Recent reports showed Canada is facing shortage of labour in healthcare sector due to extensive demand and less number of health care workers. With time it is now becoming a subject of public concern.
Recent data showed that there are 958,800 Job vacancies in Canada having 152,000 specifically in field of healthcare as of August 2022. This led some hospitals to close their emergencies room temporarily due to shortage of staff.
Canada held its latest all-program express entry draw on November 9.
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) invited 4,750 candidates to apply for permanent residency of Canada with the minimum CRS (Comprehensive Ranking System) score of 494. The eligible candidates were invited from the Canadian Experience Class (CEC), Federal skilled worker program (FSWP), and Federal Skilled trades program (FSTP); all operates under the category of Express Entry system.
British Columbia welcomes entrepreneurs from the world to explore numerous opportunities of businesses across any region in the province. This program can be facilitated by experienced entrepreneurs who are wishing to invest their funds and manage a venture in smaller communities across British Columbia.
This pilot program was first initiated in March, 2019 and now has been continued to March, 2024. This is particularly designed to evenly distribute the economic benefit across the province.
For initial 12 months, foreign national will receive a temporary work permit to conduct and establish their business in British Columbia.
Q1- Is living in BC mandatory while I wait for nomination?
Ans1- Yes. In order to be eligible to be considered for BC PNP nomination, you need to prove that you’ve lived within 50km from the company you run in BC. Additionally, you need to be able to prove that you have actively participated in day-today administration of your business and that you were actually present in BC. While being on work permit you should be available in BC for at-least 75% of the total times span.
Q2- what is considered as my net worth?
Ans2- Net worth includes all your financial assets, properties, company minus any liabilities or obligations or debts. It includes your spouse assets as well as your dependent children. For this program, you must have at least a net worth of CAD 600,000. You can provide following documents to evaluate your net worth:
Q3- Do I need to provide the supporting documents for my wealth for net worth evaluation?
Ans3- Yes. Your net worth should be legally verified .You need to obtain the verification of net worth from a BC PNP-approved accounting firm. Failure to submit a satisfactory proof to verify your net worth and the source of your funds could result in the denial to your application.
Q4- After the final submission of my application on BC PNP, can I change my business model?
Ans4- No, you cannot change or modify your business concept after your registration on the BC PNP portal. You must keep your intend clear and defined before you file for your application.
Q5- Do I need to invest in an enterprise before I can submit my application to BC PNP Entrepreneur?
Ans5- No. If you plan to buy an established business it is necessary to mention the exact target business in your application and create an overall business plan for the business. Check that the current owner of the company has been in charge and is operating that business for at minimum 5 years.
Q6- Can I get cash from a lender/bank to invest in my company under BC PNP?
Ans6- It is a requirement of the BC PNP that you make the minimum personal investment with your own personal funds. You must provide documents that prove the source of the investment, and also show that this investment along with any future personal investment made within your business was made directly from personal savings. However, you can make use of financing provided by an associate or financial institution to invest above the minimum requirements.
Q7- Does buying a business before receiving an ITA increases my chance of approval under BC PNP?
Ans7- BC PNP strongly discourages applicants from taking any financial or investment commitment prior to signing a contract of performance with BC PNP and obtaining a valid work permit from the IRCC. Any investment that is made prior to obtaining approval and an approved work permit is entirely at risk.
Q8- can I have a partner in my business for this program?
Ans8- Yes. BC PNP allows immigrant entrepreneurs to be partners in their business idea. The general rule is that, in order to be eligible for the program, you have to show that you will be the owner of at minimum one-third (33.3%) of the company in BC. If your partner is not a Canadian permanent resident or citizen and plans to join you to join this program In this case, they must meet the conditions for the program, which includes the minimal requirements for investment.
Ans9- If you don’t have an official post-secondary qualification (such as diploma, degree or certificate issued by a recognized post-secondary institution) You must prove that you’ve been an active business owner/manager and have full ownership of the company for at least 3 years over the past five years. The total ownership of the business could be divided among your spouse, you or your dependent children.
Ans10- Being a registered applicant who is qualified in the pool doesn’t mean that you’ll be accepted to apply. You may employ a variety of strategies to boost your score. You can do this by generating an innovative business idea and conducting further research on the business climate in BC or by enhancing your flexibility and then making a new application. You may also file an application under an entirely different category, but you have to cancel the current registration before taking the next step.
