- Canada reduced the Global Talent Stream’s Category A referral network from fifty-eight organizations to forty-one designated partners.
- The revised list took effect September fifteenth, twenty twenty-six, removing seventeen organizations from the network.
- Category B still requires no referral for jobs on the Global Talent Occupations List.
Employment and Social Development Canada reduced the Global Talent Stream’s designated referral partners for Category A from 58 organizations to 41, removing 17 from the network employers use to seek referrals.
The revised list took effect September 15, 2026. The reduction amounts to 29% of the previous roster.
Free toolCanada Express Entry Points Calculator
Employers that relied on an organization no longer designated must now seek a referral through another listed body. The referral pathway remains available.
The change applies to one of the stream’s two categories. Category B remains available for occupations on the Global Talent Occupations List without a referral.
The occupation-list route does not depend on a referral
The program sits within Canada’s Temporary Foreign Worker Program. Its two categories set different referral requirements for employers.
The referral-based category is intended for employers seeking “unique and specialized talent” to help an innovative company scale and grow. Applicants using that route still need a referral from a designated organization.
Category B works differently. Employers seeking workers in occupations included on the Global Talent Occupations List do not need a referral from one of the designated organizations. The revised roster does not change that rule.
The stream is associated with fast processing. A 10-business-day service standard for LMIA applications was cited in 2026 coverage.
The remaining network spans local, provincial and national organizations
The 41 listed bodies include economic development organizations, government departments and pan-Canadian organizations. Their reach covers Alberta, Atlantic Canada, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, the Northwest Territories, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Quebec and Saskatchewan.
| Region or network | Designated organizations |
|---|---|
| Alberta | Calgary Economic Development; Edmonton Metropolitan Region Economic Development Company (Edmonton Global); Government of Alberta |
| Atlantic Canada and eastern provinces | Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency; Invest Nova Scotia; Halifax Partnership; Government of New Brunswick – Department of Post-Secondary Education, Training and Labour; Government of Prince Edward Island, Island Investment Development Inc. |
| British Columbia | Accelerate Okanagan; BC Tech Association; Metro Vancouver Regional District/Invest Vancouver; Venture Kamloops |
| Manitoba and Northwest Territories | Economic Development Winnipeg; Government of Manitoba, Labour and Immigration, Employer Services; Government of the Northwest Territories, Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment |
| Ontario | City of Mississauga; Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario; Government of Ontario, Labour, Training and Skills Development – Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program; Invest in Hamilton; Invest Ottawa; Invest Sudbury; Invest Windsor-Essex; Kingston Economic Development Corporation; London Economic Development Corporation; MaRS Discovery District; Ontario East Economic Development Commission; Regional Municipality of York; Toronto Global; Waterloo Region Economic Development Corporation |
| Quebec | Canadian Economic Development for Quebec regions; Association québécoise des technologies; Québec International; Investissement Québec |
| Saskatchewan | Government of Saskatchewan, Ministry of Immigration and Career Training |
| Pan-Canadian organizations | Business Development Bank of Canada; Council of Canadian Innovators; Global Affairs Canada’s Trade Commissioner Service; Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada – Accelerated Growth Service; Invest in Canada; National Research Council – Industrial Research Assistance Program; Privy Council Office, Special Projects Team |
The list mixes provincial and regional bodies with national organizations. Examples of the latter include federal government services, a development bank, an innovation program and organizations focused on Canadian investment and business.
Employers whose local contact was removed must find another listed organization
The reduction leaves employers with fewer designated organizations to approach for a referral. A company that previously worked through one of the 17 removed bodies must turn to a remaining organization if it wants to use this route.
The available alternatives include pan-Canadian organizations as well as regional and provincial bodies. The revised roster therefore retains options beyond an employer’s immediate region, although the number of designated organizations has fallen.
Employment and Social Development Canada refreshed broader employer guidance on September 18, 2026. The guidance included the revised list, whose effective date was September 15.
The department published the update on September 21, 2026. The new roster sets out the organizations employers can approach for referrals, while the occupation-list category continues without that requirement.
