New LMO processing times

[stopDA]

Guys,

One of my employers is re-applying for an LMO today and he told me that it now takes 5 months to get an LMO. Is this actually true or is this just another one of those rumors. I haven't seen anyone wait more than 14 weeks (3 and a half months)for an LMO. If this is true, then why is it now taking so long?

 

[stopDA]

So, I just called Service Canada and they said that the average is 8 weeks for all types of LMOs across Canada. But they also said that most take way longer than this and some can take up to 20 - 25 weeks right now. It seems like the live-in caregiver applications are the ones that take the longest. As for others, I have no freaking idea. For other jobs I've applied to, I've waited at least 12 weeks for a positive response. One of them at the moment is actually on its 18th week. Is there anyone else having this problem?

 

[fkl]

+1 for posting fresh info from service Canada. That should really help others out.

Probably issuance of LMO's greatly depend upon the job, required qualifications and other aspects. For highly skilled jobs where it is pretty obvious that the candidate is harder to find, it might work easier.

I know at least 3 cases last year (including myself) who received LMO's in like 15-20 days of application (all in IT skilled jobs), though official quoted times back then were 6-8 weeks.

This was between Sep - Dec 2012. Recently i know about 2 other people who got LMO's with in a month or so of application in the same field and skill area.

Please note that these jobs were already posted on employer website for long (rather via more than one means), hence they already qualify the additional LMO rules of having posted vacancy for a while (i think at least 15 days) and tried to fill positions with existing Canadians if available.

 

[Pippin]

I think posting is minimum 28 days now and in various locations.

 

[hope_1111]

+1 for posting fresh info from service Canada. That should really help others out.

Probably issuance of LMO's greatly depend upon the job, required qualifications and other aspects. For highly skilled jobs where it is pretty obvious that the candidate is harder to find, it might work easier.

I know at least 3 cases last year (including myself) who received LMO's in like 15-20 days of application (all in IT skilled jobs), though official quoted times back then were 6-8 weeks.

This was between Sep - Dec 2012. Recently i know about 2 other people who got LMO's with in a month or so of application in the same field and skill area.

Please note that these jobs were already posted on employer website for long (rather via more than one means), hence they already qualify the additional LMO rules of having posted vacancy for a while (i think at least 15 days) and tried to fill positions with existing Canadians if available.

Thanks fkl for info,

I'm planning to apply for LMO for IT job and after reading this I feel +ve. my PGWP expiring 1st week of Dec.

 

[fkl]

My pleasure hope_1111,

The friend i was talking about applied for work permit just last week. His LMO was applied for around little more than a month ago and he did get it in a month for an IT job.

Hopefully that should help.

 

[hope_1111]

Hi fkl,

just a question, was your friend working with same organization or was it new organization. I doubt my organization will file for LMO coz of my Term employment, I was planning to apply for job and ask for LMO (AB or MB region). any help would be appreciated if you can tell me where is LMO process easy for IT industry. my PGWP expiring Dec 1st week created a lot of tension in my life.

Thank you once again.

 

[tiagodj]

My pleasure hope_1111,

The friend i was talking about applied for work permit just last week. His LMO was applied for around little more than a month ago and he did get it in a month for an IT job.

Hopefully that should help.

fkl, do you know exactly what is your friend's NOC code and where did (s)he apply?

Mine is NOC 2173/Vancouver,BC, applied on August 26th (9th week today) and still pending. Also I have some friends who are NOC 2173/Toronto and are into their 16th week.

Thanks!

 

[fkl]

Guys,

The NOC code was 2174 and applied for in Quebec (either Gatineau or Montreal). Hope that helps.

 

[tracytran]

i got lmo today. lmo sent on august 28 and i got it on nov 1. totally 9 weeks. noc code 1231(2006) and/or 1331 (2011). they wrote 1231 in my 2013 application. i have no idea which one i should use. should i call them to correct?

 

[Maling]

Hi,

I noticed that the LMO which was approved are more on the skilled category. Is it a factor that skilled LMO application is released faster than the average time?

My husband new employer applied for LMO as Food Service Supervisor in Sept and mine is Shipping Supervisor in first week of Oct. So far no update yet....

thanks

 

[orion216]

Hi, how long was your initial temp permit at the beginning? Do you think the duration of temporary job offer will affect the chance of getting LMO? I work in IT.

I have posted some questions in the topic 'Effect of Employment period on LMO chance of success' for my situation, and perhaps I can get some advice here from you:

2. From my understanding, it seems to be almost impossible (and take very long time) to get a permanent work permit right away in Canada, so the best strategy for most foreigners is to try to be temporary workers for several years first, then apply for permanent worker permit under one of the federal programs from inside Canada. Is it correct? In that case, can the company 'pretend' to be hiring you as a temporary worker, while in fact, it is supposedly a permanent job? Are companies willing to do that when hiring foreigners? It's better not to ward them off before they even see me by saying I can only get a permanent work permit in at least 1-2 years.

3. Let's say one follows the strategy above, how does the temporary employement period affect the decision of LMO? I think it's kind of trade-off, yet I am not sure:
- short period (e.g. one year) and it's easier to be accepted, yet after 1 year the process has to be repeated: LMO, Ceretificat d'accceptance du Quebec, Temporary work visa under Canada immgration. After one year I am eligible to apply for permanent work permit, but if the temporary work permit extension is not accepted, I have to stop working right away!
- long period (e.g 2-4 years, as temporary worker is allowed maximum 4 years), so that after one year I can apply for the Federal Skilled program. While waiting for their decision (which take around 1.5 years), I am still doing my job. Yet this reduce the chance of getting the LMO in the first place, as one of the criteria is that employers have to prove the job is to fill labour shortage and they cannot TRAIN a local in one year. 3-4 years jobs do not look like 'filling labour shortage at the moment'.
Which one do you think is the better strategy?
I got the thoughts for question 2,3 because when I attempted the online evaluation service at CIC, there were two questions: 'how long do you intend to stay in Canada' and 'how long is the job offer?'. Results from these two questions changed the outcome of the evaluation:
- Permanent- Permanent -> Not eligible
- Temporary more than 6 months-Permanent -> Not eligible
- Temporary more than 6 months-Temporary more than 6 months-> Eligible

It seems I pass the evaluation of Quebec though, yet there is still another level of application at CIC for the work permit.
Another related question: how do these online evaluation really reflect the real-life decision?

