Temporary Foreign Worker Program

Employers that want to hire foreign workers to fill temporary labour and skill shortages must obtain a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA). If the assessment is positive, it will show that no Canadian citizen or permanent resident can fill the position, and the employer is granted the right to hire a temporary foreign worker.

In order to obtain an LMIA, their employer must send an application to Employment and Social Development Canada. A worker can apply for a work permit once his or her employer obtains the LMIA.

  • You may be required to complete a Transition Plan.
  • You must conduct recruitment efforts to hire Canadians and permanent residents before offering a position to a temporary foreign worker.
  • Provide the results of the recruitment efforts you undertook to fill the position.
  • Wages should meet prevailing wages paid to Canadian and permanent resident employees who are hired for the same job and work location, and who possess similar skills and years of experience.
  • Language requirements for the job must be only English or French.
  • You must provide justification if another language is essential.
  • A worker can apply for a work permit once his or her employer obtains the LMIA.
  • You must demonstrate that your business and job offer are legitimate.
  • Complete the “Cap for Low-wage Positions” section of an LMIA.
  • Conduct recruitment efforts to hire Canadians and permanent residents before offering a job to a temporary foreign worker and provide the results of recruitment efforts undertaken to fill the position.
  • Wages should meet prevailing wages paid to Canadian and permanent resident employees who are hired for the same job and work location.
  • Pay for the round-trip transportation costs for temporary foreign workers to arrive at their work location in Canada at the beginning of their work period, and to return to their country of residence at the end of their work period.
  • Provide, or ensure that suitable and affordable housing is available for the temporary foreign worker you will employ.
  • Ensure that the temporary foreign workers you want to hire in low-wage positions are covered by private, provincial, or territorial health insurance from the first day they arrive in Canada.
  • Language requirements for the job must be only English or French.
  • You must provide justification if another language is essential.
If your spouse is working or studying in Canada, you may be eligible for a spousal work permit. In some cases, you may be eligible for an open work permit. 
 
Requirements to be eligible for an open work permit:
  • You must be the spouse of an individual authorized to work full-time in an eligible occupation or enrolled at a qualifying designated educational institution.
  • Provide all other necessary documents to support your application.