The abbreviation LMIA pops up when one tries to find employment in Canada. It is a document that one must have to be eligible for Canadian employment. Unfortunately, only a few people understand what it means and how it can affect your job opportunities.
What is LMIA?
LMIA stands for Labor Market Impact Assessment and is a document that an employer must obtain to recruit a foreign worker. It indicates the need to fill a particular position and that there is no Canadian or permanent resident to fill the vacancy. With an LMIA, an employer can hire skilled and unskilled foreign workers, so long as they [applicant] have legal entry into the country.
Truck Driver
Agriculture, mining explorations, gas and oil, and agriculture are critical sectors in Canada that rely heavily on the transport infrastructure. It’s no wonder truck drivers are so highly in demand.
Truck drivers are in demand in virtually all Canadian provinces. Some even have dedicated immigration streams for foreign truck drivers. Although you’ll need an LMIA to get a truck-driver work permit, the Canadian government has allowed employers to hire foreigners without the document to fill up the labor shortage in the sector.
Farm Supervisor
As mentioned above, the agricultural sector is a key pillar of the country’s economy. There is a need for farm supervisors to work in different areas, including animal, grain, and horticultural production and aquaculture industries. There are over 2.3 million workers in the agricultural sector, and the demand for more workers continues.
Some worker streams that provide excellent employment opportunities in the industry include the Agri-Food Pilot Program, Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot, Atlantic Immigration Pilot, and other Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs). If you apply for a contract/temporary job, you’ll need a work permit.
Caregiver
Canada has a large population of the elderly. Combine that with the fact that there is a low birth rate; there is an opportunity for foreigners to get employment as caregivers. The Caregiver Pilot Program allows foreigners to work as home support staff or child caregivers regardless of their work experience. Still, they’ll have to meet other factors, such as language proficiency, education, and an invitation to apply from the Canadian government.
After working as a caregiver for 24 months and have gained enough experience, one can then apply for permanent residency.
Software Engineering
The tech industry in Canada is booming, and job opportunities in the sector are a mainstay. The country is one of the leading nations in technological innovations, and the demand for software engineers will continue in the long term. The sector has employed over 1 million individuals, with cities such as Toronto, Montreal, and Ottawa, and Vancouver ranking among the top 20 cities with the best tech talents in North America. Some top positions in the sector include Artificial Intelligence (AI), software development, and cybersecurity.
The best provinces to target when applying for a job as a software engineer are British Columbia and Alberta, highlighting software engineers as one of the in-demand skills under their PNP. BC even has a Tech Pilot that handles applications within the tech sector with a short processing time of 60 to 90 days. Those who apply for a job through Alberta’s PNP can enjoy a shorter processing time of just two months.
Construction Managers
Employment in Canada’s construction and building sectors are plenty, particularly in Alberta, Ontario, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan. These provinces have welcomed applicants through their PNP systems as they have planned long-term infrastructure and development projects. That means that construction managers are and will be in demand for a long time.
Ongoing construction works are in the residential sector, as the country aims to create housing units for the over 1.23 million foreign workers expected to stream into the country by 2023.
