The Québec government has added entry-level jobs to the list of occupations eligible for a simplified labor market assessment.
Québec has published an updated version of the list of high-demand occupations for which the procedure for hiring temporary foreign workers will be simplified.
The process for Québec employers seeking to hire skilled foreign workers differs from the process for employers in the rest of Canada.
Quebec employers hiring temporary foreign workers for certain targeted occupations may benefit from a process that waives some of the requirements usually required under the Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA), such as advertising the position or other recruitment measures. Typically, employers seeking to hire a foreign worker under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) must first obtain an LMIA, a document that demonstrates that no Canadian can fill the position.
Typically, on February 24 of each year, the Quebec Department of Immigration reviews the list of occupations eligible for the facilitated LMIA process and publishes a new version based on the current needs of the labor market. Since the introduction of this year’s list, Quebec has exceptionally published two updates.
The last update, on May 27, added nearly 60 occupations to the list of targeted occupations for 2022-2023. The newly included occupations at Level C of the National Occupational Classification include machine operators, clerical workers, administrative workers, sales representatives, food service, tourism and entertainment workers, and drivers.
Requests for facilitated LMIA procedures must be approved by both federal and provincial authorities. For this reason, employers wishing to hire foreign workers must submit application forms and documentation to both Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) and the Ministère de l’Immigration, de la Francisation et de l’Intégration (MIFI).
New measures to expedite the entry of foreign workers into Quebec have been announced
Quebec is currently receiving the lowest number of immigrants in years. At the same time, the province’s unemployment rate – even among immigrants – is at an all-time low. The population is aging and the birth rate is decreasing. The consequent demographic changes are impacting employers’ capacity to locate personnel.
To address this situation, the Québec government has taken steps to make it easier for employers to fill positions by simplifying the hiring process and reducing the processing time for immigration applications under various programs.
These include a recent agreement between Quebec Immigration and the Canadian federal government that allows Quebec employers to hire up to 20% temporary foreign workers per job. This percentage had previously been set at 10%.
In addition, a new program called International Mobility Program Plus (IMP+) was recently launched to expedite the arrival of foreign workers in Québec who have been selected by Québec but have not yet been granted permanent residency and are meeting labor needs.
More than 7,000 people per year selected by the province as qualified workers can obtain an open work permit and work in Québec while waiting for a permanent residence permit to be issued.
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