Staying in Canada
In some cases, employers and workers may decide that they wish to extend their employer-employee relationship beyond the original LMO period. Some workers may even wish to immigrate to Canada permanently.
The Foreign Credentials Referral Office (FCRO) provides information, tools, path-finding and referral services on foreign credential recognition to help foreign-trained workers succeed and put their skills to work in Canada more quickly. It is part of Citizenship and Immigration Canada.
Below are several different ways to apply to remain in Canada.
Renewing your temporary status
If your employer applies for a new LMO that includes your name, you must apply to Citizenship and Immigration Canada to renew your work permit by following a similar process to the one you completed in the original application.
For skilled workers, if the LMO is extended, then the worker needs to apply for a work permit extension through an "inland" office of the Canadian Border Services Agency. The inland office is there for people who are already in the country; there is no requirement for the worker to leave and return. In fact, it is best for the person to remain in Canada. This is why the application goes to the"‘inland office" instead of the visa office. There is also no set limit on the length or number of work permit extensions, but the LMO is always based on the current availability of Canadians or permanent residents. As such, two years is a common (maximum) length of time for a LMO.
Workers in occupations requiring lower levels of formal education can work a maximum of two years in Canada. Following this period, they must return to their country of origin for at least four months, after which they may re-apply for another work permit.
For specific details on how you apply for an extension of your work permit, see the Citizenship and Immigration Guide Applying to Change Conditions or Extend Your Stay in Canada – Worker. Some workers find that they are not available to complete or follow-up on their renewal because they are busy during work hours. You can appoint a third-party representative to do this for you using this form. If you did not identify a third-party representative when you first applied, you can find out about this process at the CIC website.
Permanent immigration
Some TFWs decide to immigrate to Canada permanently. Canada has a number of options for permanent immigration. The majority of them have processing times that do not easily facilitate workers remaining in Canada. One program being used by some employers and workers in the construction industry is the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP). At present, the PNP has a much shorter processing time than other permanent immigration options, but procedures for nominating workers vary from province to province. The following information is based on the Citizenship and Immigration website, and describes the many options for permanent immigration.
Skilled workers and professionals – Skilled workers have education, work experience, knowledge of English or French, and other abilities that will help them connect quickly to the Canadian labour market. For more information, and to see if you qualify, please visit the Citizenship and Immigration web page on Skilled workers and professionals.
Investors, entrepreneurs and self-employed persons – The Business Immigration Program seeks to attract experienced business people to Canada who will support the development of a strong and prosperous Canadian economy. Business immigrants are expected to make a CAD$400,000 investment or to own and manage businesses in Canada. For more information, and to see if you qualify, please visit the Citizenship and Immigration web page on Investors, entrepreneurs and self-employed persons.
Provincial Nominee Programs (PNP) – Persons who immigrate to Canada under the Provincial Nominee Program have the skills, education and work experience needed to make an immediate economic contribution to the province or territory that nominates them. For more information, and to see if you qualify, please visit the Citizenship and Immigration web page on Provincial nominees.
Canadian Experience Class (CEC) – The Canadian Experience Class is a new initiative that will allow certain temporary foreign workers and certain foreign student graduates with Canadian managerial, professional, or technical or trade work experience to apply to become permanent residents, and eventually Canadian citizens. Under the proposed changes, TFWs would need to demonstrate temporary resident status in Canada at the time of their application; two years of skilled, professional or technical work experience; and moderate or basic language skills, depending on occupational skill level. Visit the CIC website for details of the eligibility requirements.
Family class immigration – If you are a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident of Canada, you can sponsor your spouse, common-law partner, conjugal partner, dependent child (including adopted child) or other eligible relative (such as a parent or grandparent) to become a permanent resident. For more information, and to see if you qualify, please visit the Citizenship and Immigration web page on Sponsoring your family.
Quebec-selected skilled workers – Quebec-selected skilled workers have the skills, education and work experience needed to make an immediate economic contribution to the province of Quebec and establish themselves successfully as permanent residents in Canada. For more information, and to see if you qualify, please visit the Citizenship and Immigration web page Quebec-selected skilled workers.
How can I upgrade my skills and qualifications if I decide to immigrate to Canada?
There are many ways to upgrade your skills and qualifications once in Canada. In some cases, you may be required to upgrade your skills once you are in Canada; in other cases, you may choose to upgrade your skills and qualifications in order to be able to do different types of work.
College programs – Many people in Canada attend school and work at the same time. As a TFW, there are many options for continuing education, from upgrading your language skills, to upgrading your existing occupational skills. To find what courses are taught in construction at a college near you, use the ACCC Sectoral Training Resources Tool. Select the construction sector, and then click on sub-sector to see a more detailed breakdown of choices. You may wish to work with a career counsellor at an immigrant-serving agency to help you plan.
Red Seal – More than 80% of skilled construction workers are employed in Red Seal trades. To find out more about careers in the construction industry, click on any of the trades and occupations listed on the Careers in Construction website.
To learn more about the Canadian national trade certification program, you can visit the Interprovincial Standards Red Seal Program website.
This page last updated December 2009
