laddo

Hi folks,

I'm Dan, English, mid 30s (but look younger honest!!). I've decided to take a risk, and leave the UK, and head to Canada, Toronto in particular. I've always wanted to live and work abroad, ever since I went round the world when I was 21, and lived in Sydney for 6 months with Uni friends.

A casual comment to a work colleague/friend regarding this long standing desire, started the ball rolling and I've now been working on getting a job offer for about 18 months, putting in all the ground work, making contacts, asking the questions etc

Anyway, a suitable job in Property Appraisal came round and following a (Skype) job interview last November, although it went well and I got very good feedback but was pipped to the job by one (maybe two) local candidates.

I didn't give up, and kept in contact and have recently been verbally offered a job/salary on a permanent basis. I'm now awaiting a formal job offer... and then the Temp Work Permit (Visa Application) begins.... hence signing up to the forum cos I find it a bit confusing, information overload and I'm uncertain about a few things.

I've been reading the forum n wiki sections for a while now and find it very interesting and informative. I've got a feeling I'll be posting a fair bit between now and my flight out to Canada in late Summer about Immigration, Toronto, Renting, and all things re. starting over in a new .country

Hope my initial VISA/Permit question isn't too basic, and maybe I'm a little paranoid, but I just don't want anymore delays in the process and want to get out and start this new adventure asap.

Thanks in advance for any future help, I'm looking forward to stepping into th unknown

Laddo

MrsFychan

Hi Laddo and welcome to BE

as you have already had a look round the forum I shall wish you well and leave you in the capable hands of the Canadian forum folks

bakedbean

Welcome to the forum all the best with your new adventure

christmasoompa

Hi, and welcome to BE.

Glad that the Wiki has been of use, do pop over to the Canada forums and hopefully I'll see you there.

Actually, the LMIA process begins - you can't apply for a TWP until the company has applied for and been granted a positive LMIA. So there's a step inbetween, as I'm sure you've gathered by now from the Wiki, but hopefully you're on the way.

Best of luck with it.

laddo

Thanks for all welcome/good luck messages.

As for the LMIA, is that always the case? Do they have to be granted a positive route? I mentioned the LMIA to the Organization and they said they didn't operate under the LMIA scheme as there is are Canadian workers who are available for the job, but they chose me following an open job advertisement, online test, and then interview process.

This is where I am confused, and will ask on the Immigration / Canada sub forum, cos I am scared I won't have everything I need in my TWP application pack. Or I will include things I don't need.

Do they have to complete an 'Offer of Employment form' and pay a fee $ instead or not?

Once the formal application finally arrives, I want to start the application and get the temp work visa/permit asap so I can get out there and start this adventure

L

christmasoompa

Unless you're in a LMIA exempt role (Find out if you are exempt from a Labour Market Impact Assessment) then you need either a Provincial nomination, or a LMIA, and you can't get a TWP without one of them.

Understandable, but unless you do come under one of the categories in the link above, you can't get a Temp Work Permit without the company helping you and doing some paperwork. If the company won't do a LMIA app, then I'm guessing they definitely won't do a PNP app (far more onerous and higher fee) either. So does your job come under any of the categories mentioned above i.e. are you a company transferee etc?

I'll move this thread to the Canadian immi section of the forum now, to save you retyping everything, see you over there!

laddo

My concern at the moment is I'm not sure what the company is doing behind the scenes. I was told not to expect that much assistance from their HR department (not sure how many times before they've hired from overseas).

Thanks for your help Christmasoompa, its certainly giving me questions to ask. What i will do tomorrow is find the email I received from the HR dept, and I'll post an extract from it on here and see what the kind people (who can help) think of it.

And I'll continue to wait (3 weeks and counting since verbal offer) to receive the formal written offer lol.

christmasoompa

On the plus side, from what you've said they are aware of the need for a LMIA, but as they rightly say, if there are Canadians that can do the job, it wouldn't be granted anyway.

At least they seem to have a basic understanding of the rules though, but you do need to make them aware that you can't get a TWP on your own and that they need to complete the step in-between the job offer and TWP for you, they can't leave it to you and assume you'll just be able to start work!

