For all options under this program, employers begin the process. Normally, employers will first find a foreign national that they wish to hire and follow up by sending the appropriate application and any other needed documents to Service Canada/Human Resources and Skill Development Canada.
If preferred, employers can send their paperwork to Service Canada/Human Resources and Skill Development Canada before they find a foreign national. In this case, employers can ask for pre-approval on their request. If pre-approval is given, employers can begin the search for a foreign worker. Once a foreign worker has been found, the employer can advise Service Canada/Human Resources and Skill Development Canada to complete the process.
For all options, employers must not permit a foreign national to begin working until the foreign national has been given the appropriate authorisation from Citizenship and Immigration Canada.
Temporary Employment Programs
Temporary Foreign Workers
- Open to employers who need temporary workers for jobs that require more than a high school education.
- Provides an option that allows employers to have foreign nationals start work quickly and, while employed with the Canadian company, apply to become permanent residents.
- Employers seeking to bring foreign workers in to fill specific workforce requirements should contact local international recruitment agencies for assistance in this process.
Low-Skilled Workers Pilot Project
- Open to employers who need temporary workers for jobs that require high school education or less.
- Workers permitted to remain for one year.
Live-In Caregiver Program
- Open to those needing in-home, personal care for themselves or their families.
- If program requirements are met, can also be used to hire foreign family members.
Seasonal Agricultural Workers Program (SAWP)
- Open to employers who need seasonal workers for businesses like honey farms, vegetable farms and tree nurseries.
- Open to employers in specific agricultural fields.
Permanent Employment Programs
Arranged Employment
- Open to employers who want to hire workers in permanent jobs that require greater than high school education.
- Employers search for and choose own foreign workers.
- Works well for employers who can wait until the worker gets permanent resident status in Canada before starting work.
- If program requirements are met, can also be used to hire foreign family members.
- No need to demonstrate that efforts were made to hire Canadians.
