Hiring International Workers in Canada

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If you are a Canadian employer who is inexperienced on how to hire a foreign worker in Canada, you shouldn’t let this bother you as it’s processes are quite easy. Your business/company might need the services of a foreign worker for reasons that are best known to you. Implementing the processes below are helpful in hiring a foreign worker in Canada irrespective of if the foreign worker that you’re planning to hire is within Canada or in their home country.

Who can hire foreign worker in Canada?

As an employer who is willing to hire a temporary foreign worker in Canada, you are expected to prove to Economic and Social Development Canada (ESDC) that you couldn’t find Canadian talents or permanent residents to handle an open job position in your company/business. You can prove this by applying for a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) as the job may demand

How to hire a foreign worker in Canada

No matter if the foreign worker that you want to hire for a job position is within or outside Canada, implementing the processes below will guide you to be able to hire a foreign worker in Canada.

1. First of all, you need to apply for Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) through Economic and Social Development Canada (ESDC). Since some occupations are exempted from LMIA application, it is absolutely essential to confirm whether you are exempted or not. However, some Canadian employers contact an immigration lawyer to assist them in taking up each of the processes till the foreign national receives a valid work permit to authorize them to work for an employer. Requesting the services of a Canadian immigration lawyer remains a stressless way to hire a foreign worker in Canada. If your class of occupation isn’t exempted, you will have to apply for the foreign national’s LMIA

2. If you receive a positive LMIA from ESDC, you are expected to send some documents to the foreign national so as to aid their work permit application. Moreover, the foreign national needs some documents to be able to apply for their work permit. This includes;

  • a copy of the confirmation letter or positive Labour Market Impact Assessment, along with the LMIA number
  • your job offer letter to the foreign national
  • a signed contract (based on the job conditions)

3. Subsequent steps aren’t your responsibilities as the foreign national will have to continue the application from where you stopped. They need to write all required information on their work permit application form

4. Ultimately, if the foreign national meets the proper standards, requirements and training, he/she will be issued a work permit at Canada’s port of entry by one of the officials pertaining to Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA)

How to hire a permanent foreign worker in Canada through Express Entry

It is also possible for Canadian employers to hire a permanent foreign worker in Canada via an Express Entry program. This program is great for businesses or employers in Canada that intends to hire a foreign worker as their permanent worker. Canadian Express Entry will enable you to facilitate the immigration process of the foreign national who specializes in a skilled occupation. Such skilled occupations are included in National Occupational Classification (NOC) Skill Type 0 (Managerial occupations) and Skill Level A (Professional occupations) & Skill Level B (Technical jobs and skilled trades). However, to hire a permanent foreign worker in Canada, you are required to;

  1. Make strenuous efforts to search for a Canadian talent or permanent resident for the vacant job position. You will be required to provide evidence (LMIA) that you’ve initially publicized the job post on different platforms without chances of finding a qualified person for the job. Thus, you will be requested to show proof of advertisement on Government of Canada’s Job Bank, as well as on 2 other job listing platforms
  2. Then, apply for Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) via Economic and Social Development Canada (ESDC). If ESDC is able to find reasons why it is necessary for your business or company to hire a foreign national, you will be issued a confirmation letter of positive LMIA, which shows that ESDC agrees with your inability to find a Canadian or permanent resident to fill the job. It also authorizes you to bring in a foreign candidate for the job
  3. Afterwards, you can offer the job to the foreign national. He/she will have to use your job offer letter and the positive LMIA to support their application for Express Entry. You are also required to inform the foreign national that he/she needs to create an Express Entry profile so as to be called to apply for a Canadian permanent residency

Programs under the Canadian Express Entry

In Canada, employers hire foreign workers permanently through Express Entry. This involves a variety of programs. Among which are;

Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP)

FSWP are occupations in National Occupational Classification (NOC) Skill Type 0 for Managerial jobs, Skill Level A for Professional jobs, and Skill Level B for Technical jobs and skilled trades.

