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Pilot Project for Occupations Requiring Lower Levels of Formal Training (NOC C and D)

You (the employer) may be allowed to hire temporary foreign workers for a maximum of 24 months through the Pilot Project for Occupations Requiring Lower Levels of Formal Training (NOC C and D) when there is a demonstrable shortage of Canadians citizens and permanent residents.

In Canada, lower levels of formal training are defined as occupations that usually require at most a high school diploma or a maximum of two (2) years of job-specific training according to the National Occupational Classification (NOC) system. These occupations are coded at the NOC C or D skill level. See NOC job descriptions.

Guidelines for Hiring Foreign Workers

Before you apply for a Labour Market Opinion to hire a foreign worker under the Pilot Project for Occupation Requiring Lower Levels of Formal Training, Human Resources and Skills Development Canada (HRSDC)/Service Canada (SC) and Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) will expect you to:

Meet at least the minimum recruitment efforts required for NOC C and D occupations.
Consult with the local union to determine if the position is covered under a collective agreement.
Cover all recruitment costs related to the hiring of the foreign worker.
Sign an employment contract outlining wages, duties, and conditions related to the transportation, accommodation, and health and occupational safety of the foreign worker.
Pay the transportation costs for the worker to travel from his/her country of permanent residence to the location of work in Canada and for the return to the country of permanent residence.
Offer wages that are equal or higher than the prevailing wage rate paid to Canadians in the same occupation and region. If a position is covered under a collective agreement, employers must agree to pay either the rate established by the collective agreement or the prevailing rate established by HRSDC/SC, whichever is higher. If you offer benefits to Canadian workers or permanent residents, the same benefits must also be extended to temporary foreign workers.
Agree to review and adjust (if necessary) the worker's wages after 12 months of employment to ensure the worker continues to receive the prevailing wage rate of the occupation and region where he/she is employed.
Help the worker find suitable, affordable accommodation.
Provide medical coverage until the worker is eligible for provincial health insurance coverage.
Register your worker under the appropriate provincial workers compensation/workplace safety insurance plans.

Steps to Request a New Labour Market Opinion

You may hire a foreign worker to work in Canada in NOC C and D skill level occupations for up to a maximum of 24 months. The worker must then return to his/her country of permanent residence for a minimum of four months before being eligible to apply for a new work permit.

If you want to hire a foreign worker for a NOC skill level C and D occupation, you must:

Complete and submit an application for a Labour Market Opinion to the Service Canada Centre nearest to where the foreign worker will be employed.
If you were approved by HRSDC/SC to participate in the Expedited Labour Market Opinion (E-LMO) Pilot Project, and are making a request for an E-LMO approved NOC C and D skill level position, complete the Application for an Expedited Labour Market Opinion.

Review the LMO assessment criteria noting that a Quebec Acceptance Certificate (CAQ) is also required for jobs in Quebec.
Complete and sign an employment contract-(PDF file, 41 KB).
If you receive a positive or neutral Labour Market Opinion, forward a copy of the HRSDC/SC confirmation letter and signed employment contract to the foreign worker.
Ask the worker to sign the employment contract and apply to Citizenship and Immigration Canada for a work permit. The worker must include the confirmation letter and employment contract when he/she applies.
CIC decides whether the foreign worker will receive a work permit according to the criteria to work and reside temporarily in Canada.

Some countries may require that their citizens meet certain conditions if they want to work in Canada (e.g. approval to leave the country, employer to pay transportation costs and/or medical coverage). Ask the foreign worker to verify if additional conditions apply in his/her country, contact the country's consulate in Canada or check its website to find out if you must meet additional requirements.