Employers and temporary workers to benefit from family work permits to address labour shortages
As the Canadian economy recovers, employers, including tourism industry employees, have had difficulty finding workers. However, an announcement stated that temporary workers would now be eligible to obtain work permits for their families
On Friday, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, Sean Fraser announced that family members of temporary foreign workers will be eligible to apply for work permits.
Canada is expanding work permits for family members! Starting in 2023, spouses and children of a principal applicant will be eligible to work in Canada. https://t.co/einP1Op4RC
“Expanding the eligibility for work permits to family members accompanying the principal applicant to Canada will help address labour shortages by assisting employers in finding the workers they need,” he said in a press statement.
Before this announcement, spouses were only eligible for a work permit if the principal applicant worked in a high-skill occupation. However, temporary workers will benefit from family work permits starting in 2023.
Families will be kept together as part of this temporary measure. By that, workers’ emotional well-being, physical health, and financial security will improve. Ultimately, the goal is to provide the worker with a better integration into their work environment and community.
Phase 1 will enable family members of workers coming to Canada through the high-wage stream of the Temporary Foreign Worker Program or the International Mobility Program to apply for an open work permit.
Phase 2 aims to expand the measure to the family members of workers from the low-wage stream of the Temporary Foreign Worker Program, following consultations.
Phase 3 will include consultation with agricultural partners and stakeholders to assess operational feasibility for expanding the measure to family members of agricultural workers.
Canada has issued over 645,000 work permits between January and October 2022—nearly 4 times more than the 163,000 issued over the same period in 2021.
“Should I apply for a work permit or a student permit? Is there a better option for me? Which path should I follow?”. We receive this type of question all the time and, to be honest, there is not a straight answer as a number of factors go into this decision. However, you can use these three questions to help you decide.
By having realistic expectations, you can work efficiently towards your immigration goals. So let’s dive right into it!
Q1: What is my English proficiency? Is it important to work or study in Canada?
This is key to determining the program you can apply to. On one hand, if you have a beginning level of English, perhaps the best and only option is to start a study program before thinking about working. On the other hand, if your proficiency is higher (certified by a standardized test such as IELTS) you can consider other immigration options, like the Provincial Nominee Program.
The IELTS scale (1)
Q2: How much money can I invest? Studying and working are compatible?
Immigrating always involves a considerable cost. However, determining how much you’re willing to invest can make or break your immigration options.
For example, you must consider the annual cost of living in the city or province you wish to live in, the average salary for your desired job, and how long it will take for you to recoup your investment.
In addition, there are other factors to look at such as working while studying, the number of hours you are allowed to work, the industry you are planning to work in, etc.
Check out the cost of living of the most popular cities ranked from lower to higher cost of living.
Maybe you initially planned on working in Canada, but you do not qualify for any program. Don’t let that discourage you! After all, there are several pathways to immigrating to Canada; each step counts toward achieving your ultimate goal.
New Caregiver Programs take effect today. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada(IRCC) has made changes to the In-Home Caregiver Program. These changes affect how employers hire caregivers and what is required as part of the approval process for both employers and caregivers. As of June 18, 2019 employers who are hiring caregivers from overseas are no longer required to submit anLabour Market Impact Assessments(LMIA) application for approval. Any LMIA application that was submitted on or before June 17, 2019 will continue to be processed and work permits for those caregivers will still continue to process as well. Caregivers who are currently in Canada on work permits that require extensions or those that are changing employers will require new LMIAs and new work permits.
There are now2 new caregiver streamsto consider when applying to hire a caregiver from overseas. Employers should consider starting early as it is expected to take about 12 months for a caregiver to arrive in Canada on a work permit.
General Program Requirements for Employers and Caregivers
Employers will need to complete the job offer form
Caregivers will need to submit an application for permanent residence along with a work permit application
Caregivers can also apply for their spouses and children to accompany them to Canada and can obtain open work permits and study permits
Caregivers must meet the eligibility criteria before applying for permanent residence, if eligible they will receive work permits to come to Canada
Work permits will be valid for 3 years and will give the caregiver the opportunity to complete 24 months of full-time work as a caregiver
Processing time can take up to 1 year for work permits to be issued.
After the caregiver completes 24 months of work he/she will need to submit proof and their PR application will be finalized.
These new applications will require careful preparation by anauthorized representative. It is strongly recommended that caregivers hire an authorized representative to ensure that their application will qualify and that they will achieve their goal of work permits and then eventually permanent residency in Canada.
For all inquiries, questions or concerns regarding these changes, please give us a call at +1-416-665-3939 or from inside Canada toll-free 1-888-808-7338.
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