Hiring Skilled Workers and Supporting Their Permanent Immigration

Foreign Worker Quick Links: Foreign Worker Home Page - Hiring Temporary Foreign Workers in Canada - Hiring Temporary Foreign Workers in Quebec - Hiring Skilled Workers and Supporting their permanent immigration - Service Canada Centres - FWP Forms - Academics - Seasonal Agriculture - Film and Entertainment - Information Technology - Live-in-caregivers - Pilot project for NOC C and D occupations - Ontario FW Home page

Employers can make a permanent job offer to a Skilled Worker as an effective way to fill a full-time position and bring needed skills in Canada.

The following steps may apply to you if you are interested in:

• Hiring a Skilled Worker for a permanent position in your company; and
• Ensuring that the worker is allowed to work in Canada before receiving his/her permanent resident visa; and
• Supporting the worker's permanent immigration to Canada.

HIRING STEPS

1. Submit an HRSDC Foreign Worker Application for a labour market opinion (LMO) to the Service Canada Centre responsible for your area, and indicate that you are offering a permanent position to the Skilled Worker.
   • Learn more about the HRSDC assessment criteria and what is expected from employers.
     
2. Once HRSDC has approved your job offer, send a copy of the HRSDC LMO confirmation letter to the Skilled Worker.
   
3. Tell the Skilled Worker to apply for a work permit  from Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC).
   
   

   Next, CIC decides whether the Skilled Worker will get a Work Permit allowing them to work in Canada.

4. Once your Skilled Worker holds a work permit, he/she should apply to the appropriate CIC visa office  for a Skilled Worker permanent resident visa . **
   
   
5. Tell the worker to include your written permanent job offer and a copy of the CIC work permit with the Skilled Worker application, along with other documentation required by CIC. The application is point-rated and these documents improve the Skilled Worker's score and the opportunity to receive a permanent resident visa.
   
   

   Next, CIC reviews the Skilled Worker permanent residency application and decides whether to:

   • Grant points under the "Arranged Employment" in Canada and review all other Skilled Worker criteria;
   • Give the Skilled Worker a permanent resident visa.

** NOTE : Please note that the Skilled Worker can apply directly to CIC for permanent residency (Step 4) and can gain additional points for having a permanent job offer from you if he/she already holds a work permit that: Is valid at the time of the application and was originally issued by CIC based on a positive HRSDC labour market opinion (including national opinions like the Canada Research Chairs program); or Is valid at the time of application and was originally issued by CIC based on an international trade agreement (e.g. NAFTA) or an economic benefit exemption.

IMMIGRATION NOTE : On its own, a permanent job offer does not allow a Foreign Worker to immigrate to Canada. Before a Foreign Worker can become a permanent resident, they must : Meet the requirements of the Skilled Worker Class ; Have at least one year of work experience in a professional, managerial, or technical occupation under Canada's National Occupational Classification (NOC) system.