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Urgent: offered job but clueless!

cheekymonkey

Newbie
Aug 24, 2010
2
0
Hi folks,

Help, help, help…I am in urgent need of your sage advice. I have approximately 36 hours to make a decision about a job offer or lose it.

I am a US citizen who has been offered a job by a Canadian employer. I have been told by this employer that they will need to obtain an LMO. Yet, they have also told me I would be classified as an "independent contractor" and not an "employee" of the company. From what I have been reading, this does not make any sense since an independent contractor is essentially self employed (at least they are here in the US) and a LMO is only obtained for "employees" since they are advertising a "job" that could be filled by other workers.

What does this all mean? Am I getting screwed here? I ask because they will be treating me like an "employee", as they will be dictating my hours and responsibilities. By definition an “independent contractor” is “self employed” and provides the services and therefore calls there own shots. It sounds to me like they want an "employee" on a temporary work permit without having to call me an “employee” so they don't have to pay into health insurance, EI, vacation, etc.

Is this a dangerous situation for me? I don't want to move all the way to Canada and find out they let me go with out any safety net, or they abuse my hours. What should I do? Like I said, I only have approximately 36 hours, and the pay, and opportunity are quite good! Arg.
 

cheekymonkey

Newbie
Aug 24, 2010
2
0
Can't some please explain this? I only have a few more hours to tell them yes or no, and I may throw away a huge oportunity here. I have views but no replies.
 

scylla

VIP Member
Jun 8, 2010
95,929
22,171
Toronto
Category........
Visa Office......
Buffalo
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
28-05-2010
AOR Received.
19-08-2010
File Transfer...
28-06-2010
Passport Req..
01-10-2010
VISA ISSUED...
05-10-2010
LANDED..........
05-10-2010
cheekymonkey -

I think it's going to be very difficult for anyone to provide you with concrete feedback unless you can provide additional details about how this company defines an "independent contractor". If I were in your shoes, I would ask them for an offer letter (or something similar) which outlines the terms of your employment/terms of engagement (i.e. how is the compensation structured, what are the hours, what about overtime pay, are benefits included, who is responsible for paying EI, are vacations included, severance if any, etc.). Unfortunately none of us can answer these questions for you based on the proposed job title alone (definitions vary between firms). I really think it's critical that you ask the company to define the work arrangement they are proposing.

Good luck!