Process for open LMO, processing time for new LMO in Alberta

[Leon]

One of my friends is on a temporary work permit but wants to change employment, he's a cabinetmaker and this is Alberta. He's trying to find out his timeline for this.

If he was to find a company that has an open LMO.. one of my sources tells me he will need his name to go on that and this process is supposed to take 2-4 weeks but can take up to 8.. another person told me that he doesn't need his name on it, that he can just take this open LMO and an employment contract with his new employer, drive to the border and he's done. Which is correct?

In case he needs his new employer to apply for an LMO, does anybody know how long that takes now? I heard a few months ago and it was taking over 6 months but recently I head somebody say it takes only 8 weeks?

 

[Leon]

Replying to my own post here because my friend found out some of this info and I thought it could be useful for somebody else. Immigration gave him an application for the skilled worker in Alberta or BC and told him that everything should be done within 8 to 10 weeks. He said they told him that the regular application with LMO and the works still takes over 6 months.

 

[Akhuttan]

Hi Guys,

My Employer applied for my LMO back in May 2012 and was refused because of the lack of some paperwork in the 2nd week of July, exactly after 8 weeks. My employer then reapplied for LMO with the necessary paperwork and since then it’s been more than 8 weeks and we have not received any information from HRDC. Not only is this time period frustrating but a painful one as well.

I wanted to know from the group if someone knows of the current Processing times for an LMO approval in Alberta.
I think I should also mention that I am not based in Canada and hold an Indian Passport and have been to Canada recently for a training session for 2 weeks with a same employer on a Business visa. My employer is SAP partner and is working with oil and Gas industry.