If you are an immigrant interested in obtaining a work in Canada or are a Canadian business owner who would like to sponsor someone who is looking to immigrate to Canada, the specifics to producing the proper paperwork can seem like a daunting task.
However, if you follow these relatively simple steps, you can be ready to temporarily work (or sponsor a temporary worker) in very little time.
Obtaining an Immigrant Work Permit
1. The first step is finding out whether you need to have a permit to work temporarily in Canada. Certain job categories do require a work permit. These jobs include:
- Athletes and coaches
- Aviation accident or incident investigators
- Business visitors
- Clergy
- Emergency service providers
- Examiners and evaluators
- Judges, referees and similar officials
- Public speakers
- Students working off campus
- Students working on campus
For a complete list of the job categories that do not require a work permit, visit the Government of Canada website.
2. Once you have determined whether you need a work permit, the next step is to apply for your work permit. Things to consider:
- Your employer may need to get a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) to hire you. For your employer to be able to hire a person from outside of Canada, they might have to fill out a document from the Employment and Social Development Canada that grants them permission to hire a foreign worker.
- The person or company that is hiring you may also need to pay an employer compliance fee and submit an Offer of Employment form to the Citizenship and Immigration Canada.
- It is possible that you are exempt from the LMIA process, however.
- You will not have to produce document if you are applying for an open work permit.
3. Next, you will need to meet the requirements to:
- Enter the country
- Stay in the country
- Get a work permit
- Get a visitor visa
4. Remember that your work permit is not an invitation to remain living in the country on a permanent basis. If you wish to relocated to Canada permanently, your will have to qualify under an immigration category as a permanent resident. Your spouse and dependents may apply to come with you to Canada and apply for a study or work permit, as well.
Sponsoring a Temporary Foreign Worker
Who is it for?
- If you are am employer looking to sponsor a lower-skilled foreign worker, you are allowed to hire them for a maximum of 24 months through the Stream for Lower-skilled Occupations.
- For higher-skilled workers, employers may expedite the process through the Stream for Higher-skilled Occupations. Through this agency, employers have the ability to hire foreign workers in higher-level openings such as: management, professional, scientific, technical or trade occupations.
Those worker who are considering obtaining a Permanent Resident Visa Application may go through programs such as the Federal Skilled Workers Program (FSWP), Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP) or Canadian Experience Class (CEC). Each of these programs offer full-time and part-time employment to those with skilled trade eligibility.
This is a guest post by My Visa Source, an immigration lawyer in Vancouver.