Good luck with it, do speak to their HR department and explain to them the rules about foreign workers and how you can get a TWP, and let us know how you get on.

laddo

Thanks again for your guidance n help. You are certainly right I can't do all this on my own!! Lol.
My problem is I have spoken to the HR Dept and will again but they haven't been great so far. I also struggle to understand the rules about foreign workers and how I can get a TWP let alone explain it to them.
Hopefully, going forward I'll be pleasantly surprised on how they handle it and how much assistance I get. When a friend of mine made the same move from the UK to Canada in 2013, he told me that his new firm did it all for him, other than filling in one form. I wish it was that easy for me. I maybe jumping the gun here, with me still awaiting the actual job offer. Wish me luck.

laddo

As previously mentioned , extract from email received from HR.

".... we do not fall under the LMIA process or the Interantional Mobility Program which has an exemption process."

"We are not able to participate in the LMIA process as there is not a shortage of talent limiting MPAC in hiring for this role in Canada, we are also not exempt from the LMIA process"

Tirytory

Ah sorry for that... Hopefully you will have more luck in the future job hunting!

christmasoompa

Maybe point them in the direction of the CIC website? That will clearly tell them that they can't hire you without a LMIA or PNP nomination, there's a whole section on foreign workers.

If he was a Brit, then he didn't even need to fill in that one form - you shouldn't have to do any paperwork at all. The employer has to apply for the LMIA (it's not something you can do), and then you just get your TWP at the airport when you arrive.

Oh dear. It doesn't sound as though they're prepared to do the paperwork necessary. Have you explained to them that unless they do, you can't work for them?

Best of luck finding another job offer, hope the next employer is willing to go through it for you.

doubleym

Unfortunately I don't think this company really know what they're doing. It seems like they are aware that in order for you to get a TWP that they would need an LMIA which they have confirmed they can't and won't get for you, but they still offered you a role regardless?

I'm afraid you'll have to keep looking

Have you thought about creating a profile in the Express Entry system for PR? I know it's a bit of big jump from a TWP but if you qualify for the Federal Skilled Worker stream and have a decent points score within the system there is a possibility you could get selected without an LMIA or job offer.

laddo

Wow!! They are messages I didn't want or expect to read but thanks anyway for the input lol.

The good news is this is a big organization, (i've been told that) they've hired foreign workers before so I'm not giving up hope. I just hope this particular person in HR is just confused or doesn't know what they are doing.

I haven't considered the Express Entry system for PR, as from day one the company told me it would be a TWP on a rolling 1 year contract (as per the norm) and then once over there and working for a year, I could apply for more a permanent work situation/permit/visa.

Understandably I'm not prepared to up sticks and leave a secure job, sell a house, car, leave friends and family without a permanent job offer which is what they assured me is what they are offering. The job is a professional job, so hope I would score high on any points system.

I think all I can do for now is wait to see what happens. As soon as I get the formal job offer, I will be calling the said HR department to see how we make sure I can work with them in accordance with CIC.

Again thanks for all the messages, whether they are positive or negative about my chances. I'm still very hopeful, and would be absolutely gutted if it didn't happen now as I have my heart set on it, need a new challenge, new adventure, and have been working hard on getting a formal job offer with a suitable salary for over 18 months now.

I'll keep you updated, and will post when or if the job offer comes through in writing.

Keep them crossed for me ladies and gents and lets see what happens

Laddo

christmasoompa

Not sure why they told you you'd need to wait for a year, you could apply the minute you got to Canada if you want. Or even before you leave the UK!

Understandable. Don't sell a house before you've got PR though - even once you're there working on a TWP you're in a fairly precarious position as your TWP is tied to that one employer, so if you're made redundant you could be scuppered. The forum is littered with stories of those on TWP's who've lost their jobs and had to return to the UK, best to keep the house until you know you've got PR and the right to stay permanently IMO.

I'm sure you will, but unlike DoubleyM I don't think you'd be selected without a LMIA or PNP nomination. Having arranged employment (which must be supported by a LMIA/nomination) would give you an extra 600 points, which would then put you in the right sort of points level to be selected by CIC. Nobody so far has been selected without that.

I wish you the very best of luck.