  • Examples of NOC Skill Type 0 jobs (Managerial jobs) includes engineering managers, construction manager, scientific research managers, etc
  • NOC Skill Level A jobs (Professional jobs) includes architects, lawyer, medical practitioners, etc
  • Examples of NOC Skill Level B jobs (Technical jobs and skilled trades) includes carpet installers, electricians, carpenters, painters, and so on

Required documents for foreign nationals under Federal Skilled Workers Program (FSWP)

  • Result of a language proficiency test such as International English Language Testing System (IELTS), Canadian English Language Proficiency Index Program (CELPIP), and Test d’Évaluation de Français pour le Canada (TEF Canada)
  • Educational Credential Assessment (ECA)
  • Written letter of job offer
  • Proof of funds
  • Medical test results
  • Police certificates showing if you have any crime record

Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP)

The Federal Skilled Trades Program is ideal for skilled foreign workers who aim at becoming permanent residents of Canada because they are well-versed in a skilled trade. As an employer that is willing to hire a permanent foreign worker in Canada, the following requirements needs to be met by the foreign national you want for the job

  • English or French language proficiency test
  • A job offer for a full-time work that is still valid for a minimum of 1 year. As an alternative to this, a certification document of a skilled trade is also accepted. It must be issued by a province, territory or federal authority in Canada
  • A minimum of 2 years work experience as a full-time worker. The foreign national’s work experience must be for a paid work rather than being for unpaid internships and volunteering works

Skilled trades for FSTP are formed under some NOC groups. The major groups are all classified as NOC Skill Type B, and they have several occupations under them

  • Minor Group 632 (Chefs and cooks)
  • Minor Group 633 (Butchers and bakers)
  • Major Group 72 (Industrial, electrical and construction trades)
  • Major Group 73 (Maintenance and equipment operation trades)
  • Major Group 82 (Supervisors and technical jobs in natural resources, agriculture and related production)
  • Major Group 92 (Processing, manufacturing and utilities supervisors and central control operators)

The Canadian Experience Class

This program is ideal for skilled workers who have gained vast experience while working for a Canadian company or business, and aims to become a permanent resident in Canada. The foreign worker’s experience must be based on a minimum of one of National Occupational Classification (NOC) Skill Level 0, Skill Type A & B. It does not have any education requirement

Requirements for foreign nationals that wants to apply for The Canadian Experience Class

  1. Valid language proficiency test results (IELTS, TEF, or CELPIP)
  2. Canadian work experience as a temporary worker with valid work permit. 3 years before their application, the foreign worker must possess a minimum of one year experience as a skilled worker. The foreign worker can achieve this requirement by;
  • Maintaining full-time at a job for a year. Since Canadian full-time for a year amounts to 1,560 hours, working for 30 hours/week for 12 months will enable the foreign worker to be eligible
  • Engaging in part-time jobs that amount to 1,560 hours. The foreign worker will have to work for 15 hours per week for 24 months to be qualified for the Canadian Experience Class

Provincial Nominee Program (PNP)

PNP is suitable for foreign workers who are skilled, educated and experienced to add value to the economy of a particular province or territory in Canada. Many provinces in Canada have a different Provincial Nominee Program for foreign workers. PNP makes it possible for Canada provinces to nominate foreign nationals who desire to become Canada permanent residents. More so, the foreign national will have to live within the province where their application for permanent residency was made

Here are some Canadian provinces for nominee programs

    • British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BCPNP)
    • Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP)
    • Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program (MPNP)
  • Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program (AINP)
  • Yukon Nominee Program (YNP)
  • New Brunswick Provincial Nominee Program (NBPNP)
  • Prince Edward Island Provincial Nominee Program (PEI PNP)
  • Nova Scotia Provincial Nominee Program (NS PNP)
  • Northwest Territories Nominee Program (NTNP)
  • Newfoundland & Labrador Provincial Nominee Program (NL PNP)

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about How can I Hire International Workers in Canada?

  1. Do Canadian companies hire foreign workers?
  • Yes, they do. They hire foreign nationals as their temporary foreign workers or permanent foreign workers
  1. How can I Hire International Workers in Canada?
  • As a Canadian employer, you need to apply for Canada Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA). You should note that LMIA-application is not applicable to all Canadian employers
  • After receiving a positive LMIA, the prospective international worker will have to continue the process by applying for a work permit. It is best to guide the international worker through each of the processes as he/she might be inexperienced on what to do
  1. What are the requirements to hire foreign workers?
  • As a Canadian employer, the most important requirement to hire foreign workers is a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA). Not all Canadian jobs need LMIA. Exempted jobs are stated in Canada’s National Occupational Classification