Work

Temporary Foreign Worker

The Temporary Foreign Worker (TFW) program is a Canadian immigration option that allows individuals who are neither a Canadian citizen nor a permanent resident to work in Canada in positions that are facing labour shortages and are unfilled by Canadians.. The TFWP is jointly operated by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) and Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC). At the time the program was created, it was only open to live-in caregivers and agricultural workers, but the program has expanded significantly and is now an option for a wide variety of high skilled and low skilled positions. . It also makes sure that these foreign workers get the rights and protections they deserve to be safely employed in Canada.

Requisites:

Have a job offer from a Canadian employer. In most cases, the employer who has offered a temporary position will need to apply for a Labour Market Impact Assessment to get permission from the Canadian government to hire a foreign worker. Inadmissibility is a major factor for any program. Individuals can be inadmissible to Canada for criminal, medical or financial reasons.

To work in Canada under this program, individuals must apply for a work permit from Citizenship and Immigration Canada. The work permit granted under this program will be only be valid for a set period of time (maximum 1 year) and will be tied to a specific employer which in other terms means closed work permit. Because the work permit is tied to a specific employer, temporary foreign workers in Canada can only legally work for the employer named on their work permit and cannot switch employers once in Canada.

Labour Market Impact Assessment

LMIA is a form of labour market verification designed to protect Canada’s domestic job marketplace, as well as protect foreign workers employed in Canada temporarily. LMIA-exempt work permits be obtained only under specific circumstances.

The Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) formerly known as “LMO” is a document that an employer in Canada will need to get before hiring a foreign worker in most cases. A positive LMIA is as a letter which shows that there is a need for a foreign worker to fill the job. It will also show that no Canadian worker or permanent resident is available to do the job. Once an employer gets the LMIA, the worker can apply for a work permit.

North American Free Trade Agreement

The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) is a trilateral trade agreement negotiated between Canada, the United States, and Mexico in 1994. NAFTA provides unique opportunities for citizens of the United States and Mexico to work in Canada. Those foreign nationals covered by NAFTA provisions may be eligible to work in Canada without the requirement for a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) or, in some cases, a work permit. The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) has made it much easier for citizens of the United States and Mexico to work in Canada. NAFTA work permits do not require an LMIA. If the employee qualifies for a NAFTA work permit, the application process can be completed in just a few days. Compared with other work permits, there will be minimal involvement and little cost to the employer. Fortunately, the recent changes to NAFTA have not changed the immigration provisions of NAFTA.

Open Work Permit

What is an Open Work Permit ?

An open work permit in Canada is a work permit that is not job-specific. Because it is not job-specific, you will not need:

An authorization from Employment and Social Development Canada (known as a Labour Market Impact Assessment, or LMIA), or
Proof that an employer has submitted the Offer of Employment form, and
Paid the employer compliance fee to Citizenship and Immigration Canada when you apply for your work permit.

In most cases, you will have to pay the open work permit holder fee at the same time you pay the work permit fee.