Work Holiday Programme

[stealth08]

Hello I had a conversation about a work holiday programme, which allows you to live in Canada for 12 months only. I asked the lady on phone: "What if I was to get a permanent job offer with a Canadian company, do I still have to leave Canada after 12 months is up?" She said: "You would have to get the company who's offers you a job to get you a job specific visa. So if you left the job, you would have to return back to the UK."

I'm not exactly sure what she ment about "job specific visa". If I was to get a permanent job there while I'm on the work holiday visa, do long do I have to stay with the company? Will the company have to process a skilled worker application with AEO for me? From what I know this takes 6-12 months to process to get the permanent visa. So I would have to stay with the company for 6-12 months until I get the permanent visa. Am I right?

 

[Leon]

If you qualify to apply for skilled worker and you get your working holiday employer to give you an AEO and it's a skilled type job, you can apply for skilled worker and may have it before your working holiday is up. If you don't qualify to apply for skilled worker for lack of points or whatever, you can look into the provincial nominee program in the province where you are. With an AEO, your employer may be able to sponsor you for PR. If neither of those work out and you want to stay and your employer wants to keep you, he would have to apply for a labour market opinion (LMO) to prove that he can not get qualified people in Canada for your job and if he gets it, you could get a temporary work permit. At the end of 2 years on a skilled permit, you can extend it and you can apply for PR through Canadian experience class.

 

[stealth08]

Thanks very much for your advice.

I have 66 points I think. So supposing I get a skilled job there (whilst on working holiday visa) on the 11th month of the 12 month limit. The skilled worker process will take 6-12 months for permanent visa. In that time, the 12 month limit will be up, does that mean I would have to go back home, or can the employer sort out a temporary visa so that I can stay?

Thanks.

 

[Leon]

If your visa expires, your employer can apply for a labour market opinion (LMO) to request permission to hire a foreign worker (you) for your job. It is a bit harder to get an LMO than an AEO, he has to show that he's paying market wage and that he could not find any Canadians or PR's to do your job so there is no guarantee that he'll get the LMO. If he doesn't get the LMO, you don't actually have to go home, you could probably change your status to visitor but you would not be allowed to work anymore. If he gets the LMO, you take it to the border and change your working holiday to a regular work permit.

 

[stealth08]

Hi Leon, wouldnt the employer apply for the skilled worker route with Arranged Employment Offer? I thought it would be the same as applying for a job in Canada from the UK.

 

[Leon]

As I said in my first reply to you, you can apply for skilled worker with AEO if you qualify or you can apply for PNP with AEO depending on which province you are in.

Then you asked about a temporary visa if you fail to arrange that and I answered you that in that case, your employer would need to apply for an LMO and you would need to change to a regular temporary work permit.

Getting the LMO is not guaranteed and can take a long time too so I suggest you use your 12 months well and get your PR application in asap, otherwise, you might be looking at going home at the end of your 12 months.