Rixy

Hi,

I am planning on coming to Canada in October for a three month break to see my girlfriend.
1) I was wondering if I get a job before the three months and apply for a work permit do I need to leave country and come back in?
2) If i do leave the country for a day to do that does that break the cycle of us living together for 12 months (required for common law)?
3) If one of her family members already offered me a job, what the best way of
getting it authorised by HRSDC?

Thank for you help guys in advance

Andrew Miller

1) You can't apply for work permit in Canada - application must be submitted to proper visa post abroad. Visa post will issue approval letter but actual work permit will be issued at Canadian port of entry. So, the answer is yes - no matter what you will have to leave Canada.

2) No

3) Family or not - employer must apply to HRSDC for LMO and prove that despite extensive (at least 3 months) nationwide advertising of the job with offer terms sufficient enough to attract and retain Canadians no Canadian candidate was found.

Rixy

Ok what if i apply for the work permit to my local office in london and get it delivered to canada? Then leave to St Pierre And Miquloen and come back the next day?

Also i am going over for a short visit end of june, would it be worth the family member applying to the hrsdc then?

Andrew Miller

Yes, you can apply for work permit, provide mailing address in Canada and after receipt of approval (providing that interview is not required) you may leave and re-enter Canada. But in order to apply you must already have in your hands job offer with positive LMO from HRSDC.

Employer must first complete at least 3 months of advertising accross Canada and have solid evidence that despite terms of job offer being sufficient enough to attract and retain Canadians no Canadian candidate was found. Only after such evidence is available employer may apply for LMO.

kt0157

There are a (very) few job types that a pre-approved by HRSDC, no? I seem to recall embedded systems engineers and cartoon animators are deemed so in demand that there is no need to get specific approval. Is that right?

K.

Andrew Miller

Here are 7 quite specifically described jobs that are still covered by blanket LMO:

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/work/itw.html

Follow "job descriptions" hyperlink in the middle of text on above page.

Rixy

Andrew,

Looking at the link you posted here, does that mean if my job entails maintian a
SQL database as a Software Developer. I don't need HRSDC confirmation?

Would the employer putting this as the job description, allow me to work without hrsdc confirmation?

Andrew Miller

Read carefully duties for all 7 jobs here:

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/work/itw-jobs.html

I don't see anything about maintaining database. But I see design and implement which has nothing to do with maintaining.

This is a very restricted program - both, job (with it's main duties) and applicant's qualifications must meet all required criteria. They cannot be "almost" or "alike" or "sort of".