Canada’s developed economy and high standard of living provide lots of job opportunities in different fields. Thousands of immigrants choose to work and live in this country. If you have the required skills and there is demand, employers are looking for you. The Canadian government has introduced the Temporary Foreign Worker Program to hire skilled workers from all around the world.
In this article, we will explain all about the Temporary Foreign Worker Program, Labor Market Impact Assessment, its importance, requirements, application, validity, fees, FAQs, and more.
Table of Contents
ToggleWhat is the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP)?
The Temporary Foreign Worker Program comes under the Canada temporary work visas. It provides opportunities for you as a skilled worker to get a job in Canada. With a TFWP, you may only work in Canada for six months. But you can extend it.
When you are in Canada under a TFWP, you have to work only for one employer. Also, You have to obey Canadian rules. When the visa expiry date gets close, you can extend it as well. In this stage, if you find a new employer, you can extend your visa to work for him/her.
If you meet particular requirements, you can apply for permanent residence through immigration programs too.
You should also know that if you are not a permanent resident and are in Canada, you can also apply for a Temporary Foreign Worker Program. This program is available for a wide variety of highly-skilled and low-skilled positions.
When you arrive in Canada, you can not switch your employer. You must work for the employer that TFWP is under his/her name. For example, truck drivers who move to Canada need to work for the same employer.
Who is Eligible for a Temporary Foreign Worker Program?
The below list is the eligibility principles for the Temporary foreign worker program or people who want to immigrate to Canada with getting a job offer:
1. Labor Market Impact Assessment (LMIA)
The Canadian government wants to protect the employment right of its citizens versus foreign workers. The first and most important requirement for TFWP is to have a Labor Market Impact Assessment (LMIA).
Canadian employers offering you a job must have the LMIA. It proves that he/she has tried to find a Canadian employee (citizen or permanent resident) but has not been successful. Since the employer couldn’t find an employee inside Canada, he/she needs a foreign worker.
It takes a few months to get LMIA, so it would be wise to start the procedure as early as possible.
Other requirements to be eligible for a TFWP are as follows:
2. Intention to leave
You must prove to the Canadian government that you will leave Canada when your visa expires.
3. Proof of having enough funds
You have to verify with the officials that you have enough money to cover your expenses in Canada. If your family is with you, you must have enough funds to cover their expenses as well. The expenses also include returning to your home country.
4. Clean criminal record certificate
You must provide certificates of clean criminal records from the country you reside in. You must also prove that you are no threat to the national security of Canada and its citizens. Please note that if you have lived in another country for six months (+), you have to provide a certificate from there too.
5. Health conditions
Applicants must be in good health conditions. You have to provide the certificates as the officials will ask you. If not, you must have enough funds to cover your medical expenses in Canada.
6. Job limits
You have to prove that you will not work in the following fields:
- Striptease
- Erotic dance
- Erotic massage
- Escort services
7. Job Offer
You must have a job offer from an employer in Canada. He/she must have advertised it for a while. If not found anyone and have an LMIA certificate, he/she can hire you.
If you want to know how to immigrate to Canada as a nurse, read our article.
Application Process for the Temporary Foreign Worker Program
The application process for a Temporary Foreign Worker Program is as follows:
A. Job Offer
The first step is to have a job offer from an employer in Canada. You can find a job offer via:
- The Internet
- Work Agencies
- Lawyers
You can also take a Canada Tourist visa and search in the country in person.
When you have done this part, you must have a valid job offer letter from a future Canadian employer.
B. Labor Market Impact Assessment (LMIA)
This stage must get started by your future employer. He/she must apply for the LMIA through Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC).
The ESDC will evaluate the situation. If the employer gets approval for LMIA, you, as an employee, can start the next level. If LMIA gets denied, the employer should try again or look for a new job offer.
C. Applying for the Work visa and Work Permit
After your employer gets the LMIA, you can apply for a work visa and work permit. You can start the application through the Canadian embassy or consulate in your home country. You should complete the application form.
The documents to apply for a work visa are as follows:
1. Passport
It must be valid for at least six months from the date you will enter Canada. You should also provide a copy of all pages of your passport.
2. Photo
You should provide two passport-sized photos. They must be according to the Canadian photo requirements.
3. Valid job offer letter from your employer
4. Proof of Clean record
You must provide a clean record certificate from the police or judiciary officials. Please remember that if you have lived in a foreign country for longer than six months, a certificate from that country is also mandatory.
