Effective May 4, 2014, employers wishing to hire a foreign worker on a full-time, permanent basis must apply for and receive a positive Labour Market Opinion (LMO) instead of an Arranged Employment Opinion (AEO).

If an employer receives a positive permanent LMO, it can be used to support a Temporary Work Permit application, a permanent residency application, or both in conjunction. Previously, LMOs could only be used in support of a Temporary Work Permit application.

Generally speaking, employers wishing to hire from abroad must apply for and receive an LMO in order for their selected hire(s) to secure a work permit. In order to obtain a positive LMO, an employer must successfully demonstrate that they were unable to find a Canadian citizen or permanent resident to fill a targeted position.

Moving forward, employers pursuing both temporary and permanent LMOs will follow the same application process. If the LMO is for permanent employment, the employer must indicate as such on their application form.