream is open to eligible applicants both inside and outside of Canada.
Applicants might also qualify for faster work permit processing times. Well, this would be if the profession they have been hired for falls under TEER categories 0 or 1.
Note that the NOC system describes and categorizes professions in Canada. The TEER rankings further group jobs by the Training, Education, Experience, and responsibilities required to perform them adequately.
Before applicants submit their application to the innovation stream, their employers must:
- Submit an offer of employment
- Pay a CAD 230 employer compliance fee
- Give the employee an offer of employment number
Who Are The Employers Who Have Been Selected For This Stream?
IRCC introduces a new work permit for tech companies in Canada. The government of Canada has identified the following employers as aligning with their ‘industrial innovation goals’.
| Company | Company Summary |
| Ada Support Inc. | Ada Support Inc., based in Toronto, is an AI-driven company focused on transforming customer service from agent-first to AI-first. They provide an AI-powered platform that enables companies to automatically handle customer support interactions across various languages and channels. Ada’s platform includes generative AI and voice capabilities to support multi-channel automation, helping businesses reduce wait times and create personalized customer experiences. |
| AlayaCare | AlayaCare provides an AI-powered platform for home care agencies to improve planning and management. The platform enhances scheduling, time reporting, clinical documentation, and patient monitoring, allowing providers to deliver better care and improve patient outcomes. AlayaCare’s tools aim to help clients reduce operating costs, detect adverse events, and minimize hospital readmissions. |
| CellCarta | CellCarta, based in Montreal, Quebec, specializes in precision medicine by providing custom testing solutions and end-to-end sample measurement services in immune monitoring, histopathology, proteomics, and genomics. The company uses expertise in biomarker research to identify genetic, biological, and environmental factors that influence patient responses to treatments, enabling more targeted therapies for individuals. |
| Clarius Mobile Health | Clarius Mobile Health, based in British Columbia, aims to make medical imaging accessible everywhere with high-performance, affordable, and easy-to-use AI-powered solutions. Founded by innovators who created the first PC-based ultrasound platform and touchscreen ultrasound system, Clarius focuses on miniaturizing ultrasound technology. The company develops high-definition, point-of-care wireless systems for use across various specialties, enhancing patient care, expanding clinical services, and providing real-time imaging for medical practices. |
| Clio | Clio is a legal technology company based in Burnaby, British Columbia, that is leading the digital transformation of the legal industry with its cloud-based software. Clio’s platform helps law firms manage various tasks, including client intake, contact management, calendaring, document management, timekeeping, billing, payments, and trust accounting. |
| Duchesnay Pharmaceutical Group | DPG develops new medicines to improve patient health and quality of life, exporting treatments to over 50 countries through strategic alliances, a unique business model in Canada. The company is based in Blainville, Quebec. |
| Lightspeed Commerce | Lightspeed Commerce, founded in Montréal in 2005, provides technology solutions to help retailers and restaurateurs streamline operations and enhance customer experiences. The company offers a platform that integrates management tools for in-store and online transactions, inventory updates, and embedded payments, allowing businesses to manage all aspects from a single system. The company serves primarily small and medium-sized businesses. |
| Vive Crop Protection | Vive Crop Protection, based in Mississauga, Ontario, develops crop protection products that help farmers improve crop quality while minimizing environmental impact. Using its patented Allosperse technology, Vive delivers active ingredients where needed, improving effectiveness and reducing risks to plants and the environment. This technology also allows Vive products to mix safely with other chemicals, fertilizers, and micronutrients, enabling farmers to apply treatments in a single pass, saving time, fuel, and resources. |
Recent Changes Pertaining To Work Permits Or LMIA
IRCC introduces a new work permit for tech companies in Canada. This new permit comes at a time when there has been an increasing number of restrictions on work permits/ LMIAs.
On August 26, the Canadian government declared that it will no longer process low-wage LMIAs in certain Canadian cities. Moreover, the policy change specified that CMAs with an unemployment rate of 6% or higher will be impacted. Also, some exceptions will be made for jobs in food security sectors. The changes include primary agriculture, food and fish processing, and construction and healthcare.
Visitors In Canada No Longer Allowed To Apply For Job-Supported Work Permits
In addition to recent changes to LMIA processing, the government has also rolled back temporary COVID-era work permit policies. This allows some visitors to apply for job-supported work permits in the country. Visitors can still apply for other kinds of work permits from within the country. However, they might no longer apply for a job-supported work permit—without or with LMIA.
These recent changes to Canada’s work permit are in contrast with the most recent announcements. It highlights Canada’s willingness to invest and recruit foreign talent to support these companies and the tech sector more broadly.
So, if you seek information on how to begin your Canada immigration application process, you can talk to our NavaImmigration experts at 1800-918-8490. You can also drop us an email at [email protected].
