Quebec has added nearly 60 occupations to its list of high-demand jobs with an easier process of hiring temporary foreign workers.
The list of occupations that are eligible under the Facilitated Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) will now include entry-level jobs for temporary skilled migration to Canada.
The expanded list of occupations targeted for 2022-23 will include level C job titles of the National Occupational Classification (NOC), such as administrative staff, sales representatives and workers in the restaurant, tourism and entertainment sectors.
Every year Quebec’s Ministry of Immigration reviews the list of eligible occupations under the Facilitated LMIA process and publishes an updated version based on the province’s current labour market needs.
In the latest update, Quebec’s Ministry of Immigration added nearly 60 occupations to the list of targeted occupations for 2022-23.
Quebec has a different procedure for employers hiring foreign skilled workers.
Employers in Quebec who want to hire temporary skilled migrants under certain targeted occupations are exempted from having to meet the requirements outlined under the LMIA process, such as advertising the vacant positions or other recruitment efforts.
Employers who want to recruit foreign workers under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) need to obtain an LMIA, which is a document that shows no Canadian worker was able to occupy the vacancy.
Facilitated LMIA process applications need to be approved by both the federal and provincial authorities, which is why employers must also submit application forms and other supporting documents to the Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) and the Ministry of Immigration.
At present, Quebec’s unemployment rate is at an all-time low. Moreover, the population is aging, the fertility rate is declining, and the resulting demographic changes are hampering employers’ chances of hiring workers.
As a result, the Quebec government has taken steps to make it easier for employers to fill vacancies by facilitating the hiring process and lowering the processing time for immigration applications under the various pathways and programs.
One such step is a recent agreement between the Canadian federal government and Quebec’s Immigration Ministry to allow employers in Quebec to hire up to 20 per cent temporary foreign workers per workplace – double the previous allocation of 10 per cent.