5. Your resume or CV
6. The education certificates of the diploma
7. Personal documents
These documents are as follows:
- Birth certificate
- Marriage certificate
- Divorce certificate
- Birth certificate of your children
8. Quebec
If you are working in Quebec province, you need a Certificate d’acceptation du Quebec (CAQ).
9. Proof of current immigration status
This is when the country you reside in is different from your citizenship country.
10. Medical examination
It would be intelligent to go through a medical exam to prove you are healthy. You can take the test at any licensed doctor in your home country. In case you don’t pass the medical test, you have no right to work in:
- Child care
- Primary or secondary school teaching
- Health service occupations
- Agricultural occupations
It would be clever not to limit your job options by taking the test.
Please note that the Canadian authorities might ask for more documents. You should also know about the general requirements for a Canada visa.
G. Visa appointment
If it’s necessary to submit visa requirements to the Canadian embassy or consulate in person so you should schedule an appointment. They will give you a date to do so. When the time comes, get there in person and bring all the requirements.
During the appointment, the officials might ask you to pass an interview. The officials want to know that you are honest with your application and that you will leave Canada when the visa expires. You also have to pay the fees for visa processing.
H. Processing
At this stage, you should wait. You need to wait until the authorities process your application. If it gets accepted, they will inform you of further procedures. If not, they will notify you of the reason. You could use the reasons to improve your situation and apply for another time.
I. Canada
When you receive the visa, you can travel to Canada. Please remember that getting to this stage does not guarantee your entrance to Canada. When you enter the country, the officers at the Port of Entry (PoE) will evaluate you. They will check your documents and ask about the purpose of your visit to Canada. Hand out all of your documents. Please give a true answer to their questions since they have the authority not to let you into the country.
Skilled workers whose occupation is on the NOC list can immigrate to Canada as skilled workers through the Temporary foreign worker program. However, they have to get a job offer, and the employer needs to receive the LMIA.
Temporary Foreign Worker Program Costs
You have to pay the fee for the Temporary Foreign Worker Program processing. It will cost about C$155. If you don’t pay the fee, the embassy won’t process your application. If the officials ask for your Biometrics, you have to pay another C$85.
Temporary Foreign Worker Program Validity
The Temporary Foreign Worker Program is valid for six months. But you can apply for an extension. If you want to extend it, you should collect the requirements and apply from inside Canada. The maximum time you can stay in Canada is four years.
Can You Bring Your Family Under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program?
YES. You can take your family to Canada with a Temporary Foreign Worker Program. Family includes:
- Children
- Spouse or law partner
When you apply, you should submit the requirements for your family to get processed together. Whether your partner can work in Canada depends on the Canadian government’s decision.
If you want to know how to immigrate to Canada as a pharmacist, read our article.
Can You Extend the Temporary Foreign Worker Program?
Yes. The initial validity of a TFWP is six months. But you can apply for an extension on it. The maximum validity of the Temporary Foreign Worker Program is four years. But you can apply for Canada Permanent Residence through other immigration programs.
Can You Apply for Permanent Residence with the Temporary Foreign Worker Program?
No. The maximum validity of TFWP is four years. You can apply for an extension until four years. You can apply for Canada permanent residence visa or other immigration programs.
English Certificate for Temporary Foreign Worker Program
You need an English proficiency certificate for TFWP. You could get IELTS, CELPIP test, or the TEF test.
Can software engineers immigrate to Canada through a temporary foreign worker program?
Software engineers can immigrate to Canada through every immigration program as the occupation is so in demand. You can say it’s the most in-demand job in Canada. Some employers are willing to bring the skilled software to Canada through a foreign worker program, although it is mandatory to get LMIA.
They have a higher chance than other applicants, but they would better hurry because the market is so tough and the competition is tight.
Let’s sum up…
In this blog, we explained all you need to know about Canada’s Temporary Foreign Worker Program.
We explained TDWP in detail, Labor Market Impact Assessment and its importance, requirements, application process, validity, fees, FAQs, and more.
You can find all Canada visa information in the world here. To find out more about the visa that suits you, go through the menu on the site. You can find all the types of Canada visas at the left sidebar.
You can check Visa Library to find more information about other countries’ visas.
In case you have some experience, please write it down in the comment section. Your comments let the readers choose better and avoid mistakes. Conveying your experiences as comments is a great help for applicants.
- Published by
- Max-B.
How useful was this article?
Click on a star to rate it!
Average rating 5 / 5. Vote count: 1
No votes so far! Be the first to rate this article.