Engineers

My company is looking for engineers. How do I hire an engineer from another

country as a temporary foreign worker?

Before applying for a temporary foreign worker, you should consider the
following:

If an internationally trained engineer wants to use a professional designation in

Alberta, he/she must be licensed as a Foreign Licensee (Engineering) by the
Association of Professional Engineers, Geologists, and Geophysicists of Alberta
(APEGGA). For complete details on APEGGA licensing, please see the following
Web site: www.apegga.org/Applicants/IEG/overview.html.

American and Mexican citizens who are qualified engineers may be covered
under the provisions of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and
would be exempt from the labour market opinion (LMO) requirement. Please
refer to the NAFTA scenario.

Here are some steps to assist you with the Temporary Foreign Worker
Application and process:

Step 1: The Foreign Worker Program Application Form

Obtain the Foreign Worker Application/Labour Market Opinion form from the following
Human Resources and Social Development Canada (HRSDC)/Service Canada Web site:
www.hrsdc.gc.ca/en/epb/lmd/fw/forms.shtml.

Complete the application and include the following information:

o proof that you have made reasonable efforts to hire and/or train Canadian
citizens/residents for the position. These efforts may include job postings on
the National Job Bank (www.jobbank.gc.ca) or advertisements in electronic
or print media. Advertisements must show the occupation, job duties,
education and experience requirements;

o a job description that includes the working conditions (hours of work, wage
rates, etc.) and the qualifications required to do the job; and

o an offer of employment that respects federal and provincial legal and

regulatory requirements.

If you know the name of the person you want to hire, please include his/her name as
well as birth date and country of birth on the application.
Step 2: Fax Application to HRSDC/Service Canada
Fax your completed Foreign Worker Application/Labour Market Opinion form and
supporting documents to HRSDC/Service Canada at 780-495-2738.

Step 3: Labour Market Opinion (LMO)

HRSDC/Service Canada’s role is to assess the temporary foreign worker’s impact on the
Canadian labour market and to provide a labour market opinion (LMO). If your
application for a temporary foreign worker is approved, you will receive confirmation in
writing. This confirmation letter permits a specific position to be filled by a foreign
worker for a specific time period. It is not a work permit.

Step 4: LMO Confirmations

Send a copy of the HRSDC/Service Canada confirmation letter to the temporary foreign
worker (engineer) you have recruited, along with a copy of your employment offer
covering the specific period for which the LMO was approved. The employment offer
must be signed by the employer before it is sent to the temporary foreign worker. After
the temporary foreign worker accepts the offer, he/she must also sign the offer and
return it to the employer.

Step 5: Work Permit, Visas, Medicals

Once a job offer has been made and accepted, employers should advise temporary
foreign workers to apply for a work permit. In most situations, the temporary foreign
worker must apply for a work permit from outside of Canada. Applications for work
permits can be made at a visa office at a Canadian embassy, high commission or
consulate. In some instances, the temporary foreign worker may apply for a work permit
at a port of entry upon his/her arrival in Canada. For more information, please go to the
following Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) Web site:
www.cic.gc.ca/english/work/worker-3.html,

Temporary foreign workers from some countries must also obtain a Temporary Resident
Visa (TRV) before arriving in Canada. Applications for TRVs must be made at a visa
office at a Canadian embassy, high commission or consulate. A list of countries whose
citizens require TRVs can be found at www.cic.gc.ca/english/visit/visas.html.

Temporary foreign workers are responsible for proving that they are qualified to meet
the job requirements. They must also meet CIC’s requirements for admission to Canada
including health and security checks. In some cases, temporary foreign workers require
an immigration medical examination before coming to Canada. More information on
immigration medical requirements can be found at this Internet address:
www.cic.gc.ca/english/visit/medexams.html.