FSWP – Arranged Employment

So you are in Canada on a valid work permit. Your employer is now interested in taking your employment to the next level and is ready to sponsor your permanent residency (PR). Or, perhaps you’re overseas and a Canadian employer has offered to sponsor you “straight up”.

Whether you’re in Canada or overseas, a business sponsoring your permanent residency is a significant vote of confidence in your skills and ability to bring value to the company.

On a work permit, a foreign worker must leave Canada when their position is terminated. They generally must leave within 4 years. Under PR, there are no immigration consequences if the foreign employee loses his job. He can remain in Canada and seek suitable employment just like any Canadian in similar circumstances.

While arranged employment is an employer-driven process, the majority of the sponsorship process is centered on you - not the employer. This includes a half-dozen forms, supporting documentation, an education credential assessment, language proficiency tests, employer verification letters (both past and present), proof of work experience and other papers, not to mention an official invitation to apply for the federal skilled worker program under a new preliminary round called “Express Entry”. Do not assume that your employer will fill out all the required paperwork in any of the above!

With the advent of a preliminary first round, all Federal Skilled Worker Program whether with arranged employment or not, must now declare an “expression of interest” (EOI) called Express Entry. Once an Express Entry “profile” is entered, qualified Canadian employers can select and ultimately “fast track” your application within the “pool” of interested candidates who professed a similar to desire to permanently settle in Canada. When selected, the applicant is then formally “invited” to apply for the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP).

To navigate these waters, it is essential to hire an experienced immigration practitioner to file your PR application in a timely matter.

Employee (Applicant) FSWP with AE Deliverables:

• Review your Canadian employer’s offer letter or contract for CIC-validity
• Estimate of your Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) Score
• Advise on Strategies to Increase your CRS Score
• Create and Submit an Expression of Interest under Express Entry (preliminary round)
• Validate Invitation when selected by Citizenship Immigration Canada to apply for FSWP
• Prepare all government forms and assemble all relevant supporting documents
• Prepare employer verification letters (confirmation letters) as needed
• Submit the foreign employee’s Federal Skilled Worker application
• Interview preparation with the employee (where required)
• Provide solution options when a problem arises
• Represent the employee in all government correspondences including Citizenship Immigration (CIC) and the Embassy or Consulate overseas

If you are an employer or recruiter wishing to sponsor a foreign-worker in Canada under the Federal Skilled Worker Program, please consult our corporate space.