Pinoy Job Search: Hiring Temporary Foreign Workers in Alberta Canada

Alberta's labour and skill shortages have employers across the province considering a variety of options to find the workers they need. The federal government's Foreign Worker Program (FWP) is one option available to all employers. It allows temporary foreign workers to enter Canada if employers can demonstrate that they cannot find Canadian workers to fill job openings. Employers can recruit a wide range of foreign workers?if the employers meet the requirements of the program.

If you are an employer who is trying to decide if the FWP is a good option for your labour market needs, here are some important considerations:

In most instances, employers must be able to prove that they have made every effort to find and train willing and available workers in Alberta and Canada;

employers are responsible for recruiting temporary foreign workers;
the process to approve a temporary foreign worker application may take several months;
some temporary foreign worker applications will require a labour market opinion (LMO);
temporary foreign workers must obtain a work permit before starting work in Canada;
there will be Temporary Resident Visa and medical requirements for some temporary foreign workers;
some temporary foreign workers must obtain a work permit from a post outside of Canada while others can apply upon arrival to Canada;
the quickest method for bringing professional temporary foreign workers into Alberta may be through provisions of international trade agreements (e.g. the North American Free Trade Agreement); and
using third-party agents (e.g. recruiters, immigration consultants, lawyers, labour brokers) will not speed up the application process or influence wage rates.

Bringing a temporary foreign worker into Canada requires planning. Please note the following:

employers hiring foreign workers in jobs requiring lower levels of formal training (National Occupational Classification categories C and D) will be financially responsible for the worker's travel to and from Canada as well as health care premiums. Employers are also expected to assist with settling temporary foreign workers into the community and confirming the availability of affordable and suitable accommodations or housing; and
temporary foreign workers must apply for a work permit, which costs $150.

If you are interested in applying for a temporary foreign worker, it is important to know who does what in terms of the federal and provincial governments:

Government of Canada
Human Resources and Social Development Canada (HRSDC) processes and assesses temporary foreign worker applications and issues LMOs.

Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) issues work permits, which temporary foreign workers must obtain before entering Canada to work. CIC is also the federal department that decides who is allowed to immigrate permanently to Canada.

Government of Alberta
Alberta Advanced Education assesses the qualifications of international tradespeople to determine if they meet Alberta's journeyman standards.

Alberta Economic Development administers the Provincial Nominee Program, which is an immigration program between CIC and the Province of Alberta.

Here are eight scenarios that employers often ask about. Each scenario includes background information as well as steps for employers to follow. Click on the link (scenario) that you are interested in to get more details. You can also print the scenarios directly from the Service Canada Web site. Please note that the scenarios are guidelines only and will require information updates as program policy changes occur.