Hiring a Temporary Foreign Worker

Follow the four steps that are usually required when hiring a temporary foreign worker:

1. Determine if you need to apply for a Labour Market Opinion (LMO).
2. Apply for a LMO from Service Canada (if required).
3. Tell the foreign worker(s) to complete the work permit application.
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.

Eligibility Criteria

Canadian employers wanting to hire foreign workers.

Summary

In most cases, there are four steps to hire a temporary foreign worker from outside Canada, although 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.

The four steps to hire a temporary foreign worker

You should also read the information in the How to Hire a Temporary Foreign Worker: Guidebook for Employers. The guidebook offers details on the steps of the application process, provides the information and documents required to complete the application, and offers contact information if you need help during the application process.

1. Determine if you need to apply for a Labour Market Opinion (LMO).

2. Apply for a LMO from Service Canada (if required).

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:

• a copy of the positive LMO confirmation letter for the job offer, including the file number; and
• a detailed job offer. The job offer should include:
  • a description of the job duties and responsibilities;
  • a list of education, skills and experience that workers must have for the job;
  • a list of licences and professional credentials;
  • details on when the job will start and end. (Note: work permits are only issued to foreign workers who are coming to work in Canada for a limited (temporary) time. If your workers are coming to live and work permanently in Canada, they must apply for permanent residence through the Skilled Workers and Professionals program.);
  • details of the salary you are offering, including wages and other forms of payment (for example, room and board or commission.) (Note: Service Canada will check that the wages and working conditions you offer are consistent with the Canadian labour market.);
  • your name and address, and the address where the foreign worker will be working. (CIC and Service Canada officers will check that your business and the job being offered are genuine. Include the name and phone number of a contact at your business who is familiar with the job offer so that CIC and Human Resources and Skills Development Canada (HRSDC) can confirm the offer.).

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.

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.

Other important hiring information

• Depending on their country of citizenship, foreign workers may require a temporary resident visa (TRV) to enter Canada.
• Depending on the type of work to be done in Canada and where they lived in the last year, foreign workers may have to take a medical examination before entering Canada.
• Make sure you hire someone with a valid work permit, and follow the conditions described on work permits. See the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act for more information on employers’ responsibilities.

Hiring in the province of Quebec

If you are a Quebec employer, the person you wish to hire may also need to get a Quebec certificate of acceptance from the Quebec government before a work permit can be issued. Information about the certificate can be obtained from the Ministère de l’Immigration et des Communautés culturelles (Immigration - Québec).

*To download publications in PDF format, Adobe Reader is required (available free of charge).
**Note: Employers and foreign workers must provide accurate and complete information or the application process may be delayed.

New Brunswick Contact(s):
See National Contact.

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National Contact(s):
CIC Call Centre Services
Citizenship and Immigration Canada
Toll-free (information): 1-888-242-2100 (in Canada only)
TTY Toll-free (hearing impaired): 1-888-576-8502 (in Canada only)
Web site: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/index.asp
Hours of operation: Automated Telephone avialable 24/7.
Agents available Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.