Skilled workers
While Canada’s economic situation is beneficial for business in general, it is often onerous for Canadian employers who are suffering from severe shortage of workers to meet certain skilled and unskilled positions to satisfy their business needs. While unemployment rate in Canada is low, Canadian businesses still struggle to find suitable workers and more and more rely on foreign talent.
Generally, to work in Canada you should have a work permit. Some jobs are exempt from work permit requirement, such as business visitors. However under this exemption, business visitors can “work” in Canada without entering Canadian labour market, which is rather tricky and cannot be considered as a 100% work, rather as an indirect business consulting, etc.
Usually to work in Canada, foreign national should have an employer in Canada willing to hire him.
There are number of employment Categories falling under “Open work permits” provisions, where NO employer is required and open work permit holder may work for any Canadian employer, subject to certain limitations.
Under the standard process, prospective employer should secure a Labour Market Impact Assessment, known as LMIA through Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC), which is in other words a permission to hire a foreign worker. Then you would need to apply for a work permit via the visa office / visa application center responsible for your country of residency.
Some types of jobs are exempt from Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA). In such cases employers would have to submit offer of employment via Employer portal through the web site of Immigration Canada. This process is shorter and less complicated. Once such offer is submitted, you would need to apply for a work permit via the visa office / visa application center responsible for your country of residency.
There is also a way to create your own employment, such as opening a subsidiary of your foreign business in Canada (in case you manage an active profitable business overseas for at past 12 months or, buying or investing in existing business in Canada.
We are confident that we can help in achieving your goals whether you are a foreign national willing to work in Canada or a Canadian employer wishing to meet your staffing needs.
Please do not hesitate to contact us.