The Temporary Foreign Worker Program is a Canadian government initiative to allow Canadian employers to address the temporary workforce shortage. The employer must obtain a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) to hire foreign workers.
Through LMIA, the employer demonstrates that they could not find a Canadian citizen or permanent Canadian resident to fill the position. Once the employer gets LMIA, the employer is eligible (legally) to hire a foreign national. It also opens up work opportunities and allows people to apply for a Canadian work permit or permanent residence.
What are the Requirements Needed for the Temporary Foreign Worker Program?
The requirements to become a temporary foreign worker in Canada are quite extensive. First of all, the Canadian government wants to protect the jobs of its citizens and permanent residents.
Hence, proof is required that the foreign worker is necessary to a Canadian company.
So, to work as a temporary foreign worker in Canada, you must get a Labor Market Impact Assessment.
The LMIA is a document that the Canadian employer must get from their government. It certifies that a particular employer tried to find an employee in Canada who is a citizen or permanent resident, but no one was willing, available, or qualified to work for that job.
Hence, no worker was found for the job, so the employer would require a foreign worker.
The LMIA would take about a few months to get, and hence, you must start the procedure as soon as possible.
How Can You Apply for the TFW program?
• Get a job offer in Canada
Before applying for a work permit, one must get a job offer from a Canadian company before applying for the work permit.
• Get the LMIA
Your employer must get the LMIA through ESDC, where they will assess the effect of hiring a foreign worker in the Canadian labour market. If your employer is approved for the LMIA, you can move to the following step. On the contrary, if the LMIA is denied, then the employer should either try again or you must find another kind of job.
• Apply for the Permit & Work Visa
Once you get the LMIA, you can apply for a work visa and permit. You must apply to the Canadian Consulate either online through their website or in person at the Consulate’s office in your country.
• Complete Medical Examination
It is recommended that you undergo a medical exam to prove that you are healthy. You can visit any licensed doctor who can sign the documents after taking all the necessary tests. On the contrary, if you don’t undergo a medical examination, you won’t be able to work in child care, primary or secondary school teaching, health service occupations, or agricultural occupations. So, to increase the number of jobs, it is recommended that medical exams be completed.
• Attend the Visa Interview
The officials of the Canadian Consulate would interview with you to determine whether you will return to your home country once your work permit expires and perhaps whether you are truthful in your application. So, attend the interview at the appointed time and answer all the questions that they ask. Besides this, they might also ask you to give your biometric information once the interview is finished.
• Wait for the Processing
Once all the necessary documents are submitted, you must wait for the Consulate to process the application. The average processing time depends on the country you live in, but it can take 3 to 27 weeks for you to get an answer from them. The Consulate will either accept or deny the application you filed. If they accept, they will send you additional instructions, while if they deny your application, they will send you the reasons why they didn’t select. You can then consider them and improve your application when you apply for the next time.
• Travel to Canada
The last step involves travelling to Canada. You need to make travel and accommodation arrangements, and when you land in Canada, the Port of Entry (PoE) officers will stop you for checking. They will check all your documents and ask questions about the purpose of your visit and how long you will be staying in Canada. Submit all your documents and answer all the questions sincerely since they have the authority to not let you into the country if they suspect you are not being truthful to them.
