Due to the backlog of immigration applications at Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), employers are not able to hire skilled workers quickly enough in Canada. In its Survey Report: Impact of Processing Delays of Work Permits and Business Visas on Canadian Employers, the Canadian Employee Relocation Council (CERC) calls on the Federal Government to accelerate the application processing times for business applications. According to the CERC, Canada’s outdated processing system needs to be modernized through the hiring of more staff, training, and the implementation of new technology platforms.
As a result of lack of Canadians and permanent residents, the Canadian government believes foreign workers are able to help employers meet their labour needs. In this process, the government assists employers in meeting their skilled labour shortages by supporting higher-skilled foreign workers.
Under Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada's (IRCC) Express Entry system, employers can make job offers to skilled foreign workers and support their permanent residency application. To qualify for one of the economic immigration programs, the job offer must meet specific criteria. These programs include Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP), Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP) and Canadian Experience Class (CEC).
For the Federal Skilled Worker Program, the employer must be offering a job for:
a higher-skilled position such as: management, professional, scientific, technical or trade occupations (National Occupational Classification (NOC), skill type 0, and skill levels A and B)
full-time hours (a minimum of 30 hours of work per week)
at least 1 year, and
a non-seasonal position
For the Federal Skilled Trades Program, the employer must be offering a job for:
an eligible skilled trade or technical occupation (NOC skill level B)
full-time hours (a minimum of 30 hours of work per week), and
at least 1 year
For the Canadian Experience Class, the employer must be offering a job for:
a higher-skilled position such as: management, professional, scientific, technical or trade occupations (National Occupational Classification (NOC), skill type 0, and skill levels A and B)
full-time hours (a minimum of 30 hours of work per week)
at least one year, and
a non-seasonal position
When hiring skilled foreign workers under one of these immigration programs, employers may also wish to hire these workers temporarily. This is because their application for permanent residence is being processed by IRCC. As a result, employers can apply for a dual intent Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) for which a fee must be paid.
Canadian business group want the government to make the hiring process easier for foreign workers. If you are a foreign worker who wants to live and work in Canada either by staying in the country temporarily or permanently, contact us at Mesidor Canadian Immigration Services. We will be happy to assist you and elaborate more on other immigration programs.