Hire a Foreign Worker

Foreign workers help fill labour or skills shortages in Canada. A foreign worker can be a permanent or temporary worker.

A permanent foreign worker can be hired through:

Employers hire skilled foreign workers or tradespeople through Express Entry when they can’t find Canadians or permanent residents to fill jobs. Hiring through Express Entry benefits employers because it allows them to have a direct role in recruiting skilled workers, be matched with candidates through Job Bank, and apply for a free Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA).

The Atlantic Immigration Program also helps employers hire qualified candidates for jobs they haven’t been able to fill locally. These candidates can be overseas or living in Canada temporarily. There are 3 programs that can be used to hire a foreign worker. These are Atlantic International Graduate Program, Atlantic High-skilled Program, and Atlantic Intermediate-skilled Program. Each program has requirements that both the employer and the candidates must meet.

The Home Child Care Provider and Home Support Worker pilots provide in-home caregivers with the opportunity to become permanent residents once they have 2 years of eligible work experience in Canada. It also lets their family members come to Canada to work or study while they get work experience.

Under the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP), provinces and territories also nominate people who meet specific local labour market needs for permanent residence.

A temporary foreign worker can also be hired through:

The International Mobility Program lets employers hire a temporary worker without a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA). Normally, you’ll have to submit an offer of employment through the Employer Portal.

Canadian employers hire skilled youth participating in International Experience Canada (IEC) to fill temporary jobs they haven’t been able to fill locally. The IEC has agreements with more than 30 foreign countries and territories that help youth (aged 18 to 35) from those areas get work permits faster.

Employers can also hire eligible students while they study or after they graduate. Study permit holders may be eligible to work off campus without a work permit as soon as they begin their studies in Canada.