Government of Alberta

Immigration Information

Chantal St. Jean, Economic Immigration Specialist

Workforce Strategies

Alberta Enterprise & Advanced Education

• Federal and Provincial Immigration Roles

• The Temporary Foreign Worker Program

• Hiring in Trades / Engineers

• TFW Annex Occupation Specific Pilot

• Options for Permanent Residence

• Information and Resources

Federal and Provincial Roles

Immigration

Federal Federal and Provincial (shared)

Who is admitted to Canada Attraction of immigrants

Number of immigrants coming to

Canada each year

Settlement services and language

training

Protection and settlement of

refugees

Educational, credential and skills

recognition

Temporary Foreign Worker

(TFW) Program

TFW Program

• Federal government program

• Facilitates temporary entry of foreign

workers to address immediate skills and

labour challenges

• Employer driven

– Skilled occupations (NOC 0, A and B)

– Semi-skilled occupations (NOC C and D)

National Occupational

Classification 2011NOC Description Skill

Category

O Management Skilled

A Usually requires university education Skilled

B Usually requires college education or

apprenticeship training

Skilled

C Usually requires secondary school and/or

occupation-specific training

Semi-Skilled

D Usually requires on-the-job training Low-Skilled

Labour Market Opinion (LMO)

• Proof of recruitment efforts to hire Canadians

• Wages, benefits and working conditions must

be same as offered to Canadian workers

• For wage rates see: www.workingincanada.gc.ca

• Fee per position ($275.00)

• Current processing time is 8-12 weeks

• TFW Annex agreement includes 7 LMO

exempt occupations

Work Permits

• Worker must apply for work permit before LMO

expires

• Work permits are generally employer,

occupation and location specific

• Work permits generally valid for 1 - 2 years

• Usually new LMO required to renew work

permit

• Limit of four years for NOC B, C & D

(Exemptions)

• Foreign National- Responsible for connecting with

employers about job opportunities

- Obtains Alberta Qualification Certificate

from AIT (if applicable)

- Applies to Citizenship and Immigration

Canada (CIC) for a work permit

- If CIC issues work permit, foreign national

may come work in Alberta

- Max. 4 years for NOC B, C and D work

permits

• Employer- Applies to Service Canada for LMO

- If approved, provides copy to Foreign

National to apply for work permit

Temporary Foreign

Worker Program

Foreign national gets a

job offer

Employer obtains a

Labour Market Opinion

(LMO) if required

Foreign national

applies for a work

permit

Temporary Foreign

Worker

Work Temporarily

Hiring in Trades / Engineers

Alberta Apprenticeship and

Industry Training (AIT)

• Manages trade laws and regulations

• Must register with AIT to work in a regulated

trade

• AIT website tradesecrets.gov.ab.ca

Compulsory vs. Optional Trades

• Compulsory Certification Trades

• Electrician

• Ironworker

• Boilermaker

• Steamfitter-pipefitter

• Welder

• Optional Certification Trades

• Carpenter

• Structural steel and plate fitters

• Concrete finishers

Compulsory Trades

• Foreign workers must apply for the Alberta

Qualification Certificate Program from

Apprenticeship and Industry Training (AIT)

• Processing time approx eight weeks, cost $450

• Approval letter from AIT required to obtain

LMO and work permit

• If approved, foreign workers have 12 months to

obtain an Alberta Qualification Certificate

Optional Trades

• Employer determines if the foreign worker has

the skills required for the job

• No AIT approval to obtain work permit

• However, AIT Qualification Certificate required

for Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program

• Employers should ensure worker has the

qualifications and work experience to apply for

permanent residence

Engineering

• To practice engineering independently in

Alberta, internationally educated engineers

must be licensed by the Association of

Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of

Alberta (APEGA).

• Unlicensed workers may practice

engineering, but only under the supervision

of a licensed engineer.

• APEGA website www.apega.ca

Temporary Foreign Worker

Annex Occupation Specific Pilot

Temporary Foreign Worker Annex

Occupation Specific Pilot

• Steamfitter-Pipefitter

• Welder

• Heavy Duty Equipment Mechanic

• Ironworker

• Millwright and Industrial Mechanic

• Carpenter

• Estimator*

Temporary Foreign Worker Annex

Occupation Specific Pilot

• No LMO required

• AIT approval letter required (compulsory trades)

• Employers have a choice for optional trades of

carpenter or millwright:

– LMO

– AIT

• Workers without AIT certificate issued 1 year employer-

specific work permit

• Workers with AIT certificate issued a 2 year

occupation-specific open work permit

• Must apply by July 31, 2014

Staying in Alberta Permanently

Changing Focus on Immigration

• Younger workers

• More Canadian work experience

• Minimum language requirements

• Requiring a foreign education assessment

• Increased emphasis on labour market

attachment

Permanent Residence Options

Provincial

• Provincial Nominee Class

(AINP)

Federal

• Canadian Experience Class

• Federal Skilled Trades Program

• Federal Skilled Worker Program*

• Investor/Entrepreneur Class*

• Family Sponsorship Class*

• Start-Up Visa Program

*Partially or fully suspended

Immigration

Additional Info and Resources

Immigrate to Alberta web portalwww.albertacanada.com/immigration

Help for employerswww.albertacanada.com/employers

Publications

• AINP Building Alberta’s Permanent Labour Force

• Trades Best Practices Guide

• Hiring and Retaining

Foreign workers

• FQR fact sheets

Questions?

Thank you