Canadian Employers Can Now Apply To Labor Market Impact Assessment Online

Several Canadian business leaders have repeatedly asked the federal government to improve the Labor Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) for the employers.  In addition to this, the business development groups such as the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) and the Canadian Chamber of Commerce have been asking the government to reduce processing times in the hiring of temporary foreign workers, and have given certain recommendations as well for making improvements.  According to CFIB, the current LMIA process is “complicated, expensive and lengthy”. In 2017, the Canadian Chamber of Commerce urged the government to improve the LMIA applications. It suggested increasing “the use of online applications with streamlined forms”. Finally, the government of Canada has made a move to strengthen the LMIA process. Employers who employ temporary foreign workers for their businesses can now manage their LMIA applications with the help of an online portal.

Temporary Foreign Worker Program

TFWP is specially designed for employers who face labor shortages and need foreign workers to fill the labor gap. Through this program, employers are able to select foreign workers with the required skills for a particular job. An employer who hires a foreign worker through TFWP must prove that the duties outlined in the job description cannot be performed by any Canadian citizen or a permanent resident. 

What is Labor Market Impact Assessment?

Canadian employers can hire workers through the International Mobility Program (IMP) and the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP). They require an LMIA before hiring a temporary foreign worker. LMIA is a document that shows that a foreign worker is required to fill the vacant job posts and there is no availability of a Canadian worker to do the job. To put it succinctly, employers need to demonstrate the labor shortage for a particular job and a positive LMIA.  The Labor Market Impact Assessment is imperative whenever an employer wishes to hire a worker from foreign. LMIA proves that the employer could not get a Canadian worker before he tried hiring foreign talent. The fee to submit an LMIA application is over $1,000. And if the application is denied, the fee would not be refunded.  One of the shortcomings of this process is that employers are not given details regarding the rejection of their applications. This makes them hesitant to re-apply.

New Improvement in LMIA

The federal government has initiated an online platform for employers. Through this online pilot, the employers associated with the Temporary Foreign Worker Program can register themselves on the online portal which will allow them to conduct transactions and manage their accounts.  Employers can access this online portal using the login credentials through which they access the Job Bank. The users will have to complete the LMIA application and upload the supporting documents. Further, they can view Service Canada decision letters through this portal.  Now, with the help of online system employers will be able to track the applications and eventually, the processing time will be reduced significantly and communication will be improved. Find out if you are eligible for any Canadian immigration programs