stuabroad

Hi

I have accepted an offer to work in Canada (Alberta). My occupation is that of Software Products Developer (NOC 9990.6). According to the confusing website this basically means I am fast-tracked as no LMO is required:

"To fill critical shortages in Canada’s software industry, Canada has a simplified entry process for workers whose skills are in high demand in that industry. Under this process, no confirmation letter from Human Resources and Social Development Canada (HRSDC) is necessary for specific jobs.

This means that if you are coming to Canada to work in one of the jobs listed below, you do not need a letter from HRSDC, and your work permit application may be processed more quickly.


However i'm not clear on whether i can apply for the Work Permit as I enter Canada or have to do it in advance through the London office via mail.

According to the website http://www.canada.org.uk/visa-info/worker/e_worker.htm I meet all the criteria for applying as I enter.

Can anyone add any input here, having had a similar experience? (CIC Office closed today).

Thanks in advance.

Judy in Calgary

You can pick either method. Both methods work much of the time, and both methods occasionally cause problems for applicants. Try to guess which is likely to be the lesser evil. There is a Wiki article called TWP : Where to apply-Canada. Not that it has that much more information, and not that it can weigh up the risks and benefits on your behalf. The only thing I would recommend, if you apply at a Canadian port of entry, is to load yourself up with every possible piece of paper that demonstrates your credibility in terms of being qualified for the work you're going to do. And go through your documents with a fine toothcomb ahead of time. Triple check that nothing that is required is missing.
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Ron Liberman

If you decide you want to fly in for the work permit there is yet another option. The Temporary Foreign Worker Unit in Calgary can give you an advance opinion as to whether you need an LMO. Their opinion is not binding on the Port of Entry, so you would want to weigh whether the procedure is worth it in terms of identifying if there are missing documents or if you need an LMO. If you Google the phrase "TFWU Calgary" you should find their contact details.

nooka

We did it coming into BC overland from the US two weeks ago, and had no problems. You do need to make sure all your paperwork is in order, and having a letter from a lawyer stating that the job and you meet the category is I think helpful. Also make sure that your job title is Software Products Developer. There are a few other BEs who have done the same, who kindly advised me.

stuabroad

Hi Judy

I'm not sure if you are moderating or not. I note that the links on the Wiki regarding where to apply for a TWP (London or POE) is missing key information. The Wiki article at:

http://britishexpats.com/wiki/TWP_:_...o_apply-Canada

includes a link to the CIC webpage at:

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/work/apply-who-permit.asp

...which does not include the specialist IT occupations (including mine) which definetely do not require an LMO and are actually found at:

http://www.cic.gc.ca/EnGLIsh/work/special-tech.asp


Perhaps you can update to add the extra link for others coming after me!

Good work

wbexpat

I agree 100%.
I am a SW engineer. I didnt get in via 9990,x series job but I did my research.
I can confirm that all you need to do is show up with passport, offer letter (must be EXACTLY when job 9990.x says it should be), resume and any/all certificates, exams results, references, hell - even a laptop with some code on won't hurt.
So if you want to come in 9990.x to work at (say) IBM in (say) Toronto as (say) a COBOL expert then you have to have a spiel and evidence good enough to convince your grandmother that's exactly what's going to happen. Practice the spiel on someone who knows nothing about IBM, COBOL or Toronto. If they have a blank expression when you are done then you need to go back and work on it until they don't.

Judy in Calgary

The Wiki article called Temporary Work Permits-Canada has a section called Jobs that require TWP but not LMO. That section includes the following sentence:

Some Information Technology Workers, especially some software developers, do not need a positive LMO from HRSDC before applying for a temporary work permit.

The hotlink in that sentence takes the reader to the same web page to which stuabroad provided a link, namely:

http://www.cic.gc.ca/EnGLIsh/work/special-tech.asp

Should that link also be included in the Wiki article called TWP : Where to apply-Canada? Yes, I believe it would be ideal if it did.

Contrary to the impression I may have created by being a forum and Wiki artile writing addict, I am not a moderator of anything. A Wiki is intended to be a collaborative effort by an online community. Since we have at least three software experts participating in this thread, perhaps one of you will be kind enough to help out your brothers and sisters in the software world, and go in and edit that Wiki on where to apply for a TWP.
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nooka

Surely you only need to do that if you are fibbing? My husband certainly didn't practice anything, nor was he asked any questions beyond where are you going and what will you be doing. Given that you have already recently got through an interview to get the job it seems unlikely that you can't talk about what you are going to be doing for a living at least well enough for an immigration official, who is highly unlikely to know any technical details.

I guess if it makes you relaxed, and prepared for any eventuality then go for it by all means, but I can't see why you would need to, unless the immigration official thought you were really iffy.

Judy in Calgary

Different ports of entry, different shifts, different immigration officials ....... You never know the factors that will affect things.

When I was new to this forum, I used to think that if I had experienced X, everyone else would experience X under similar circumstances. Then, as I followed the forum for longer and longer, I observed that people's experiences differed a lot, even under similar circumstances.

On two occasions quite recently, posters came along to report results that were just the opposite of the ones I had predicted. In one case the results were much better than I thought they would be, and in the other case the results were much worse than I thought they would be.
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stuabroad

I'll be working under Software Products Developer (NOC 9990.6) . Employer has spent time with their Immigration lawyer wording my Offer letter so that should be all good. In terms of how deep to go with the paperwork...did you get previous employer's references to confirm your CV dates (in addition to your quals)? Surely I won't get a technical grilling

stuabroad

Will do

stuabroad

I'm Scottish, so you never know Seriously, I agree that if i can get through 3 months of interviews and testing and have it all passed by the Company AND their lawyer working with HRSDC, an official with no complex IT knowledge should not represent a problem.

wbexpat

You are clearly at liberty to do whatever you want.

However, we need to identify who controls what at the border. It wasn't me and with all due respects it isn't you either.

The applicant has no control over the disposition of the guard, his knowledge of the rules, what he would ask, or what his attitude would be if he got what he perceived to be an unsatisfactory answer.

The only thing one can control is ones' preparedness and part of that is paperwork and the other is knowing how to set forth your position in such a way that a layman can understand.

Me: I like to be prepared.

wbexpat

No you wont get a technical grilling but the 9990.x series are quite specific about the skills that "qualify" - although the list is hilariously out of date.

So lets play a game. Imagine your Dad with a list with buzzwords like Oracle, Baan, Solaris, MVS in one hand and your offer letter in the other. What's the first thing he's going to say? Mine would say: "What am I looking at?". I personally want to be able to answer that question quickly and easily without using loads of buzzwords and without coming across as patronising.

But like I said earlier, everyone gets to make their own decisions.

stuabroad

Totally agree, best not to have a drink on the plane then if requiring to speak with elequence



Yep the languages especially are old on that list - which confirms my conclusion that speaking with an official at the airport should be straightforward. Hell I can always fire up a VMware sesion on my laptop and talk about the wonders of the development process if they want to get cosy