Religious worker on visitor record, LMIA exempt (work without a work permit)

[Bishop Peter]

Hello everyone in this group. If there is anyone who has received permanent residency as a religious worker while working on a visitor record and obtained 50 points for LMIA exempt, could you please share your experience?

 

[scylla]

Hello everyone in this group. If there is anyone who has received permanent residency as a religious worker while working on a visitor record and obtained 50 points for LMIA exempt, could you please share your experience?

You don't qualify for the 50 job offer points working on a visitor record. It's impossible. To get the 50 points, you would need to do one of the following:

1. Have your employer get an approved LMIA and then switch to a closed work permit.
2. Meet the requirements for an LMIA exempt closed work permit. Switch to a closed work permit with your employer named on the work permit and then work for your employer on that closed work permit in Canada for a full year.

 

[Bishop Peter]

Thankyou for your prompt response , also need help in couple of questions,

1. When can I apply for a work permit? My WX1 visa is valid until May 2024, and my passport is also expiring at the same time. Should I renew my passport first or apply for a work permit?
2. I began working as a volunteer with a stipend in August, but they hired me at minimum wage with taxes being deducted starting in November 2023. Will this experience be considered, and how can I demonstrate it properly in my application?

 

[scylla]

Thankyou for your prompt response , also need help in couple of questions,

1. When can I apply for a work permit? My WX1 visa is valid until May 2024, and my passport is also expiring at the same time. Should I renew my passport first or apply for a work permit?
2. I began working as a volunteer with a stipend in August, but they hired me at minimum wage with taxes being deducted starting in November 2023. Will this experience be considered, and how can I demonstrate it properly in my application?

1. You can apply for a work permit at any time if you meet the work permit requirements. This would mean that either your employer obtains an approved LMIA or provides you with an LMIA-exempt offer of employment and pays the related fees.
2. The volunteer experience will not count as work experience. To answer the rest of this question, you need to tell us what kind of job you are doing exactly for the religious organization.

 

[Bishop Peter]

I am employed under TEER code 42204 and receive a wage of $15.5 per hour for 40 hours per week from November 2022 onwards. Previously, from August to October, I received a stipend payment. I have received T4 and paystubs and have filed my taxes accordingly. I am wondering if this work experience will be considered and, if so, how can I provide evidence of it? Additionally, can this experience be combined with the experience gained under a closed work permit, which I will be applying for to gain 50 points?

 

[scylla]

I am employed under TEER code 42204 and receive a wage of $15.5 per hour for 40 hours per week from November 2022 onwards. Previously, from August to October, I received a stipend payment. I have received T4 and paystubs and have filed my taxes accordingly. I am wondering if this work experience will be considered and, if so, how can I provide evidence of it? Additionally, can this experience be combined with the experience gained under a closed work permit, which I will be applying for to gain 50 points?

To the best of my knowledge, you can start counting your work experience from the time you were paid the $15.50 / hour wage in November. So you will have 1 year of work experience as of November 2023.

Yes, to the best of my knowledge, any work experience you have from Nov 22 until the time you get a closed work permit can be combined with the experience you gain on the closed work permit.

For the 50 points, if your employer gets an approved LMIA, then you can claim the 50 points right away. If you instead go for an LMIA exempt closed work permit, then you'll need to wait an extra year from the time you get the work permit before you can claim the 50 points. So let's say you get the work permit in June this year, you would need to wait until June 2024 before you can claim the 50 points.

 

[Bishop Peter]

Currently, I have an LMIA exempt offer letter which has number starting with Axxxxx. If my work experience from November 2022, which is on a visitor record, is considered and completes one year by November 2023, and my employer provides me with a new LMIA exempt offer letter in December 2023, would this help me gain 50 points? Or would I need to obtain a work permit to gain these points?

 

[scylla]

Currently, I have an LMIA exempt offer letter which has number starting with Axxxxx. If my work experience from November 2022, which is on a visitor record, is considered and completes one year by November 2023, and my employer provides me with a new LMIA exempt offer letter in December 2023, would this help me gain 50 points? Or would I need to obtain a work permit to gain these points?

The LMIA exempt offer letter is worthless for getting the 50 points. Again, you need to switch to a closed work permit that has your employer named on the work permit and then work for your employer on that work permit in Canada for a full year before you can claim the 50 points.

 

[Bishop Peter]

Thank you, @scylla . God bless you for doing such a great job. May you receive many blessings.

 

[Bishop Peter]

According to recent news, low-wage LMIA work permits will only be issued for one year starting from September 26. My friend, a religious worker, is renewing his Indian passport, which will take about a month. His current work permit expires in June 2025, and he’s thinking of applying for an extension now in September 2024. Should he apply with his old passport to get a 2 year work permit, or should he wait for his new passport? If he applies with the old passport, can he update IRCC with the new passport information during the application process, and will this affect his application? Also, will the recent LMIA changes impact LMIA-exempt work permit holders working at minimum wage, including the validity of the extension (one year vs. two years)?