International recruitment
Hiring temporary foreign workers can help when you are unable to address your company's skills shortages in the local labour market. The requirements for hiring temporary foreign workers are established in
Manitoba's Worker Recruitment and Protection Act and Canada’s
Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, as well as the policies and procedures of the Government of Canada’s
Temporary Foreign Worker Program.
The steps for recruiting temporary foreign workers are provided below.
New requirements for employers recruiting internationally
As of April 1, 2009, all Manitoba employers will be required to register with the Employment Standards Division before they apply for a labour market opinion through Service Canada. In addition, all foreign worker recruiters must be licensed by the Employment Standards Division. These new requirements are the result of Manitoba’s new Worker Recruitment and Protection Act. For more information on the Act, please visit the Employment Standards website. |
6 STEPS to recruit temporary workers
To hire under Canada's Temporary Foreign Worker Program you must generally:
- Ensure no local hires
Employers must show they cannot fill the position(s) with a Canadian citizen or permanent resident before attempting to recruit a temporary foreign worker. You are required to post your vacancy on the Canada Job Bank.
You may consider hiring immigrants who have arrived in Manitoba by contacting the employment agencies that specialize in assisting immigrants.
- Register with Manitoba Employment Standards
This is a requirement of Manitoba's Worker Recruitment and Protection Act, which improves protections for foreign workers. For more on the act and the registration form, please visit the Employment Standards website.
- Apply to the Temporary Foreign Worker Program for a labour market opinion
Employers who receive a positive registration from the province can apply to the Government of Canada's Temporary Foreign Worker Program for a labour market opinion (LMO). You must include the original certificate of registration issued by Manitoba Employment Standards with your LMO application when applying to the Temporary Foreign Worker Program
- Find suitable candidates
You now need to find candidates who meet your requirements.
If you are using the services of a Manitoba recruiter to locate international workers, the agency must be licensed with the Manitoba’s Employment Standards Division. Neither you nor the recruiter can charge fees to the worker. MORE: Requirements when using recruiters.
Consider taking advantage of Manitoba’s international recruitment agreements. These agreements can ease your recruitment process by assisting you in the identifying and recruiting foreign workers in a safe and ethical manner. MORE: International Agreements.
Note: Only employers that have received a Certificate of Registration from Manitoba’s Employment Standards Division and a positive labour market opinion from the Temporary Foreign Worker Program are eligible to recruit temporary foreign workers.
- Have foreign worker apply for a work permit.
If the Temporary Foreign Worker Program issues you a positive LMO, send a copy of the LMO confirmation letter to the foreign worker. The worker must send it, along with your job offer, in his or her work permit application to Citizenship and Immigration Canada, usually through their closest visa processing centre.
- When your worker arrives
People you employ on temporary work permits have the same rights and responsibilities in the workplace as Manitobans. For more information on Employment Standards and Workplace Safety and Heath legislation in Manitoba, please visit Manitoba Labour and Immigration.
Federal information
To read the procedures of Human Resources and Skills Development Canada and Citizenship and Immigration Canada for the issuance of work permits and exceptions, and LMO assessment criteria and exceptions go to
Temporary Foreign Worker Program.
