Canadian Temporary Work Permits for IT Professionals
Following the newest global market trends, Canadian employers in cooperation with Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC), Human Resources Development Canada (HRDC), Industry Canada and the Software Human Resource Council (SHRC) have developed a new project. The main task of the Facilitated Processing for Information Technology Workers is to streamline the entry of those workers whose skills are in high demand in the software industry and whose entry into the Canadian labour market would have no negative impact on Canadian job seekers and workers.
Normally a foreign professional who wishes to work in Canada needs to obtain a validated job offer from the local HRDC and an employment authorisation (EA) from CIC. Under the pilot project, the job-specific validation was replaced by a national validation letter for certain software positions:
Management Information Systems Software Designer
Telecommunications Software Designer
Embedded Systems Software Designer
Senior Animation Effects Editor
Multimedia Software Designer
Software Developer - Services
Software Products Developer
Now EAs can be issued to workers presenting a job offer fitting one of the seven descriptions without the employer having to approach its local HRCC. The conditions of a visitor visa for temporary employment still apply to applicants within this category. Even though the Quebec government participates in the Facilitated Processing of Employment Authorizations for Information Technology Workers, temporary foreign workers wishing to take a position in Quebec still have to obtain a certificat d’acceptation du Quebec (CAQ).
If you already have a job offer in one of the categories mentioned above, please contact Workpermit.com for more advice. We will be glad to assist you and your employer through the application process.
Please be advised that going on a Temporarily Working Visa does not entitle you for applying for Permanent Residence in Canada. If you want to move to Canada permanently, you must still apply under the Independent Immigration (Skilled Workers) category.
