A new Alberta directive has foreclosed the only pathway open to temporary foreign workers for permanent residency. The changes are fundamentally unfair and out of sync with the rest of the country.
Temporary foreign workers in Canada often require the support of a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) to secure a work permit. An LMIA is permission for a Canadian employer to offer a position to a foreign worker. To get one, the company must demonstrate there are no qualified Canadians citizens or permanent residents available to fill the position, having undertaken stringent recruitment and advertising efforts. Historically, an employer would apply for a new LMIA, and once granted, the worker would apply to extend their work permit in Canada.
