Expediting the hiring of foreign workers as an employer in Quebec

Certain occupations that Quebec employers hire for are exempt from the requirement to advertise the position for which they are hiring foreign workers.

Typically, the process for temporarily hiring a foreign national to work in Canada involves the submission of a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA). LMIAs are documents that employers seek from the government to verify that hiring a foreign national will have either a neutral or positive impact on the Canadian labour market.

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Part of this process is ensuring that no Canadians are passed up for the position in favour of a foreign national and that the hired temporary worker will receive a salary and benefits.

Note: The salary and benefits earned by the foreign national must meet federal and provincial standards

What is required of employers in Quebec looking to hire foreign workers?

Employers in Quebec do not need to prove that they tried hiring Canadian citizens and permanent residents (PRs) before hiring a temporary foreign worker. Still, Quebec-based employers should make their best efforts to do this.

Note: The facilitated work permit process in Quebec does not exempt employers from applying for an LMIA

In the process of hiring a temporary foreign worker, employers in Quebec must also:

Prove that the hired person meets all educational and experience requirements, both of the job and the National Occupation Classification
Showcase that the hired employee’s wage is aligned with both provincial and federal standards as well as the wages of Canadians and PRs*
Provide a transition plan**

*When comparing the wages of Canadians and PRs with temporary foreign workers, wages must be considered by occupation and geographical area

**Required for all high-wage LMIA applications

Note: Under Quebec’s facilitated work permit process, transition plans are only required for the second or subsequent LMIA applications submitted for the same occupation at the same location