ATTN: BCguy AND LEON

[gkol]

I'm a foreign worker here in edmonton,ab and i have a plan to transfer to another employer when my contract end.  my questions:


1.what is the ideal time to find or apply to a new employer

2. if ever i got new employer, are they the one who will process my application to get lmo,work permit and visa and also do have to go

back to my country after my contract to my first employer

[Leon]

As a low skill employee, you have to go back to your country for 4 months before you can apply again.  Your new employer would be the one who has to apply for the LMO and you apply for the work permit.  You can go to Service Canada in Canada Place if you have a day off to ask about it.  I believe you can speed up the process if your new employer gets an open LMO, not for your specifically but for an unnamed employee.  That can be processed while you are waiting in your homeland and when you are eligible to apply for a work permit again after 4 months, your employer will already have the LMO so it should be fast.  Ask Service Canada how it works.

The best time to find a new employer is when it's busy in your field of work.

[BCguy]

I defer to Leon,Since It is an Alberta issue,But he is correct If you are a low skilled worker,what do you do??

[kayebee8]

You do not have to wait for  a specific time to change employer AS LONG AS you have a new employer willing to hire you and support your application. You do not have to go back to your own country and wait for 4 months. You can apply for a new LMO and new work permit via Vegreville CIC office.

Hope this helps.

[Leon]

You do not have to wait for  a specific time to change employer AS LONG AS you have a new employer willing to hire you and support your application. You do not have to go back to your own country and wait for 4 months. You can apply for a new LMO and new work permit via Vegreville CIC office.

Hope this helps.

That is news to me.  According to http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/faq/work/low-skill-faq06.asp he has to leave when his 24 months are up.  Those are the rules for low skill.  If he was a skilled, he could extend, either with the same employer or new one.

BCguy, I know he is low skill because he posted it before.  He is a 6641 food counter attendant/kitchen helper and his contract is ending april next year.  It really doesn't have to do with AB since the work permit is still under low skill and abides by federal rules.  He would qualify for AB PNP depending on if his employer is willing to do that for him and as long as they don't already have a PNP candidate at that workplace since under this project, they are only allowed one per location, it's at http://www.albertacanada.com/immigration/immigrate/foodservices.html

[BCguy]

Thanks,Not that familiar with Alberta,In BC We allow multiple applications from 1 location,Example owner of a Blenz Coffee came in last Friday asking for help in sponsoring 2 workers.

[Leon]

Then he might have an easier time going to BC on his next low skill permit.

[tauruscol]

The immigration website talks about having to go back after 24 months. However, many people who have gotten a second or third work permit even in the low skilled positions, get a fresh 2 year work permit every time. This means that as long as you get a new work permit before the previous expires, you get two more years. You are entitled to be here for as long as the work permit allows.
 
The visa on the passport expires but as told by an immigration officer, that is only to get in and out of Canada. If you need to leave the country to visit your family for example, you may apply to the buffalo office for a new visa. You may want to consider getting a job in NOC 0, A or B and apply for permanent residense after two years.

God bless you!

[Leon]

According to CIC website, you should not be able to get a new low skill work permit, see http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/faq/work/low-skill-faq06.asp

Under the new rules, if I have a 24-month work permit and switch employers just before it expires, can I get another 24-month work permit if my new employer has the LMO?

No, you can only get a work permit for up to 24 months, and then you must return to your home country for at least four months before you can get another work permit under this pilot.

A skilled work permit can be extended though, I think there is no limit how often.

[tauruscol]

All I know is that people are getting work permits for 2 years. I went from non-skilled to semi-skilled and the new work permit was good for 2 more years. It only extended my stay for an additional 4 months though. It's worth trying. I wouldn't do it right before the 2 years are up though.

God bless you!

[Leon]

If you are on a skilled permit already, then you don't need to go home for 4 months.  The difference between low skilled and skilled can be as small as working in a fast food place and getting promotion to shift manager.