Global Skills Strategy: Get faster processing

How to get faster processing

Once the worker has the documents and information they need from the employer, the worker and their family members must do the following:

• apply online from outside Canada
• submit a complete application
• include a medical exam (if needed)
• include police certificates (if needed)
• include certified translations of documents that aren’t in English or French
• pay the processing fees
• submit biometrics results within 2 weeks of submitting the application (if needed)

To qualify for 2-week processing, the worker and their family members (spouse or common-law partner and dependent children) must apply at the same time.

The worker does not need to apply for a visa or electronic travel authorization (eTA). We issue the documents they need when we process their work permit application.

Local visa office requirements

Many of our visa offices abroad have specific instructions that the worker needs to follow. Check the local visa office requirements to make sure the worker includes all required documents with their application.

If there are local instructions to follow you can find them in the application package.

1. Go to the work permit application.
2. Select “Online” from the drop-down menu.
3. Select the country or territory the worker is applying from.
4. Download the country-specific visa office requirements from the list of documents if there are any.

To be eligible for two-week processing the worker must include certified translations of documents that aren’t in English or French, even if the visa office requirements say we accept other languages.

The following are examples of some requirements that can change depending on location:

• police certificates
• biometrics

Special instructions for applicants who require an LMIA

These applicants must also

• answer “yes” when asked during the online eligibility check: “Did Employment and Social Development Canada issue your employer's Labour Market Impact Assessment under the Global Talent Stream?”
• apply as soon as they receive the employer's LMIA decision letter