General News

April 29, 2019

BEDC Partners with IRCC and ESDC to Provide Immigration Support to Burlington Businesses

We are pleased to confirm that through Budget 2019 the Government of Canada announced the Global Talent Stream will be established as a permanent program. This will allow Burlington Economic Development to continue offering referral services to federal immigration programs, namely the Dedicated Service Channel and Global Talent Stream. This will give Burlington companies streamlined access to highly skilled global talent, and will enable international companies to transfer key skilled employees and easily expand in Burlington resulting in significant investment and new jobs for our local residents.

Read the Immigration Support Package below.

Immigration Support Package


Burlington Economic Development Corporation (BEDC) has partnered with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) and Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) to provide immigration support to Burlington companies with highly qualified talent from around the world. BEDC became a referral partner for IRCC’s Dedicated Service Channel and ESDC’s Global Talent Stream –both programs of the Government of Canada’s Global Skills Strategy (GSS) in early 2019. 

 The Global Skills Strategy 

 Canada’s Global Skills Strategy makes it easier for Canadian businesses to attract the talent they need to succeed in the global marketplace. Whether recruiting professionals from around the world to train Canadian workers, or working with employers planning job-creating investments in Canada, the Global Skills Strategy provides businesses in Canada with a faster way to bring in global talent in order to scale-up and grow—creating better jobs for more Canadians. 

 Dedicated Service Channel 

The Dedicated Service Channel provides personalized client service delivery for academic research chairs and for companies making significant, job-creating investments in Canada by setting up operations in the country for the first time or significantly expanding their business. Companies referred to the Dedicated Service Channel must be making high-value investments, be a high-potential or high-growth company, or be an innovative company according to criteria identified by IRCC. 

 A company referred to the Dedicated Service Channel by BEDC will be linked with a dedicated “account manager” at IRCC that will provide a number of services such as, information on available immigration program options; explanation of processes; linking investing companies to relevant operational staff in Canada or abroad, and; serving as a coordinating point of contact to ensure smooth processing and communication. 

Global Talent Stream 

The Global Talent Stream is a pilot project under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program delivered by ESDC. The Global Talent Stream offers timely, responsive and predictable client-focused service to assist employers to access highly-skilled global talent to expand their workforce in Canada and to be competitive at a global level. The Global Talent Stream is accessible to employers seeking unique, specialized talent or talent within highly-skilled occupations as identified by ESDC. 

A company referred to the Global Talent Stream by BEDC will be linked with a dedicated “account manager” at ESDC that will provide a number of services such as, working jointly with the company throughout the application process, including the development and monitoring of employers’ commitments; and serving as a coordinating point of contact with IRCC to ensure smooth processing and communication. An application submitted to the Global Talent Stream is processed in just two weeks 80% of the time. 

To find out more information about the Dedicated Service Channel and Global Talent Stream, and/or to determine if your company is eligible for a referral to the immigration programs, please contact BEDC. 

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