Intra-Company Transfer – Specialized Knowledge

There has recently been a revision to the definitions governing the admission of intra-company transferees under the Specialized Knowledge provisions. Previously, a transferee with evidenced specialized expertise in a company’s systems or advanced expertise in a discipline relevant to the company’s business may have been eligible for the issuance of a work permit in the […]

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Labour Market Impact Assessments

Following a tremendous amount of turmoil in the Temporary Foreign Worker Program, the Labour Market Opinion process has been replaced with the Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA). While the fundamental process – the determination of the impact of a foreign worker’s admission to Canada on the labour market – remains the same, the change of […]

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Elimination of Recruiting Exemption for Post-Graduation Work Permit Holders

Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) has made a modification to the “Variations to Minimum Advertising Requirements” that eliminates the recruiting requirements for International graduates holding a work permit under the Post Graduation Work Permit Program ( PGWPP ). Previously, such an employer wishing to make a permanent offer to a PGWPP permit holder was exempt from […]

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Pursuing an Information Technology Consulting Project in Canada

We are occasionally contacted by foreign information technology consulting firms who are considering pursuing projects in Canada or who have been requested to carry out such projects. It is common for such firms to be based in the USA, although it is possible for any company worldwide. The following is intended to provide a general […]

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Passport Requirements for Temporary Work Permits

Any foreign national that intends to seek a Canadian work permit is required to possess a valid travel document, which in most cases means a passport. In the past, it may have been possible for nationals of the USA to travel to Canada on the basis of common identification such as a driver’s license. However, […]

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Canadian Interests Work Permits for Entrepreneurs

Section 205 of Canada’s Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations contains provisions for the issuance of temporary work permits on the basis of Canadian Interests. Interpretation of these Regulations in the instructions to immigration officials has included provisions for the issuance of work permits to candidates for permanent resident status who are applying in the Self Employed […]

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Changes in Work Permit Processing Fees

Effective February 06 2014, the fee for the processing of a Canadian temporary work permit will rise by CAD$5 from $150 to $155. The increase in fees comes as part of an announcement by Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) to modify the fee structure of all temporary resident applications. Fees charged for immigration services rendered […]

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Visa or Work Permit, Which do I Need?

The terms work visa and work permit are often used interchangeably, and we are often asked which is needed or if one could be used instead of the other. However, the two terms actually refer to very different immigration documents. A visa is a travel document that is needed by the citizens of many countries […]

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When to Consider Renewing Your Canadian Work Permit

Citizenship and Immigration Canada generically recommends filing a request for renewal of a work permit 30 days prior to its expiration. However, current realities may require that the process be initiated well before that. Current delays for inland processing of a work permit renewal are up to 60 days for a paper application or 17 […]

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Regulatory Change and Ministerial Instructions

The advent of 2014 sees new Regulations enacted by the Minister of Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC). These new rules are a continuation of the trend seen in 2013 following controversy in the Temporary Foreign Worker Program unearthed last April. The goal of the efforts is to strengthen the program, ensure that the admission of […]

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