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LMO Process for Hiring Temporary Foreign Workers

By Michael Niren August 13, 2014 (Updated January 8, 2020) 2 min. read

(Below is a transcription of this video)

Hi. My name is Michael Niren. I’m an immigration lawyer and founder of
visaplace.com. Today I’m going to talk to you about L.M.O.s or labor market
opinions. What that is is a permission from Service Canada to a Canadian
company who wishes to hire a temporary foreign worker as opposed to a
Canadian.

Understanding the LMO Process for Hiring Temporary Foreign Workers

Now in order to qualify for an L.M.O., generally speaking, the Canadian
employer has to demonstrate that they’ve made sincere efforts to hire a
Canadian, but still despite their efforts cannot find a suitable candidate.
And that is why they have to hire a foreign worker to fill the position.
That we call the L.M.O. process.

Changes to the LMO Process

Recently there have been some changes to the L.M.O. process. For example,
they now charge a $275 fee to employers whereas in the past it was a free
process. So now employers have to pay the $275 fee. The employers, in
offering the foreign worker a wage, in the past there was some flexibility
in terms of what they can offer, but now the prevailing wage that employers
have to offer is fixed and will be published online. They have to
definitely adhere to that. There’s no more discretion anymore.

They have to advertise on the Job Bank. In most cases, that is the main way
to demonstrate recruitment efforts is posting an ad on the Job Bank. Also,
even before they apply for the L.M.O., employers have to show that they’ve
made efforts four weeks prior to even submitting the application in the
first place.

Complying With the LMO Process for Hiring Temporary Foreign Workers

There are some new changes to the L.M.O. process that employers must be
aware of. Also, very important are compliance requirements. Once a foreign
worker is hired and is employed, the employer’s job is not over. They have
to meet very strict and detailed compliance requirements. The government
has given itself a lot of power to inspect the employer’s place of work as
well as evaluate compliance standards for employers.

If they don’t meet those standards, there could be some harsh penalties
including a bar of two years for hiring future foreign workers. So it’s
very important that employers are very aware of their obligations in
recruiting foreign workers.

Are You Interested in Hiring Temporary Foreign Workers?

Hopefully this has given you some framework to think about and we’re here
to help. Thank you.

Contact our experienced team today, and let us help you in hiring temporary foreign workers.

Sarah Quernasian Avatar

Sarah Quernasian

Lawyers here are so kind and sweet and provide so much information in an easy to understand way, especially about visa and obtaining work once in the country. My lawyer was very good and I’m looking forward to having her knowledge in the future for any other immigration needs.

Charles Scalise Avatar

Charles Scalise

The thought of immigrating was very stressful for me and my family, I felt lost. However, working with VisaPlace was very positive and I recommend them to those who need help with immigration. Their team worked with me very closely and presented to me multiple potential options and explained what the process would look like as well as the timeline. I’m so grateful to their guidance.

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Pherry AshMalt

I won’t go into detail for privacy, but I was in a very bad situation where almost no lawyer would work with me or even provide me with legal counsel on my case. I was terrified of being removed from the country, but with the help of the professionals at VisaPlace, they were able to help me and I was allowed to stay. The relief I feel is immense. Thank you to the amazing team.

Walter J. Avatar

Walter J.

I was frustrated after talking to several different immigration firms. Many just didn’t seem honest or upfront. However, a friend recommended VisaPlace to me, and I am glad they did. I worked with a lady and she was very knowledgeable and explained the process to me. She was so essential for the immigration process. I would definitely go back to her if i needed any further support.

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Marco Tame

I’d like to be clear that I’m somewhat of a skeptic, especially when it comes to investing time and money into a new venture. I’m originally from the UK but I made the decision to migrate to Canada after meeting my girlfriend online six months ago. I know the process is going to take time, but I wanted legal counsel to make sure I approach the process in the most efficient way possible – I HATE wasting time. My consultation over the phone was informative and eased some of my initial concerns about potential hiccups. The lawyer I worked with was good about getting back to me, although occasionally she couldn’t be reached due to being in court – that was fine, she typically followed up relatively quickly. I’m now well within the process of immigrating and I have appreciated having the legal support.

Michael Her Avatar

Michael Her

It was pretty easy to make an appointment with visaplace. I have seen some people complain about the pricing, which is odd because in comparison to other firms, their rates are relatively fair. They were also honest and upfront with the complexities of my case and gave me the option to decide whether or not I wanted to move forward. I did end up moving forward and things have been going according to what we discussed. I am relieved to know there are honest professionals out there who won’t over-promise you things they can’t deliver.

Michael Her Avatar

Michael Her

It was pretty easy to make an appointment with visaplace. I have seen some people complain about the pricing, which is odd because in comparison to other firms, their rates are relatively fair. They were also honest and upfront with the complexities of my case and gave me the option to decide whether or not I wanted to move forward. I did end up moving forward and things have been going according to what we discussed. I am relieved to know there are honest professionals out there who won’t over-promise you things they can’t deliver.