Canada welcomes foreign workers to temporarily work in Canada to help address shortages in the labour market. Skilled foreign workers can explore three work permit options when applying to work in Canada.
One work permit option is that of the Employer-Specific Work Permit. To apply for this permit, an employer needs to demonstrate that there is a current need to fill a job position vacancy, and that they have been unsuccessful in hiring a Canadian worker or permanent resident to do so.
This work permit is also known as a closed work permit, as it is issued for a specific employer to a temporary foreign worker to fill the specified job position. Under this option, the employer would need to apply for a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) and would have to receive a positive application result to proceed with hiring the foreign worker.
To address key concerns in the labour market, employers across Canada have benefitted from the LMIA application process. To start the LMIA process, employers must advertise the job position they are seeking to fulfill for a minimum of 4 weeks. The longer the post remains active, the more validity employers have in proving that they have made every attempt and effort to hire a Canadian worker for the job opportunity before offering the position to a temporary foreign worker.
A positive LMIA result would confirm that there is a labour shortage, and a foreign worker can temporarily fill the job position, as the employer was unable to be fill the position with a Canadian worker or permanent resident.
Another work permit option for foreign workers to explore are Open Work Permits. As this permit is not job specific, foreign workers can apply for any job position with any employer across Canada. To complete an application for this work permit, applicants will need to submit a $100 open permit holder fee and a $155 work permit fee. Applicants do not need to have a job offer to apply for an open work permit as this work permit does not require applicants to have a positive LMIA. Again, applicants are open to apply for various job positions at a variety of locations across Canada.
The remaining work permit option is known as a Closed LMIA-Exempt Work Permit. These work permits allow foreign workers the opportunity to apply for a job position with a specific employer, however they do not require a positive LMIA application. Known as the International Mobility Program (IMP), this program was created to promote Canada’s social, economic, and cultural interests by allowing expedited work permits for foreign workers deemed to have a future significant impact and benefit on Canada’s society. As a result, the foreign worker becomes exempt from obtaining a positive LMIA from their future employer.
Foreign workers and prospective employers are encouraged to contact Brace Law to assist with the work permit application. This process can be very time consuming, and an incomplete application can lead to your application to be resubmitted as well as processing delays.
For more information on Canadian work permit options, contact the Immigration lawyers at Brace Law. Whether you are an employer looking to hire a foreign worker, or a worker hoping to come to Canada, Brace Law can work with you to successfully navigate the application process. Work with Brace Law and Consider It Handled!
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