Certain temporary foreign worker applicants are now eligible for concurrent processing. This means that their work permit applications can start being processed before a Canadian visa office has an approved labour market opinion (LMO). Until August 2006, foreign nationals had to wait until Service Canada approved the LMO before applying for a work permit at a Canadian visa office.

Eligibility

The job you are applying for must be listed in the National Occupational Classification (NOC) at the O, A or B level. For more information, see
http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/skilled/qual-2-1.html.
You must be applying for a work permit at a Canadian visa office outside Canada.
These procedures do not apply to the Live-in Caregiver Program, the Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program or the Pilot Project for Occupations Requiring Lower Levels of Formal Training
(NOC C and D), also known as the Low Skill Pilot.

Include the following documents with your work permit application:

A letter to the visa office stating that you want concurrent processing of your work permit application and that you are aware that a positive LMO issued by Service Canada is required before a work permit can be issued to you.
A copy of your employer's application for an LMO, along with a copy of your job offer or contract in Canada.
Your application processing fee.

The visa office decides whether your application qualifies for concurrent processing (i.e., your application is complete and additional information about the job offer or your qualifications or documentation is not required).
If your application is complete, it will be given a file number, the cost recovery fee will be collected and instructions will be sent to you if a medical examination is required. For more information, see the guide on how to apply for a work permit at http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/applications/
guides/5487ETOC.html.
You pay the cost of having a medical examination and the work permit cost recovery fee, with acceptance of the risk that your application could be refused if the LMO for your job offer is not approved by Service Canada.
You must send the approved LMO to the visa office as soon as you receive it from your employer (include your visa office file number).
If the LMO is still pending 60 days after you have applied for the work permit, you must contact your employer to find out how much longer Service Canada anticipates it will take to process the LMO.
Next, you must advise the visa office if Service Canada requires more than a total of 90 days after the work permit application was made to process the LMO, otherwise your work permit could be refused.