arranged employment

If an applicant has an offer of permanent employment from a Canadian employer, it can improve chances of having federal skilled worker application approved. A valid offer of employment has to be for full-time and not seasonal work.

Depending on applicant's circumstances, the requirements for a valid offer of employment are different.

  • If applicant is currently working in Canada: Your current employer must have made an offer to give a permanent job if he/she is accepted as a federal skilled worker
  • his/her temporary work permit must be valid both when he/she apply for a permanent resident visa and when the visa is issued.
    • In addition: Applicant's work permit must have been issued by CIC based on a positive labor market opinion from Human Resources and Skills Development Canada (HRSDC), Or the applicant must be in a category that is exempt from an Arranged Employment Opinion – for example, you are currently working in Canada in a job that is exempt from the labor market opinion requirement under an international agreement (e.g. North America Free Trade Agreement) or a significant benefit category (e.g. intra-company transferee).

    In all other cases: The applicant must not be working in Canada and either
  • does not have a valid work permit
  • has a work permit, but his/her circumstances are different from those described in the first example

    • In this case, the offer of employment is valid if applicant's prospective employer

  • has made an offer to hire him/her on an indeterminate basis if he/she is accepted as a federal skilled worker
  • has obtained a positive Arranged Employment Opinion from HRSDC

    • CIC officers must be satisfied that the applicant is capable of doing the work being offered to them. If the occupation is regulated in Canada, officers must also be satisfied that the applicant should qualify to be licensed or certified when in Canada.

    Do not forget that you cannot arrange for an HRSDC confirmation of a job offer. Your employer must do this.

    Temporary foreign workers program changes

    New rules to strengthen Canada’s Temporary Foreign Worker Program came into effect on April 1, 2011. Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) and Human Resources and Skills Development Canada (HRSDC) will be making significant changes to the current procedures impacting both foreign workers and Canadian employers.

    New IELTS Requirements for Applicants in Skilled Workers Class.

    Canadian government has decided to reduce the IELTS score requirement for Canadian Immigration Points system. Immigration Canada has now decreased the IELTS band requirement criteria for Canada Skilled worker Immigration points. Minimum IELTS score requirement for 4 points of Immigration has now been reduced.