[URGENT] Work permit while in Canada

[cakemeister]

Hey guys,

I just received a job offer while in Canada. I am a New Zealand citizen and currently here visiting relatives. The employer wants me to start as soon as possible. Can someone please advise what is the fastest way for me to work here? The job offered is an IT Technician job.

Thank you!

 

[scylla]

Does your employer have an approved LMO? If not - that's the first step. This is something your employer has to do (not you). Details here:

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/work/employers/lmo-basics.asp

 

[cakemeister]

Hi Scylla,

Thank you very much for the link.

The job offered to me was just advertised last month, April. The employer has to wait 3months to apply for a LMO. Is there any legitimate way of working here in Canada while waiting for LMO being processed?

Thank you again

 

[scylla]

There is no legitimate way to work in Canada while the LMO is being processed. In fact, even once your employer has the approved LMO, you will still need to obtain an approved work permit before you can legally start.

Why does your employer have to wait three months to apply for the LMO? Is this due to the advertising requirement? I may be wrong, but I thought the advertising requirement was a few weeks (not a few months).

 

[scylla]

OK - I was right. It's not three months - it's two weeks.

It's two weeks of advertising (within the last three months). See:

http://www.hrsdc.gc.ca/eng/workplaceskills/foreign_workers/communications/advertrecrutment.shtml

"for a minimum of fourteen (14) calendar days, during the three (3) months prior to applying for a LMO."

Having said that, the processing times for LMOs aren't that short.

Good luck...

 

[cakemeister]

Oh really? I thought once I received the LMO documentation from the employer, I will only need to go to a port of entry to apply for a work permit?

Thank you Scylla for the responses.

 

[scylla]

Oh really? I thought once I received the LMO documentation from the employer, I will only need to go to a port of entry to apply for a work permit?

Thank you Scylla for the responses.

Yes - once you have the approved LMO, you can just head to the border since you are visa exempt. The key is that you need an APPROVED LMO to be issued a work permit at the border. Your employer cannot approve the LMO - this is done by the government.

In other words, the LMO process doesn't just consist of the employer advertising the job and then filing out the paperwork. All of this paperwork then has to be sent to Human Resources and Development Canada who then review everything and either approve or refused the LMO (this process obviously takes time). If the LMO is approved, then that's the approval you take with you to the border.

So the LMO waiting time = time spent advertising the job and completing the paperwork + time spent by government processing that paperwork and issuing an approval.