How to Apply for the International Mobility Program? as Employer and Temporary Foreign Worker
The International Mobility Program facilitates the employer to hire a temporary foreign worker who is exempted from the Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA). Any employer looks for a hassle-free, easy, and faster way of processing applications while hiring foreign workers. Anyhow, the stringent Canadian law to regulate the hiring of foreigners to work in Canada expects everyone to follow some guidelines. LMIA is one such program that is needed for the employers to pay for each application submitted for each foreign worker. Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) examines and scrutinizes the LMIA applications and carries out assessments for each profile. The applications are subject to few criteria, based on which the work permit is given for the respective foreign worker. The whole process of LMIA is lengthy and has many conditions and criteria linked within.
Anyhow, the International Mobility Program Canada eases the process for an employer to hire a temporary foreign worker. Work permit exemptions and LMIA exemption codes are needed to decide whether a foreign worker is exempt from LMIA. The workers unit for the International Mobility Program can give you clarity about the LMIA exemption if the foreign worker is outside Canada or is from a country that has a Visa Exempt to Canada.
How can I get LMIA exemption?
There are certain criteria you need to fulfill to become LMIA exempt. If you fall under such a category, you would get the exemption and get eligibility for IMP.
- If you are working with the current employer for one full year at least, either full-time or part-time
- If you are in possession of a valid job offer already
- If your work permit comes under LMIA exemption - If you are on an international agreement or a federal-provincial agreement or you fall under Canadian Interests Category.
Fulfilling any of the categories would make the process easier with IMP and help employers are looking to hire Skilled Immigrants. The employer needs to submit an offer by filling the form at ‘Employer Portal’. Soon after, a unique ID number is generated which is specific to the offer. The same ID would be received by the temporary worker, and he/she completes the application submission through the portal. Once the application is approved, the skilled immigrant will receive the work permit while entering into Canada.
Anyhow, if there are any missing criteria in the application, then the employer might have to bear the penalty. As of December 1st, 2015, there are new regulations that came into effect regarding the penalties. Prior to the new regulations, the name of non-compliant employers used to be added to the list of defaulters. As per the new regulations, the employer would be given a warning as per the type of violation. There also might be a temporary ban of one, two, three, or five years or permanent ban for lifetime from hiring any temporary workers.
So, the employer and the Skilled immigrant need to study the suitable criteria keenly whether they fall into suitable category before going further into an application for International Mobility Program Canada.