mjsmith83

Hello, just wondering if there are any Uk tradesmen on here currently going through the LMIA process? I have applied through express entry with a points total of 392. I have a written job offer as a joiner/carpenter from an employer in Ontario and when I went to add this to my profile it asked if I had a positive LMIA. I am looking to get a temporary work permit in the mean time to get some work experience which would give me more points and also allow myself and my family to go over there temporarily while the EE goes on in the background. From what I have read about the LMIA it is a very difficult process for an employer to go through.
Has anyone had any experience of this or offer me any advice?
Thankyou

rivingtonpike

Hi
Without the LMA you can't get a temporary work permit. Unfortunately the written job offer isn't worth anything until it is backed up by the LMIA. Your prospective employer has to apply for the LMIA to prove there are no Canadians or current Permanent Residents who are able or willing to do the job. Then, if granted, he can offer you the job, backed up by the LMIA. This would get you the TWP you need to work. I think applying for the LMIA will cost him $1000.


Good for you at least getting the job offer as a start though.

christmasoompa

^^^ what he said, but also without a LMIA you won't get the 600 points for a job offer, and at 392 points you're unlikely to be invited to apply for PR tbh.

So I'd ask your employer to apply for the LMIA personally.

Good luck.

gingerbbm

I have been finding that the LMIA is a real barrier. I have a similar number of points and am following up opportunities and while I am able to start conversations with employers despite being in the UK, things falter when those employers realise the lengths they need to go to for an LMIA. Bit demoralising to be honest.

rivingtonpike

Obtaining a TWP as certainly got a lot harder in recent years. I believe it was Aviator who posted a little while ago that the granting of LMIOs and TWP's is down by 70%.

mjsmith83

I am in the same position, I was over in Ontario in February doing some job hunting and the majority of companies I spoke to knew nothing about the LMIA process. I had a job offer while I was there and they started looking into the paperwork and about a week later I had a call from the owner to say it was far to complex for them to dedicate a lot of time on it. I've had another job offer since then and this company are looking into the LMIA process but I'm not confident once they find out they will continue with it.
It's very frustrating as I am a joiner to trade and my partner is a staff nurse yet we can't get near the country.

mjsmith83

The employer is looking into it at the moment but I'm not getting my hopes up that they will continue with it.

mjsmith83

Yeah I have looked into it all and it seems such a process to go through. I spoke to a company owner in February and it took him 4 weeks just to fill out the LMIA paperwork. The when it is submitted it isn't guaranteed to come back positive.
Never thought it would be so difficult to go and work and see some of the world.

gingerbbm

Looks like the LMIA is coming in for a lot of criticism:

"The concept of attracting 'the best and the brightest' is missing in action," says the new report, "as the competitive model of Express Entry is currently undermined by the protectionist policy embodied in the labour market impact assessment tool."

From this CBC article:
Express entry, foreign worker reforms attract 'fewer' skilled workers: chamber report - Politics - CBC News

Engineer_abroad

It is interesting isn't it and something I was only thinking about the other day. It also seems to go hand in hand with the falling points requirements for ITA in the express entry system. It would seem the process is now so complicated, or at least perceived to be so complicated, that it is putting off otherwise great candidates for immigration from applying. No idea what the systems are like in other English speaking commonwealth countries but would be interesting to see whether applications in OZ or NZ are up at the moment.

gingerbbm

Can you elaborate on this? When I attended a webinar back in July 2015 the range of invitees' scores at that time was quoted as 453 to 886. What is it now?

christmasoompa

Last round was 473 - it's never been below 450.

Express Entry rounds of invitations

HTH.

Engineer_abroad

Express entry gives first dibs to temporary foreign workers - Politics - CBC News

I haven't actually looked at the numbers but this suggests that in the first few months required scores were >600 which then fell quick to settle in the 450 - 480 region. Remembering that this score is out of 1,200 it suggests that you need between approx. 37.5% and 40% of the available points to be invited. As the article indicated it seems to suggest that those with LMIA supported roles will always have preference over highly qualified/skilled individuals. The points system and the heavily influence of the LMIA is having a huge impact on ability to attract the 'Brightest and best'. Its still a little early to make any correlations but would love to look at the numbers at some point.

If someone could send me the dates and points required I would love to plot the data and see what it suggests.

christmasoompa

Historically, the first four rounds in were high (735-886), but then went down to the 'usual' level (481, 453, 469, 453). So it's been pretty steady at between 450-500 since March 2015, with one spike (755 in May 2015 - but every single other draw has been between 450 and 500), and isn't falling at all IMO.

gingerbbm

I'm annoyingly around 50 points shy then. I dream of that 600 point bonus an LMIA-supported job offer would bring!