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The LMIA work visa is an essential process by which Indian nationals can work in the country. What actually happens, of course, is that the Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) is the document, obtained by the employer from Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC), proving that hiring a foreign worker will not harm the Canadian job market. To apply for such a visa, a series of steps are therefore to be followed, which requires adequate preparation on both the part of the employer and applicant. This article helps the reader through the most crucial steps to successfully file for an LMIA work visa from India.
1. Understand the LMIA Process
The LMIA work visa application process should be known before the process actually starts. The LMIA is required when a Canadian employer wants to offer employment to a foreign worker. He has to prove that he made enough efforts in hiring a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, but no suitable candidate was found for the job.
In most cases, the application of a work visa from LMIA for Indian workers involves first requiring an offer of employment from a Canadian employer. You cannot apply for a work visa without a valid job offer supported by an approved LMIA.
2. Looking for Jobs in Canada
Determine an employer in Canada who will hire you and will apply for a work LMIA to facilitate your entry into Canada. These employers can be found on Job Bank Canada, LinkedIn, and industry-specific websites. Indentify industries where this labor gap is currently experienced. To mention a few, include the healthcare, technology, and agricultural sectors.
Network with those from Canada and also join online sites where one can be connected to an employer. Online job fairs, and even seminars, are among the ways to have supported your job search.
3. Employer Submits the LMIA Application
Once you accept a job offer, the employer will apply to ESDC for an LMIA. They have to prove that they first had tried to find available Canadian workers who could not be found or hired. The employer is also obligated to provide information regarding the job to be filled including wage/salary requirements, nature of work, and working conditions.
The processing of the LMIA takes weeks even months, though this depends on lots of factors such as the type of job and labor market for that particular region in Canada. So you need to remain patient during this stage.
4. Prepare Your Application for Your Work Visa
Once your employer starts processing your application for the LMIA, it would be already a good time to prepare your visa application. You will need quite a number of sets of documents for presentation, amongst which are;
Valid Passport
A copy of the offer letter to your job
Qualification and experience
Test for language proficiency results, if necessary
Application forms for the work visa Canada
All these documents should be clean and complete to accelerate your process of application.
Now that you have a positive LMIA, you can then apply for a work visa using the Canadian immigration portal. Make sure that you include an LMIA approval, job offer letter, and all other supporting documents. Keep an eye on the work visa processing time for possible delays.
6. Keeping Abreast of Current Schedules and Patience
A wise move is always to be aware of the procedure and be patient throughout the processing. Don't be in a hurry, because somewhere down the road everything will look clear. With proper planning and preparation, you will be able to successfully apply for an LMIA work visa from India and kick-start your career in Canada.
Essentially, the whole process of getting an LMIA work visa from India would depend on having a job offer, making sure that your employer does understand the process of LMIA, and that you prepare your visa application very carefully.
Looking for help with your immigration? Oasis Visas is here to guide you from start to finish. Just send us an email at info@oasis-india.com, and we’ll help make your dream of moving abroad a reality!