LMIA & Express Entry – What You Need To Know

What Is A LMIA?

LMIA stands for Labour Market Impact Assessment. It is the opinion provided by ESDC to the officer which enables the officer to determine whether the employment of the foreign worker is likely to have a positive or negative impact on the labour market in Canada. It is a document that an employer in Canada must obtain before hiring a foreign worker. If the LMIA is positive, then this means that the employer may hire a foreign worker due to the fact that there is not any Canadian who will or can fill that job.

Requirements:

1. What means the employer has taken to recruit or train Canadians

2. Why the employer has had difficulty recruiting Canadians

3. What the employer’s plan is to train Canadians, so that he/she does not become reliant on the uses of TFWs

4. What are the ways in which the Canadian labour market would benefit from hiring TFWs through the filling of labour shortages, transfer of skills, job creation etc…

5. The employer’s intention to abide by all Canadian labour laws as they relate to hiring TFWs

What is Express Entry?

Express Entry is a very new way to permanent residence in Canada. The complete name of this is Express Entry to manage applications for permanent residence under certain economic programs. If you are a potential candidate, you can complete an Express Entry profile at any time. There isn’t any deadline on completing a profile and there will be no caps as to how many people will be accepted into the pool. From this pool of candidates, you may be chosen (only the top candidates are chosen). If you are chosen, you will be invited to apply for permanent residence. If you are invited, you have a 60 day deadline to complete and submit an Application for Permanent Residence online. This application will be processed within 6 months or less.

Express Entry Applies Only To Individuals Who Would Qualify For These Programs:

• Federal Skilled Worker Program
• Federal Skilled Trades Program
• Canadian Experience Class

Candidates can also be recruited from the Express Entry system by provinces and territories to enter their Provincial Nominee Program. Through this program provinces and territories can nominate people to immigrate to Canada based on their skills, education, and work experience that will contribute to the economy of that province or territory.

Two-Step Process:

Potential candidates must complete an online Express Entry profile:

• you will use a secure form that will provide information about your:
  • skills
  • work experience
  • language ability
  • education
  • other details that will help the immigration officer assess you

Only the highest-ranking candidates will be invited to apply for permanent residence

Who the highest-ranking candidates are will be determined on a points based system (comprehensive ranking system). Points will be awarded based on the information provided in ones online profile. Points will be awarded for things such as:

• a job offer supported by LMIA
• a nomination from a province or territory (can receive additional points for this)
• skills and experience factors

Instead of working on a first come, first serve basis, the employer is now able to choose from a pool of candidates. LMIA is required for express entry. Without a LMIA you will not be able to come to Canada via express entry.

In conclusion, Express Entry is exactly as it sounds, a quick way to permanent residence in Canada. Applications will be processed within 6 months as long as all the requirements are met. The two-step process is to set up an online Express Entry profile, where you will post all of your skills and necessary information. Candidates will be evaluated on a points system based on the information provided on their profile. An immigration officer will invite only the highest-ranking candidates to apply for permanent residence to which the candidates will have to complete and submit an application online within 60 days. A candidate may remain in the pool for up to one year. If an invitation is not given for permanent residence application, then the candidate may resubmit an online profile and as long as all the criteria is met once again, the candidate will be place back into the pool. Without a positive LMIA, the candidate will not qualify for express entry. The job offer must have a positive LMIA in order for this to work.

If you are looking at filing your Express Entry Application, contact us today. At Akrami & Associates, there is Always a Way!