TWP : Standalone vs PNP
Introduction
- Many newcomers to the BE forum get confused between common or garden temporary work permits (what we might call standalone temporary work permits) and the temporary work permits (TWPs) that some applicants obtain about half way through the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) application process.
- The purpose of this article is to clarify these similar, yet slightly different, processes.
Standalone Work Permit
- For this kind of work permit, the employer first has to advertise the job across Canada for two weeks.
- Only when the employer's prescribed recruitment/advertising campaign has failed to attract a qualified Canadian to the job will Human Resources and Skills Development Canada (HRSDC) issue a Labour Market Opinion (LMO).
- And it is only the issuing of an LMO to the employer that permits the prospective employee to apply for a temporary work permit (TWP).
- If the employer offers the employee a permanent job once the employee already is living and working in Canada, the employee can use that job offer to add 10 points to his/her permanent resident (PR) visa application via the skilled worker route.
Work permit that's part of PNP
- The prospective employer and employee apply jointly to the provincial government for approval.
- When the provincial government has approved the application, the prospective employee can go ahead and forward his/her PR application to federal authorities. (A British citizen usually would submit the application to the Canadian High Commission in London.)
- Also at this point the provincial government issues an endorsement letter that the employee can use, instead of a Labour Market Opinion, to apply for a temporary work permit.
- The TWP allows the applicant to move to Canada and start his/her job while he/she waits for his/her PR application to be processed.
- Please note that the PNP rules differ from province to province. The scenario outlined in this article is fairly common, but you must study the rules for the PNP of your specific destination province.