News
LMIA applications now online, isolation support and SAWP extended
September 8, 2020 By Western Agriculture Labour Initiative (WALI)
Online LMIA applications are currently being piloted by the federal government. The new online LMIA provides employers with a single platform to register, manage online accounts and conduct online transactions with Service Canada. More info.
How to Create a User Account
For employers who do not already have a Job Bank user account.
- Visit Job Bank for Employers and click on “Sign up“.
- Review “Before you get started” requirements and click on “Proceed“.
- Read the “Privacy Statement and Terms of Use” and click on “I agree“.
- Fill out your used details and continue.
- A confirmation code will be emailed to you. Enter this code into the box and continue.
- Complete all five security questions, ensuring you select answers you will easily remember, and click on “Finish“.
- Enter your personal information and check the “I agree” box.
LMIA applications for early 2021 arrivals (January-March) can now be submitted. Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) is accepting LMIA applications 6-months ahead of the first arrival documented on the application.
Mandatory Isolation Support deadline extended
The federal Quarantine Act has been extended until September 30, 2020. As a result, the Mandatory Isolation Support Program for Temporary Foreign Workers (MISTFWP) application deadline has been extended to September 15, 2020.
Canadian employers can apply for the federal payment of $1,500 per temporary foreign worker if they have incurred incremental costs associated with their worker’s mandatory 14-day isolation period. Completing your application as soon as possible is encouraged to prevent delays.
To be eligible for reimbursement, the temporary foreign worker’s date of arrival can be no earlier than March 26, 2020, and no later than September 30, 2020 (the date on which the current special order under the Quarantine Act is set to expire).
If you require further assistance, please contact Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada with any questions at 1-877-246-4682 or by email: aafc.MISP-PAIO.aac@canada.ca.
SAWP Contract extension now permitted
SAWP workers are now permitted to continue working beyond their end-date (up to 1-month) as identified on their employer’s LMIA for the 2020 season.
Worker extensions are not intended to be used in lieu of employers utilizing the existing pool of source country workers that are ready to travel, in-line with commitments they have made in their request for workers. Any extensions will be limited to one-month. This recognizes the investments already made by workers and the foreign governments to prepare workers to travel.
To avoid processing delays, use the following checklist to ensure you have the required documents included in your submission:
1. Written request by employer for extension.
- Employer’s Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) Business Number and legal business name
- Original LMIA number
- Extension details, including:
- Name(s) of the workers to be extended
- Their initial date of arrival and initial work duration
- Extended duration and new end date of employment (not to go beyond December 15, 2020)
- Brief explanation of the rationale for the request
- Confirmation of continued full-time employment in the same position for the extended period
- Confirmation that the maximum occupancy of approved housing will not be exceeded.
2. Signed consent form* for each TFW to be extended. A copy of the signed consent form is to be retained by the employer, TFW(s), and the Foreign Government Agent.
3. Housing Inspection Report for where the TFW will reside.
4. Employers must send all required documentation to the Service Canada Centre SAWP processing centre.
*The consent form (linked in step #2) is a mandatory requirement to validate that workers are participating in an extension only on a voluntary basis. WALI will circulate the Spanish version of this document when it is released by Government in the coming days.
More important details to note:
- Workers that will require a new work permit (staying longer than 8 months) will need to submit an extension application that is processed in Canada (ie: the in-Canada IMM 5710 application)
The employer will pay the cost of the work permit processing fee directly to IRCC and may not recover any costs related to the fee from the worker.
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