To protect job opportunities for Canadians, employers typically need to apply for a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) before hiring foreign workers to demonstrate that no local candidates are suitable for the position.
There are two categories of LMIA: one is processed by the government for free, and upon approval, it can support the applicant’s immigration application, adding 50 points for general occupations or 200 points for senior management positions in the Express Entry system.
The other category requires a government fee of CAD 1,000. This LMIA can support applications for closed work permits as well as immigration applications.
How To Apply For A Work Permit After Obtaining An Lmia
Applicants can apply for a work permit from abroad, but the rejection rate is relatively high.
Applicants can enter Canada on a visitor visa and then apply for a work permit at the Canada-U.S. border. The advantage of this method is that the permit can be obtained on the spot, but there are certain risks involved, and language requirements are relatively high.
If the applicant, their spouse, or common-law partner holds a study permit or work permit, the applicant can directly submit a closed work permit application within Canada, which has the highest success rate. Converting a visitor visa to a study permit allows the applicant to apply for a study permit directly in Canada. After obtaining the study permit, they can use the LMIA to apply for a work permit for themselves or their spouse, completely avoiding the processing at an overseas embassy.
Typically, applying for an LMIA requires the employer to advertise the job on local recruitment websites, conduct interviews, and keep records to demonstrate that no qualified Canadians are available for the position.
The LMIA application is also related to the salary for the position, the size of the company, and the company’s location.
The LMIA application is submitted by the employer, and the processing authority is Service Canada, not the immigration office, so it does not affect the applicant’s visa or immigration application.
