Posted by Canada has long pursued managed immigration policies aimed at filling crucial jobs and driving economic growth. Understanding the regulations enables employers to tap into skilled global talent and leverage the advantages that foreign hires bring.
Work Permits: Most foreign nationals require an employer-specific work permit before commencing a job. Employers initiate a Labor Market Impact Assessment to ensure no Canadians can fill the role and the pay meets minimum standards. Permits allow for 2+ years of employment.
Hiring New Graduates: Programs like the Post-Graduation Work Permit welcome international students, including Nigerians, to gain valuable Canadian work experience after completing their studies, providing a pipeline for diverse, career-ready hires.
Temporary Foreign Worker Program: This program allows hiring for roles with temporary labor/skills shortages for up to 2 years initially. Employers must provide benefits, wages, and working conditions comparable to Canadians in similar jobs, with rights and protections in place.
Recruit Through Provincial Nominee Programs: Provinces nominate foreign candidates to expedite permanent residency applications, meeting local demand. This requires a qualifying job offer and other criteria unique to each program.
Streamline Permanent Residency: Companies can directly sponsor valued foreign staff for Canadian permanent residency after 1-2 years of full-time employment, leading to long-term retention.
By adhering to legal and ethical hiring procedures, companies gain access to premier global talent while promoting diversity. Understanding Canada’s multi-path immigration system grants employers access to a robust talent source.
Sponsoring Foreign Staff for Canadian Permanent Residency: Companies can follow these steps to sponsor foreign staff for Canadian permanent residency:
- The foreign national must have worked for at least 1 year (or 6 months in Quebec) full-time for the sponsoring employer on a valid work permit.
- The company completes a Labor Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) to demonstrate the position can’t be filled by a Canadian and meets wage/requirement standards.
- An independent officer reviews the LMIA, and if approved, it remains valid for up to 18 months.
- The employer submits proof of the job offer with the candidate’s Express Entry profile via the Employer Job Offer stream.
- The candidate needs adequately high Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) points based on factors like age, education, language ability, work experience, etc.
- If invited to apply, the candidate submits their full permanent residence application, including medical exams, police clearances, etc.
- If approved, the candidate receives permanent resident status, usually within 6-12 months.
- After living in Canada for 3 years, including 1 continuous year of full-time work for the sponsor, the candidate can apply for citizenship.
- Sponsors are responsible for the candidate for up to 5 years after landing.
This streamlined process allows long-serving employees to gain stability and roots in Canada.
Express Entry Profile Requirements: The Express Entry profile is managed through the federal economic immigration application system. Key details include:
- Create an online Express Entry profile with personal and demographic information.
- Include education, work experience, language ability, and other qualifications tested through standardized assessments.
- Upload supporting documents like transcripts, language test results, resume as evidence.
- The system assigns a Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) points score based on human capital factors and attributes.
- CRS scores are assessed against a minimum threshold, and those above receive invitations to apply.
- Profiles are valid for 1 year, with updates allowed if details change.
- A job offer from an eligible employer significantly boosts a candidate’s CRS score.
- Receive processing updates and withdraw the profile if no longer interested.
Creating a complete, error-free, and competitive profile is crucial to receiving invitations to apply for Canadian permanent residency.
Timeline for Receiving Invitation To Apply: The time to receive an Invitation To Apply (ITA) after creating an Express Entry profile varies based on factors like CRS score, program route, ITA rounds, and seasonal factors:
- CRS Scores 450-459: 6-12 months on average
- CRS Scores 460-479: 3-6 months
- CRS Scores 480-489: 1-3 months
- CRS Scores 490+: Within a few draws (4-12 weeks)
Provincial nomination can expedite the process. While wait times are unpredictable, highly skilled candidates have historically received invitations within 6 months or less in many cases. Patience and profile maintenance are key.