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How to hire a temporary foreign worker

In most cases, there are four steps to hire a temporary foreign worker from outside Canada.

You may not need to do every step, depending on the job offer and the foreign worker’s country of citizenship and last permanent residence.

Both you and any foreign workers you hire must provide accurate and complete information or the application process may be delayed.

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The four steps to hire a temporary foreign worker

These are the four basic steps for hiring a temporary foreign worker.

1. Determine if you need to apply for a labour market opinion (LMO).

See Who Can Apply in the top right-hand menu for information on LMOs (if you have not already). You will need this information for the steps below.

2. Apply for an LMO from Service Canada, if required.

If you get a letter from Service Canada confirming a positive LMO, you will need to send certain documents to the foreign worker you wish to hire. The foreign worker will use these documents to apply for a work permit.

Send the following to the foreign worker you wish to hire:

  • a copy of the positive LMO confirmation letter for the job offer, including the file number and
  • a detailed job offer. The job offer should include:
    • a description of the job duties and responsibilities
    • a list of the education, skills and experience that workers must have for the job, including a list of licences and professional credentials
    • details on when the job will start and end. Work permits are issued only to foreign workers who are coming to work in Canada for a limited (temporary) time. If workers want to come to live and work permanently in Canada, they must apply for permanent residence through the skilled worker program. See Hiring a federal skilled worker in the Related Links section at the bottom of this page.
    • details of the salary you are offering, including wages and other forms of payment (for example, room and board or commission) and
    • your name and address, and the address where the foreign worker will be working. Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) and Service Canada officers will check that your business and the job being offered are genuine. Include the name and telephone number of a contact at your business who is familiar with the job offer so that CIC and Human Resources and Skills Development Canada (HRSDC) can confirm the offer.

The foreign worker will include the confirmation letter of the positive LMO and your written job offer in his or her application for a work permit. In certain cases, they also need a signed contract.

3. Have the foreign worker complete the work permit application.

You can find information about work permit applications under Working temporarily in Canada in the Related Links section at the bottom of this page. In most cases, foreign workers must apply for a work permit at a Canadian visa office abroad.

The visa office abroad will review the work permit application to see if the worker is eligible to work in Canada.

4.  If the worker is eligible, a Canada Border Services Agency officer will issue the work permit at the point of entry when the foreign worker arrives in Canada.

Learn more about this process in the After hiring section in the Related Links at the bottom of this page.

You should also read the information in Temporary Foreign Worker: Guide for Employers in the Related Links section at the bottom of this page for more detailed information. The guide lists the steps of the application process, the information and documents required to complete the application, and contact information if you need help during the application process.

Other important hiring information

  • Depending on their country of citizenship, foreign workers may need a temporary resident visa (TRV) to enter Canada. You can find information about the TRV in the Related Links section at the bottom of this page.
  • Depending on the type of work they will do and where they lived in the last year, foreign workers may have to undergo a medical examination before entering Canada. More information about medical examinations is in the I Need To… section on the right-hand side of this page.
  • Some countries have requirements that citizens must meet before leaving the country. They may need an exit visa or other documents related to their Canadian employment. Workers should check with their government authorities to find out what the requirements are before they attempt to leave.
  • Make sure you hire someone with a valid work permit, and follow the conditions described on work permits. See the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act for more information on employers’ responsibilities.

Hiring in the province of Quebec

If you are a Quebec employer, the person you wish to hire may also need to get a Certificat d’acceptation du Québec (CAQ) from the Quebec government before a work permit can be issued. Information about the CAQ can be obtained under Ministère de l’Immigration et des Communautés culturelles (Quebec immigration) in the Related Links section at the bottom of this page. You can also see www.micc.gouv.qc.ca, or contact either a Canadian embassy abroad or a Canada Immigration Centre in Canada.

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Date Modified: 2009-09-24

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