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Operational Bulletin 049 –
February 12, 2008 (expired)
Implementation of additional Temporary Foreign Worker Units in Ontario and Atlantic Regions
This Operational Bulletin has expired. Please refer to manual FW 1 – Foreign Worker Manual for current information.
Role of the Temporary Foreign Worker Units
Temporary Foreign Worker Units offer assistance to Canadian employers by advising them on positions which may be exempt from obtaining a Labour Market Opinion (LMO) and providing a written opinion on LMO exemptions on request. The units also educate Canadian employers and their representatives on the process of hiring a temporary foreign worker.
Current Status
Temporary Foreign Worker Units in Atlantic and Ontario Regions became operational effective February 11, 2008. This means that every region of Canada now has a dedicated point of service for employers.
LMO exemption opinions
Temporary Foreign Worker Units accept formal written requests from employers seeking to determine if the position they wish to fill is exempt from the requirement of an LMO. The opinion is sent back to the employer in the form of a letter or a fax, with a recommendation that the temporary foreign worker also be sent a copy to present to the officer at the Canadian Port of Entry. The opinion of the officer, who reviewed the request, is also documented in FOSS in the form of an NCB.
Who can request an exemption opinion?
Temporary Foreign Worker Units only deal with employers and/or their representatives seeking to hire a temporary foreign worker. Currently, the units only provide opinions for employers seeking to hire temporary foreign workers from outside of Canada for countries whose nationals do not require a Temporary Resident Visa.
To which Temporary Foreign Worker Unit should a request be submitted?
Requests for an exemption opinion should be submitted to the office in the region where the temporary foreign worker will actually be working. If the employee is likely to be working in more than one region, the request should be submitted to the region where the bulk of the duties would be performed. If employers and their representatives are unsure as to where a request should be submitted, they should be counselled to contact the Temporary Foreign Worker Unit closest to them.
Education and outreach
Temporary Foreign Worker Units staff provides advice and guidance on the process of hiring foreign workers through:
- Dedicated phone and email access for employers and their representatives, and
- Presentations and workshops often presented jointly with service delivery partners.
Regional members of a national working group have collaborated to develop national presentation tools and products to ensure consistent messaging. Presentation and delivery partners include Service Canada, CBSA, as well as provincial partners such as, the Provincial Nominee Programs (PNP) and Labour Services.
Contact Information
Contact Information for the Temporary Foreign Worker Units can be found on the CIC Website at www.cic.gc.ca/english/work/employers/tfw-units.asp
For more information or questions relating to the above, contact OMC-GOC-Immigration.