BCPNP Entrepreneur immigration is among the most effective program to migrate to Canada especially for business owners or entrepreneurs. It allows them to either start their business or buy an existing business in British Columbia. In the previous blog we have already discussed about what is EI-Base Category program, its basic requirements and its application process. In this guide you will learn more about what business concept qualifies under this program.
British Columbia is the third largest and westernmost province of Canada. It offers vast opportunities for immigration pathways under Provincial Nomination Program (PNP). It helps many entrepreneurs to enter into the country via BC PNP Entrepreneur Stream. Among them one such program is BC PNP’S EI Base Category. This EI (Entrepreneur Immigration) Base Category allows entrepreneurs having a strong intent to establish new business or buy an existing business in British Columbia by securing a minimum investment and initiate a path towards their PR journey.
WHO IS ELIGIBLE TO APPLY?
| ELIGIBILITY CATEGORIES | MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS |
|---|---|
| Experience | More than 3 years of experience as a business owner, or 4+ years of experience as senior manager or combined 1 year of experience as business owner & 2+ years of experience as senior manager |
| Net Worth | CAD 600,000 |
| Education | Post-Secondary Certification (Degree, Diploma, Certificate) or at least 3 years of experience as business owner in last 5 years |
| Investment | CAD 200,000 |
| Ownership Percentage % | At least one-third (33.33%) |
| Language Requirement | Basic of English or French proficiency with CLB 4 |
| Hiring for Job | Must recruit at least one Canadian Citizen or Permanent residence for full-time equivalent job. |
The Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program (SINP) carried out an Entrepreneur draw on the 3rd of November. The draw on November 3 issued invitations to 55 candidates including the Expression of Interest (EOI) scores ranging between 85 and 120.
LMIA – Labour Market Impact Assessment is an official document required by the Canadian employer who is willing to hire a foreign employee. Any company who is hiring through the Temporary Foreign Worker Program needs to get a preapproval from government before accommodating international talent.
In this guide you will learn more about LMIA, requirements for its procedure, eligibility, certain exceptions and much more.
LMIA stands for Labour Market Impact Assessment. It is the preapproved government official document issued by Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) evaluating the effectiveness of recruiting the foreign immigrant on domestic employment market. If ESDC analyses that there isn’t any qualified Canadian citizen or permanent resident to fill that position, and there is a genuine requirement for that international employee, a Positive LMIA will be issued to the recruiter. A Negative LMIA indicates that a job must be taken by the Canadian Citizen or permanent resident.
Upon the approval of LMIA, the worker now will have to apply for a work visa to obtain a Canadian Work permit. Following are the documents required for Work visa application:
LMIA Requirements
There are 2 main streams under which an employer categorizes the worker:
| Province/Territory | Wages prior to April 30, 2022 | Wages as of April30, 2022 |
|---|---|---|
| Alberta | 27.28 | 28.85 |
| British Columbia | 25.00 | 26.44 |
| Manitoba | 21.60 | 23.00 |
| New Brunswick | 20.12 | 21.79 |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | 23.00 | 24.29 |
| Northwest Territories | 34.36 | 37.30 |
| Nova Scotia | 20.00 | 22.00 |
| Nunavut | 32.00 | 36.00 |
| Ontario | 24.04 | 26.06 |
| Prince Edward Island | 20.00 | 21.63 |
| Quebec | 23.08 | 25.00 |
| Saskatchewan | 24.55 | 25.96 |
| Yukon | 30.00 | 32.00 |
Eligibility Requirements for Employer
Average LMIA processing timelines
ESDC may take 10 business days to response or sometimes it can be extended up to few months. Canada is experiencing a huge number of LMIA cases in 2022. This may cause delays which is particularly evident within the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP)
| Application Type | Average processing time |
|---|---|
| Global talent stream | 9 business days |
| Agricultural stream | 15 business days |
| Seasonal agricultural worker program | 5 business days |
| Permanent residence stream | 22 business days |
| In-home caregivers | 24 business days |
| High-wage stream | 34 business days |
| Low-wage stream | 37 business days |
Lebiz Canada can help you with your LMIA pathway
Getting a LMIA can sometimes be very difficult and puzzling task if you are not having deep root knowledge of the program. Lebiz will help you obtain LMIA in an expedite manner with ease. There are multiple challenges while finding a job in Canada but we are here to help you with that. Our financial experts will give you full handholding throughout the process and will assist you for LMIA or TFWP application.
