As per recent reports, for foreign workers, IRCC is taking a new way to process work permits into consideration.

The new method under consideration was proposed last year in December. However, IRCC has not validated this information, so it is unclear whether IRCC will proceed with the proposal.

The method would be effective for foreign workers having Canadian work permits who are willing to extend their work permits and are applying for another one to keep working under the same employer and in the same job.

Overview of the new method.

The proposed method of work permit processing is part of an IRCC Action plan in which it intends to lower the inventories, enhance customer services and accelerate Canada’s labor shortage reduction.

In addition, the proposal also comes under the Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) responsibility to facilitate the Temporary Foreign Worker Program’s work permit renewal process.

According to IRCC, the new process will be manual instead of automated. It would include the everyday pulling of applications into specific folders by the Global Case Management System (GMCS).

An officer will individually evaluate each applicant for a work permit to check whether they are approved. In order to assess the applicant, various factors will be considered, including the applicant’s education, experience, language ability, and licensing requirements.

In addition, the authorized officer will also determine the authenticity of the employment. For this, the officer will check the employer’s engagement in their business, their ability to pay wages, and whether they comply with the employment laws of both federal and provincial governments.

The new method will be applicable to all applicants, whether applying from Canada or abroad, who are willing to work under the same employer and occupation.

Who is eligible for the proposed method?

According to a study, IRCC received a total of 71,955 applications from foreign workers who were willing to work under the same employer and same occupation between January 2017 and August 31, 2022. And two or more work permits are issued to such applicants

The IRCC department is taking the new method into consideration because it expects that it will be beneficial for the applicants.

The following are the eligibility criteria that candidates must meet to be eligible for the new method.

• Candidates must have received an employer-specific work permit at least a single time in the last five years. Also, it must not be inconsistent with their last application.
• Candidates must submit a detailed application in order to obtain a new employer-specific permit,
• Candidates are required to choose the same occupation with the same NOC code.
• Candidates are required to submit the biometrics. It can be submitted either before or along with the new application form.
• Candidates are required to satisfy all the admissibility conditions for the screening process.

Canadian Employers & the Temporary Foreign Worker Program.

TFWP, Temporary Foreign Worker Program of Canada, is a program that allows employers in Canada to hire foreign employees when they cannot find qualified employees for their business.

The TFWP provide closed work permits to employees, which allow them to work for a particular employer in Canada.

Employers willing to hire employees via the TFWP must receive a positive or neutral Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) certificate.

The LMIA depicts the employer’s plan concerning the hiring of employees through the TFWP.

They need to demonstrate why they are hiring foreign workers and how the foreign workers can positively or neutrally impact Canada’s economy.

The Employers must prove that before considering foreign workers, they tried to fill the vacant positions by finding qualified Canadian citizens or permanent residents. Besides this, it’s also possible that the government might examine the employers to check whether they comply with the employment rules and regulations after the employees start working in Canada.