09 August, 2013

Changes to the Temporary Foreign Worker Program Now in Effect

Human Resources and Skills Development Canada (HRSDC) announced important changes to the Temporary Foreign Worker Program. These changes are effective beginning July 31, 2013.

In general, when a Canadian employer wants to hire a foreign worker, they must first apply for and receive a positive Labour Market Opinion (LMO) from Service Canada. Employers will be required to submit a $275 processing fee for each position requested for the LMO.

One of the essential parts of an LMO application is the advertising process. In general, Canadian employers are required to conduct advertising withinCanadabefore they are able to hire a foreign worker. The employer must demonstrate to a Service Canada officer that they have actively tried to hire Canadian citizens or Permanent Residents before offering the position to a foreign worker.

New questions have been added to the LMO application form. Employers will now be required to explain whether hiring a foreign worker for a position will positively or negatively impact the labour market.

As part of the new form, employers will also have to explain what efforts were made in the past two years to hire and/or train Canadian citizens or Permanent Residents for the position.

Source: www.cicnews.com