For more information on securing a LMIA work permit of Canada, speak to our senior financial experts and lawyers. They will help you choose best immigration pathway available according to your profile.
Q1- WHAT IS LMIA?
Ans1- LMIA is short for labour market impact assessment. It is a type of document which an employer receives from ESDC – Economic and Social Development Canada, if they are intending to hire an international employee for a job position in their venture.
Q2- WHAT DOES A POSITIVE LMIA MEAN?
Ans2- A positive LMIA means that there is a genuine need for a foreign worker and there is no qualified Canadian citizen or permanent resident which is best suited for that job post.
Q3-WHO NEEDS LMIA?
Ans3- An employers who is looking to recruit a foreign worker needs to obtain a pre-approved LMIA document from government as a permission to hire that worker before he/she applies for a work permit.
Q4- WHY DO I HAVE TO GET A NEW LMIA IF I JUST GOT IT ONE YEAR AGO?
Ans4- Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) is valid for a limited period of time. There is no such provision by the Canadian government to extend the duration of LMIA. The employer needs to obtain a new LMIA if they are willing to keep that worker for a longer period of time provided that there is still no Canadian citizen or permanent resident who can fulfil the requirements of the job.
Q5- Who is eligible for LMIA?
Ans5 – Almost every Canadian employer is eligible get a LMIA. But there are certain basic requirements which you need to meet if you are an employer:
Q6- WHO WILL PAY THE FEES OF LMIA?
Ans6- Employers has to pay the LMIA fees to ESDC. In some cases, they also tend to cover the costing of getting a work permit for their foreign worker.
Q7-HOW MANY POINTS I GET FOR LMIA UNDER EXPRESS ENTRY PROGRAM?
Ans7- After obtaining a successful LMIA from employer, a worker may be granted with 50 or 200 points under Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) depending on the specific designation.
Q8- CAN I GET PR WITH LMIA?
Ans8- After completion of working for 12 months in Canada, you will be granted with 50 or 200 points which will enhance your CRS score. You can either apply under FWSP (Federal Skilled Worker Program), FSTP (Federal Skilled Trades Program) or CEC (Canadian Experience Class) of express entry program for permanent residency status.
Q9- DOES ENTREPRENEUR ALSO NEED LABOUR MARKET IMPACT ASSESSMENT?
Ans9- No. An entrepreneur can get a work permit to work in Canada without a LMIA. They can apply for work permit under different business visa programs in Canada proving that they are willing to do business or buy business in one of the Canada’s province.
Q10- HOW MANY LMIA’S CAN AN EMPLOYER GET?
Ans10- There is no perfect and accurate answer to this question. This depends on many factors. In some cases it is possible to get as many LMIA’s as employer wants. Due to fewer positions for skilled workers there is a limit for a low- skilled worker which a particular business can employ. Additionally there could be some restrictions because of regional unemployment levels.
Q11- CAN AN EMPLOYER TERMINATE A FOREIGN WORKER IF THEY ARE NOT WORKING?
Ans11- If an employer feels that the foreign worker is not an ideal fit for the job; they can dismiss that employee anytime in accordance with the laws of labour of that province. This will be employer duty to ensure that they notify the Service Canada of the date the foreign worker is no longer employed by them.
Q12-CAN AN INTERNATIONAL WORKER BE PROMOTED?
Ans12- No. The employer cannot promote the foreign worker using the same LMIA. When a LMIA is issued by ESDC, the work permit the receive has all the information provided like employer name, job position and the location of the work. If an employer wants to promote their foreign worker, they first need to get a new LMIA from ESDC with updated changes. Again, the employer need to provide sufficient proof that there were none qualified Canadian citizen best suited for that role.
Entrepreneur Visa program allows candidates to get a permanent residency status in Canada by making a considerable amount of investment. It gives entrepreneurs and business owners the opportunity to settle in Canada and expand their business operations.
Entrepreneur Visa is a temporary to permanent immigration pathway. Canadian government prioritizes this program and encourages seasoned/budding entrepreneurs because it generates employment thus contributing to Canadian economy.
The country is the hotspot of opportunities for business because of stable government and policies at the federal level and other benefits. Canada provides benefits to the foreign nationals in ensuring that there are no pitfalls or roadblocks in setting up a new venture. This minimizes the chance of failure for investors and enables them to tap into the existing customer base.