I Have a Job Offer What Are my Options?

Finding a job in Canada is no easy task. Whether you are a Canadian citizen or a foreign national, finding employment in Canada can be a long and difficult endeavour. If you have been fortunate enough to locate a job in Canada, there may be a couple of options available to you, depending on the nature of your intended work.

To start your work permit process, most applicants will need to begin the process by having their employer obtain a Labour Market Opinion first. The Labour Market Opinion is an assessment done by Human Resources and Skills Development Canada that essentially recognizes your position as filling a labour shortage that currently exists and one that cannot be easily filled by a Canadian citizen or Permanent Resident.

Once you obtain a Labour Market Opinion, you can use it to apply for a work permit. Note, just because you received a Labour Market Opinion, it does not mean that you will be automatically granted your work permit. A Citizenship and Immigration officer reviewing your application will assess whether or not you meet the criteria for the work permit and will be able to fulfill your intended job duties in Canada.

After you successfully have received your work permit, you can then look at your options for permanent Residence.  You should first determine what the classification of your job is. You may do this by either comparing your duties to the national occupational classification matrix or if you are already aware of your NOC code, you can easily determine how the occupation is classified. If you fall under a highly skilled occupation, such as one that is classified as either A, B or 0, you may qualify for such applications as the Federal Skilled Worker or the Canadian Experience Class.

The Federal Skilled Worker Application is geared towards facilitating the Permanent Resident status of a foreign national to be able to fill the position as a Skilled Worker in Canada. They must be intending to fill an occupation that shows up on a list of eligible occupations. If your intended occupation does not appear on the list, it does not mean that you have no other options it only means that you’re not eligible for the Federal Skilled Worker application.

The Canadian Experience Class is aimed at facilitating Permanent Residence for those who’ve already obtained valuable work experience in Canada on a full-time basis. Your occupation will need to be classified as either A, B or 0 in order to qualify for this application type.