The Canadian labor market is under continuous pressure with the enhanced labor shortages. Canada has been witnessing a period of a lack of adequate skilled workers. There are several reasons behind the never-ending story of the labor force not meeting its requirements. An aging population, reduced birth rates, and individuals meeting their retirement age at a young age are a few reasons determining the country’s dependency on skilled immigrants.
The International Mobility Programs attempt to assist employers in recruiting international workers without undergoing the LMIA process. The IMP is explicitly developed to hire workers temporarily.
The program revolves around the widened aspects of Canada such as its cultural and economic interests. It will also prove advantageous for employers and workers equally because they will be able to experience an easier and faster recruitment process.
The International Mobility Program differs from the Temporary Foreign Worker Program because the TFWP depends more on certain labor market conditions for providing work permits. Contrarily, the International Mobility Program operates without the Labor Market Impact Assessment (LMIA). The work permits under this program are Open work permits which imply the applicants will have the liberty to work under any Canadian employer.
The IMP can result in the following:
- IEC International Experience Canada Program- Reciprocal Youth exchange agreements. IEC program applies to candidates wishing to travel and work and also belong to the age group between 18 to 35. These could include North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA),
- International agreements consist of CETA (Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement, USMCA (United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement), and the Trans-Pacific Partnership.
- The Intra-Company Transfer Program is for employees who wish to transfer to another branch of their company. It grants permission to other branches or affiliates in Canada to transfer employees.
- If an individual is shifting toward permanent residency in Canada, he can continue working in the country through the BOWP (Bridging Open Work Permit).
- Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP)- This will also allow international students to work in the country after completing their post-graduation.
- Social and Cultural Benefit- Programs such as the Mobilite Francophone are for those who contribute mainly to Canada. The program fits perfectly for those applicants who possess a successful record, and testimonial records gained from a set of people working in the relevant field.
A clear distinction between the Temporary Foreign Worker Program and International Mobility Program
A comparison between the TFWP and IMP tells us that the International Mobility Program mainly comprises several work permit options whereas the Temporary Foreign Worker Program is a stricter version of the LMIA-oriented work permit process. It profoundly analyzes the ability of a foreign worker to work in the country based on his eligibility.
Here’s an overview of both the programs:
| Temporary Foreign Worker Program | International Mobility Program |
| TFWP requires employers to undergo LMIA. | No LMIA is required in IMP for employers. |
| TFWP consists of Closed Work permits (employer-specific). | Work permits under IMP could be either Open or Closed. |
| It is based on the Labour market requirements (to solve the labor shortage gap temporarily). | It operates with a broader objective to uplift Canada’s economic and cultural interests. |
| It is labor specific and based on a certain region or occupation. | Represents the international reciprocal agreements, such as IEC, NAFTA, and CETA. |
| This program separates applications based on the wage of a particular position offered. | Under IMP, applications are not streamed based on the wage offered, but specific streams consider the occupation skill level. |
| This program calls for employers to conduct an intense search for Canadian workers before recruiting a foreign worker. | IMP allows employers to hire without proposing a job offer to Canadians first. |
| Employers must first submit a transition plan before hiring for high-wage positions. | Employers don’t have to submit a transition plan unlike the employers under TFWP. |
| Employers will also pay a fee of $1,000 for LMIA applications under the TFWP. | Employers must pay a compliance fee of $230. If an applicant has an open work permit no fee will be required. |
| Only particular occupations and ten percent wage earners will be applicable for the processing standard of two weeks. The rest of the process can continue for several months. | Numerous streams under IMP will be processed over the period of two weeks. |
| Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) supervises it. | The Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) supervises it. |
Employer Portal
The International Mobility Program (IMP) comprises specific streams that require an employment offer. Therefore, an employer must provide the employment offer through the Canadian government’s Employer Portal.
Suppose an employer needs to hire an employee through any of the streams under the International Mobility Program, he will require to develop a unique login before clicking the option of submitting a job letter. He will also have to provide all the relevant information about the business, from its size to its primary activities. He will also need to provide more information about the job offer and essential requirements concerning the job position, including the educational level and language proficiency. Information about the benefits and wages will be required.
The employer submitting the job offer on the Employer Portal will need to pay a compliance fee of $230 with each letter.
But, if the employer decides to recruit employees through the Open Work Permit, he will need neither to submit an employment offer nor pay the compliance fee.