Express Entry & Job Offer

[ClassicCause]

Hello everyone,

I was hoping you might be able to guide me as to what we should do. My husband and I have taken the IELTS and await our results. Therefore, we haven't actually created our Express Entry profiles yet.

However, I am also anticipating a job offer this month. (They have strongly indicated that the offer will be in the next two weeks.)

Would I be better off applying for a work visa rather than Express Entry? Would I be able to bring my family with me to Canada if I had a work visa? Could I apply for Express Entry from within Canada working on a work visa?

My concern is due to the fact that the work visa says you must show proof that you will leave Canada once your work visa has expired.

Is there a benefit of waiting for Express Entry?

Thank you in advance for any guidance, resources or responses you may offer!

 

[Naturgrl]

You are bringing up two different paths. Express Entry is for those who want to permanently immigrate. Are you eligible? Do you have a enough points? You include your family in the application

A work permit is temporary. Having a job offer doesn‘t allow you necessarily to apply for a work permit. Does the employer have or need a LMIA? Is it a inter company transfer? NAFTA visa?

If you want to immigrate permanently the apply for express entry. take IELTS and get your education assessed.

 

[ClassicCause]

Hi Naturgrl, thank you for your response. We do seem to have enough points with the job offer, but how long are Express Entry applications taking to process from start to finish? (I read somewhere it used to be 6 months from invitation but now it is taking 11+ months due to COVID?) I am concerned that they wouldn't hold the job that long.

Can we do the Express Entry application from inside Canada, working there with a work permit?

 

[Naturgrl]

A job offer doesn’t give you any extra points unless you have a closed work permit with LMIA or LMIA exempt. To count the points you need to work in Canada for a year & then have a job offer for at least a year after PR. What kind of work permit are you getting? What is your NOC? Where do you live? Does your employer have a LMIA or is the employer LMIA exempt? Getting a work permit takes months to process.

https://www.cic.gc.ca/english/helpcentre/questions-answers-by-topic.asp?st=29.2

 

[ClassicCause]

Hello again, thank you so much for getting back to me!
It is a permanent job offer as a RN. I currently live in the US.
Does the employer need to do a LMIA for a work permit as well? I don’t know if hospitals are LMIA exempt?
I don’t mind working with a work permit for a year and then applying for Express Entry, but I don’t know if there are drawbacks to it? I also don’t know if I’d be eligible for a work permit for a permanent position?
Do employers wait for express entry to be processed?
Thank you for the link, and please feel free to share any others you think I should read!
Thank you!

 

[Naturgrl]

Hello again, thank you so much for getting back to me!
It is a permanent job offer as a RN. I currently live in the US.
Does the employer need to do a LMIA for a work permit as well? I don’t know if hospitals are LMIA exempt?
I don’t mind working with a work permit for a year and then applying for Express Entry, but I don’t know if there are drawbacks to it? I also don’t know if I’d be eligible for a work permit for a permanent position?
Do employers wait for express entry to be processed?
Thank you for the link, and please feel free to share any others you think I should read!
Thank you!

I assume you are licensed to work in the province where your job is. You would have had your education and experience assessed through NNAS and then applied and been approved for your provincial license to practice as a RN. Does your employer know you don’t have work authorization? What province? Are you American? If so, you may be eligible for a NAFTA visa but you need your provincial license.

if not American, your employer needs a LMIA and needs to prove no Canadian can do the job. That process can take up to 6 months and if approved, you apply for a closed work permit. That will take another few months.

 

[ClassicCause]

Hello! I am American and I have applied to the provincial board, should hear from them very soon. The employer knows that I need work authorization....how do we apply for NAFTA visa?

Thank you!!

 

[Naturgrl]

Have you been assessed by the NNAS? You need an account with them as they are the national body that begins the initial document collection and assessment of all internationally educated nurses who want to work in Canada. You have to do that before you are licensed provincially. Your employer should know this if they are hiring from outside of Canada. As for a NAFTA visa, talk to your employer about the job offer and permit. You need your provincial license to get a NAFTA permit at a point of entry.

https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/corporate/publications-manuals/operational-bulletins-manuals/temporary-residents/foreign-workers/international-free-trade-agreements/north-american.html

 

[canadian-gentleman]

how do we apply for NAFTA visa?

I believe NAFTA was replaced by CUSMA. This recent article describes the requirements and processes for getting a work permit in your situation. https://www.cicnews.com/2020/10/4-ways-to-move-to-canada-under-cusma-1016005.html#gs.ieo3qj

If you meet the requirements for a CUSMA work permit then that pathway is likely faster than applying for express entry. The work permit can be issued for up to three years, so you could apply for permanent residence once you are in Canada.

 

[Naturgrl]

I believe NAFTA was replaced by CUSMA. This recent article describes the requirements and processes for getting a work permit in your situation. https://www.cicnews.com/2020/10/4-ways-to-move-to-canada-under-cusma-1016005.html#gs.ieo3qj

If you meet the requirements for a CUSMA work permit then that pathway is likely faster than applying for express entry. The work permit can be issued for up to three years, so you could apply for permanent residence once you are in Canada.

I just like saying NAFTA instead of CUSMA but the process has not changed. OP still needs the job offer and provincial license to get a CUSMA permit.
OP, this forum has a main thread on the NNAS process which takes up to a year.

 

[ClassicCause]

Hi guys, Thank you so much for your responses… I had no idea that the NAFTA/CUSMA impacted nurses!

@Naturgrl I have already done NNAS, and you are not wrong, it did take over a year! Thank you for the link, very enlightening, all my time looking at options and I had never found that.

@canadian-gentleman thank you for posting that link about CUSMA. I have read it and I was wondering if you knew where I could find information about bringing spouse/child with me, as well as how long it can be expected to take?

I did see that the benefit was an option to apply at the border (port of entry)... but I’m not sure how that would work? Would you drive to the border, apply, get a work permit, go back home pack up all your belongings and then go back to the border to cross? I’d hate to pack everything up to move and then have the work permit not issued for some reason....

Thank you both so much for the great news, made my day!

 

[Naveen02]

Hello

I am on open work permit. I got lmia approved for extra points in express entry.
I got the invitation last month but now the particular location of our store has closed down.
I am working in other location anyways. Now I am in confusion what to do next.

Any suggestion on this situation please

 

[ClassicCause]

Hello, I have been offered the job but I am not sure how to begin my work permit application through CUSMA?
I cannot find it under the work permit section of the Canadian Immigration website, which says that I need an LMIA?
Any guidance would be much appreciated, thank you!

 

[ClassicCause]

Hello

I am on open work permit. I got lmia approved for extra points in express entry.
I got the invitation last month but now the particular location of our store has closed down.
I am working in other location anyways. Now I am in confusion what to do next.

Any suggestion on this situation please

Since you are on an open work permit, it shouldn't matter if you are working a different location? I am not sure. You might want to call immigration to make sure you don't need to update your workplace with them?