CANADIAN IMMIGRATION NEWS

BC Employers briefed on hiring foreign workers

Thursday, 13 September 2007

Employers in British Columbia were recently offered a workshop in the processes for hiring workers from abroad. However, for many businesses across Canada, the process can be confusing.

The workshop included representatives from varying levels of government, all involved in the hiring and visa application process for workers to Canada. These included Citizenship and Immigration Canada, Service Canada and the local British Columbia ministries of Labour Services and Economic Development.

Before a work permit can be issued to a worker from abroad, Service Canada must provide a Labour Market Opinion (LMO) to the business that wishes to hire foreign workers. Despite the workshop, many BC employers still find the process confusing.

British Columbia is increasingly looking for foreign workers to address the province’s labour shortage – driven by the run-up to the 2010 winter Olympics in Vancouver. There has been an increase in seasonal foreign workers from Australia and New Zealand applying to work in British Columbia, particularly in the skiing and hospitality sectors.

The Working Holiday Visa is an increasingly popular visa option for this purpose.