On April 15, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) announced the launch of a new 2-year Innovation Stream Pilot as part of the Global Hypergrowth Project.
This new pilot will allow certain Canadian companies to hire highly skilled foreign workers on work permits without the need for a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA). The work must fall under National Occupational Classification (NOC) categories 0, 1, 2, or 3 based on skill level.
Moreover, family members of these foreign workers will be eligible for an open work permit, allowing them to work for almost any employer in Canada.
The Innovation Stream will last until March 22, 2026, unless there are changes.
On June 27, 2023, the Minister of Immigration announced the Canada Tech Strategy, which includes the launch of a new innovation stream to attract talented workers to help grow innovative businesses.
Innovation Stream Pilot Eligibility Criteria
- To apply for a work permit under the Innovation Stream Pilot, foreign nationals, whether inside or outside Canada, need a job offer from one of the employers eligible under the Global Hypergrowth Project.
- Applicants must fill out their work permit application using the IRCC Secure Account.
- The job offer must be in a TEER 0, 1, 2, or 3 occupation according to the National Occupational Classification.
- Offered wages must be equal to or higher than the median hourly wages for the region.
Full List of Companies Eligible to Hire Without an LMIA Through the Innovation Stream:
Ada Support Inc. – making customer service extraordinary through AI
AlayaCare – Transforming patient homecare through AI
CellCarta – Shaping the next generation of life-saving drugs
Clarius Mobile Health – Enhancing patient care anywhere with portable medical imaging
Clio – Transforming the legal experience for all
Duchesnay Pharmaceutical Group (DPG) – Improving women’s health and the treatment of rare diseases
Lightspeed Commerce – Powering the world’s best businesses
Vive Crop Protection – using precision chemistry to save farmers time, labour and resources
This project offers customized support for each participating company, providing solutions as unique as the companies themselves.