 

[fkl]

1. I don't think duration of temp employment has any thing to do with chances of success for IT. If they can show the position cannot be filled locally, obviously they need some body to get it through for the longer run.

2. Yes companies usually do that i.e. pretend to hire temp (it is not actually pretending, your job offer simply remains active implicitly as long you are legally eligible to continue working. Usually people apply for CEC after a year (or some sort of PNP etc.) which currently is usually processed in a year's time.

3. The 3-4 year job reducing the chances of LMO success is just your own opinion. I don't see any reason why this could be the case. You cannot TRAIN a skilled IT guy in a year or more. If it was possible may be the job posting and LMO application wasn't justified in the first place. Take my e.g. i was contacted by my employer for this thing. I went through many interviews before being offered. The specialized domain in IT that i have experience in, isn't easily available and you simply can't train people out of the blue for an experienced role that requires 7+ years.

The choices of online form are simply practical. You are applying for a temp work visa and hence job offer should also be temporary on paper. Choosing permanent for any of these choices is in fact WRONG for this type of visa application. Hence every one applying for twp should choose 'temp more (or less) than 6 months' and temp in both cases.

Any of other options should get one an out right refusal in this category or at least in correct info.

Having said that, i know of people who having applied for permanent work visa already, while in process apply and get temp work permit to go and start working quickly. So one can do that, but just have to know which options to chose according to the visa category you are applying for.

Hi, how long was your initial temp permit at the beginning? Do you think the duration of temporary job offer will affect the chance of getting LMO? I work in IT.

I have posted some questions in the topic 'Effect of Employment period on LMO chance of success' for my situation, and perhaps I can get some advice here from you:

2. From my understanding, it seems to be almost impossible (and take very long time) to get a permanent work permit right away in Canada, so the best strategy for most foreigners is to try to be temporary workers for several years first, then apply for permanent worker permit under one of the federal programs from inside Canada. Is it correct? In that case, can the company 'pretend' to be hiring you as a temporary worker, while in fact, it is supposedly a permanent job? Are companies willing to do that when hiring foreigners? It's better not to ward them off before they even see me by saying I can only get a permanent work permit in at least 1-2 years.

3. Let's say one follows the strategy above, how does the temporary employement period affect the decision of LMO? I think it's kind of trade-off, yet I am not sure:
- short period (e.g. one year) and it's easier to be accepted, yet after 1 year the process has to be repeated: LMO, Ceretificat d'accceptance du Quebec, Temporary work visa under Canada immgration. After one year I am eligible to apply for permanent work permit, but if the temporary work permit extension is not accepted, I have to stop working right away!
- long period (e.g 2-4 years, as temporary worker is allowed maximum 4 years), so that after one year I can apply for the Federal Skilled program. While waiting for their decision (which take around 1.5 years), I am still doing my job. Yet this reduce the chance of getting the LMO in the first place, as one of the criteria is that employers have to prove the job is to fill labour shortage and they cannot TRAIN a local in one year. 3-4 years jobs do not look like 'filling labour shortage at the moment'.
Which one do you think is the better strategy?
I got the thoughts for question 2,3 because when I attempted the online evaluation service at CIC, there were two questions: 'how long do you intend to stay in Canada' and 'how long is the job offer?'. Results from these two questions changed the outcome of the evaluation:
- Permanent- Permanent -> Not eligible
- Temporary more than 6 months-Permanent -> Not eligible
- Temporary more than 6 months-Temporary more than 6 months-> Eligible

It seems I pass the evaluation of Quebec though, yet there is still another level of application at CIC for the work permit.
Another related question: how do these online evaluation really reflect the real-life decision?

 

[1998a]

fkl, do you know exactly what is your friend's NOC code and where did (s)he apply?

Mine is NOC 2173/Vancouver,BC, applied on August 26th (9th week today) and still pending. Also I have some friends who are NOC 2173/Toronto and are into their 16th week.

Thanks!

Mine is also NOC 2173/Vancouver, BC, applied on July 28th and still pending.... God bless us.

 

[orion216]

Hello fkl,

Thanks for your information sharing.

I am concerned about the 'trainable skills' because I am looking for junior jobs. I have only one year experience and just graduated from Master degree, so I am on the vulnerable end and more easily replaceable when it comes to whether there are any local who can do the job instead of me. On the other hand, for someone as much experience and highly skilled as you, it is not easily replaceable. For that reason I would like to maximize the chance and wonder if the duration affect the LMO decision.

In fact, I was contacted by some Canadian employer. They want me to check with the Embassy whether I 'meet the condition to work in Canada, as they have agreed to hire people in the past, after which the person was not eligible to work in canada'. How can I get such proof that I 'meet the condition to work'? I could only think of the online evaluation of Quebec and Canada immigraion. They would like to make sure before proceeding with the hiring process. They will come to France late November. I prefer to meet them first, rather than they back out before even seeing me, knowing it's not certain I can come to work when they offer the job. How do you think of this scenario?
I have mailed to both CIC and Quebec immigration but I think the answer will only come in months.