The Canadian government is doing its best to help employers keep their businesses running. Every employer attests to needing assistance in navigating the red tape when it comes to hiring foreigners during this pandemic.
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Employment Social Development Canada (ESDC) has come up with useful guidelines for employers. Here are the measures employers need to follow when handling new and existing LMIA applications;
- For all minor administrative changes, employers can act proceed without making submissions to the LMIA. This is because the changes will not alter the terms and conditions for employment.
- All employers in the agri-food and agriculture sectors are exempted from following recruitments requirements spelled out by the LMIAs. This waiver is valid until October 31, 2020, after which the requirements apply.
- The government is prioritizing LMIAs for all occupations in the agri-food sector.
- For all employers working with low-wage stream workers, the required maximum duration of employment is 1-2 years. The duration was increased under LMIAs as part of a three-year pilot.
- All employers with a previously valid House Inspection Report can use it for new applications. This works for employers making applications under Seasonal Agriculture Worker Program or the Agricultural Stream.
- In case an employer needs to put in a new name on the LMIA because of reasons related to coronavirus, they can do so. In fact, the name change process will be expedited to keep things moving.
- As an employer making tangible effort to ensure safety from the coronavirus, the Canadian government promises to offer resources. The government has in place a $50 million initiative to help employers get new foreign employees comfortable in mandatory isolation.
- A worker can only be hired from abroad if they’re coming into Canada for an essential reason. These foreign nationals should also be coming to work in sectors that support Canada’s critical infrastructure.
Conclusion
The Canadian government has stepped in to ensure employers in various sectors have the assistance they need to keep their businesses running. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, precautions have had to be put in place to manage the spread of this disease.
