LMIA (FORMER LMO) LABOUR MARKET IMPACT ASSESSMENT AND WORK PERMITS FOR HIRING FOREIGN WORKERS IN CANADA

The Labour Market Impact Assessment LMIA  (former Labour Market Opinion (LMO) ) is a report issued by Employment and Social Development Canada that outlines the impact that hiring a foreign worker would have on Canada’s labour market. Employers need to obtain this assessment in order to hire foreign workers. If the assessment is positive, a report outlining the conditions of the job being offered by the employer, the names of the employees, and also the expiry date of the LMIA will be listed in the document issued by ESDC.

Once a positive LMIA has been issued, it must be forwarded to the employees abroad to enable them to obtain a visa and/or a work permit that will allow them entry to the country with the rights and obligations of any other worker. If the worker is already in Canada, a work permit renewal application must be submitted. Immigration Pros can also handle the processing of the work permit and visas for the workers abroad or the work permit extensions inside Canada.

Recent changes to the Temporary Foreign Worker Program have made it more difficult for employers to obtain a positive LMIA. We strongly recommend hiring the services of an expert. We have successfully processed series of applications. We have a specialized team that only deals with Labour Market Impact Assessments (LMIA). We will gladly provide you with a  assessment of your particular case and tell you the possible routes to which you can obtain a positive Labour Market Impact Assessment.  Please contact us and we will gladly provide you with a f quote for your particular case.
Service Canada receives thousands of applications per year which they accept or refuse depending on different circumstances.

The number of foreign workers in your company are within the cap established by the government.
The job offer and the company are genuine.
The wages and working conditions are in line with those offered to Canadians (NOC wages).
Employers conducted reasonable efforts to hire or train Canadians for the job.
The foreign worker is filling a labour shortage OR if hiring a foreign worker will directly create new job opportunities or help to retain    jobs for Canadians OR the foreign worker will transfer new skills and knowledge to Canadians.
This hiring will not affect a labour dispute or the employment of any Canadian worker involved in such a dispute.

There are also situations where pre-approvals are requested.  They allow the employer to recruit foreign workers with the security that once suitable foreign workers have been recruited, positive Labour Market Impact Assessments will be issued.

Finally, there are some pilot projects and special programs that are in effect for most provinces.  These vary in conditions and requirements according to the specific needs of each province.

Many programs or pilot projects have been launched to facilitate the processing of Labour Market Impact Assessments throughout the country such as:

Hiring Temporary Foreign Workers for Occupations Under Pressure;
Live-in Caregiver Program;
Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program (SAWP);
Employment of International Students Graduating from Recognized Post-Secondary Institutions;
Hiring Foreign Information Technology Specialists;

We will gladly provide you with a  assessment of your particular case and tell you the possible venues in which you can obtain a positive Labour Market Impact Assessment LMIA.  Please contact us and we will gladly provide you with a  quote for your particular case.