Skilled workers and professionals: Who can apply—Arranged employment

If you have an offer of permanent employment from a Canadian employer, it can improve your chances of having your federal skilled worker application approved.

Depending on your circumstances, the requirements for a valid offer of employment are different.

1) If you are currently working in Canada:

• your current employer must have made an offer to give you a permanent job if you are accepted as a federal skilled worker, and
• your temporary work permit must be valid both when you apply for a permanent resident visa and when the visa is issued.

In addition:

• your work permit must have been confirmed by Human Resources and Social Development Canada (HRSDC) through a positive labour market opinion or
• you must be in a category that is exempt from an Arranged Employment Opinion

in order for your offer of employment to be valid.

2) In all other cases:

You must not be working in Canada and you either

• do not have a valid work permit or
• you have a work permit, but your circumstances are different from those described in the first example.

In this case, the offer of employment is valid if your prospective employer

• has made an offer to hire you on an indeterminate basis if you are accepted as a federal skilled worker, and
• has obtained a positive Arranged Employment Opinion from HRSDC

and you

• meet all required Canadian licensing or regulatory standards associated with the job.

Note: You cannot arrange for an HRSDC confirmation of a job offer. Your employer must do this.