In most cases, there are four steps to hire a temporary foreign worker from outside Canada.
You may not need to do every step, depending on the job offer and the foreign worker’s country of citizenship and last permanent residence.
Employers and foreign workers must provide accurate and complete information or the application process may be delayed.
Learn about:
You should also read the information in the Temporary Foreign Worker: Guide for Employers in the Related Links section at the bottom of this page. The guide lists the steps of the application process, the information and documents required to complete the application, and contact information if you need help during the application process.
These are the four basic steps for hiring a temporary foreign worker.
1. Determine if you need to apply for a Labour Market Opinion (LMO).
Information about LMOs is in the Eligibility section in Related Links at the bottom of this page.
2. Apply for an LMO from Service Canada (if required).
Information about LMOs is in the Eligibility section in Related Links at the bottom of this page.
If you get a confirmation letter of a positive Labour Market Opinion, you will need to send key documents to the foreign worker you wish to hire. The foreign worker will use these documents to apply for a work permit.
Send the following documents to the foreign worker you wish to hire:
The foreign worker will include the confirmation letter of the positive LMO and your written job offer in his or her application for a work permit.
3. Tell the foreign worker(s) to complete the work permit application.
Information about work permit applications is under Related Links at the bottom of this page. In most cases, foreign workers must apply for a work permit at a Canadian visa office abroad.
4. A Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) officer will issue the work permit at the point of entry when the foreign worker arrives in Canada.
Learn more about this process in the After Hiring section in the Related Links at the bottom of this page.
Hiring in the province of Quebec
If you are a Quebec employer, the person you wish to hire may also need to get a Certificat d’acceptation du Québec (CAQ) from the Quebec government before a work permit can be issued. Information about the CAQ can be obtained from the Ministère de l’Immigration et des Communautés culturelles (Quebec immigration) under Related Links at the bottom of this page. You can also see www.micc.gouv.qc.ca, or contact either a Canadian embassy abroad or a Canada Immigration Centre in Canada.