Federal government launches process to meet labour needs

OTTAWA, ONT. — Almost every sector in Canada is impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, including temporary foreign workers and the employers who need them.

For that reason, a new, temporary policy to drastically reduce the time it takes for a temporary foreign worker to start a new job, has gone into effect immediately. It’s expected to be particularly positive for agriculture and agri-food industries.

While this policy is in place, a worker who is already in Canada and has secured a new job offer, typically backed by a labour market test, can get approval to start working in their new job, even while their work permit application is being fully processed. This will cut what can often take 10 weeks or more, down to 10 days or less.

There is no change to the role of the employer in the process for hiring foreign workers. An employer needs to have, or obtain, a valid positive Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) from Employment and Social Development Canada, name the worker in a position on the LMIA, and notify Service Canada. For an employer-specific, LMIA-exempt situation, the employer needs to submit an offer of employment through the International Mobility Program Employer Portal.