Q1: I am an employer and I want to hire Temporary Foreign Workers. What do I need to do?
To bring in Temporary Foreign Workers, an employer must first receive a positive Labour Market Opinion (LMO) from Service Canada. See the LMO application process and criteria.
If you intend to hire temporary foreign workers on a permanent basis, you should consider applying for the Hospitality Sector Pilot Project through the Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program (SINP). The project makes it possible for workers in specific occupations in the Hospitality Sector (NOC codes 6641, 6661 and 6453) to apply for nomination by the SINP. Nominees are then eligible to apply for expedited permanent residence from the federal government.
In order for a temporary foreign worker to be eligible for the Hospitality Sector Pilot Project you, the employer, must first submit a Recruitment and Settlement Plan for approval by SINP. Your Recruitment and Settlement Plan must be approved by the SINP before your worker arrives in the province and starts working for you. Temporary foreign workers that begin working in the province before their employer is approved by the SINP are not eligible for nomination.
Q2: I already have Temporary Foreign Workers on my staff, what are my options for keeping them on?
If you would like to hire your temporary foreign workers permanently, you should apply to the Hospitality Sector Pilot Project through the Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program (SINP).
If you currently have temporary foreign workers on your staff and you want them to be eligible for nomination through the SINP’s Hospitality Sector Pilot Project, be sure to submit your Recruitment and Settlement Plan to the SINP for approval before April 30, 2010.
Beginning on April 30, 2010, you will have to submit a Recruitment and Settlement Plan for approval by SINP before your foreign worker arrives and starts work in Saskatchewan.
Q3: I am an employer and in the past the SINP has approved me for the Hospitality Sector Pilot Project. Do I have to reapply?
Before your employee is in Canada, employers must first submit a Retention and Settlement plan to the SINP for approval and then apply for an LMO for each individual worker they wish to hire. If you have received an LMO prior to March 1, 2010, please contact the SINP to discuss the appropriate procedure.
You will need to have a Retention and Settlement plan approved by April 30, 2010 in order for your worker to be eligible for application to the Hospitality Sector Pilot Project if all of the following criteria apply to your situation:
- you have received an LMO prior to March 1, 2010
- you have workers in the province under this LMO
- you do not have an approved retention and settlement plan
Q4: I am a Temporary Foreign Worker, how does this change affect me?
1). If your employer has already had a Recruitment and Settlement Plan approved by the SINP:
Once you have completed the eligibility requirements for nomination, you can submit your application to the Hospitality Sector Project along with a copy of your employer’s positive Labour Market Opinion (LMO) and their letter of approval from the SINP.
2). If you are working in Saskatchewan but your employer has not had a Recruitment and Settlement Plan approved by the SINP:
To be eligible for the Hospitality Sector Pilot Project, your employer must submit a Recruitment and Settlement Plan to the SINP before April 30, 2010.
You must also make sure that your work permit remains valid throughout the application process. If you will need a work permit extension, you must apply to Citizenship and Immigration Canada. Visit their website to learn more about extending work permits.
For more information about how to apply, see our Information for Applicants to the Hospitality Pilot Project.
3). If you are thinking about working in Saskatchewan, but have not arrived yet:
After April 30, 2010, all employers must have their Recruitment and Settlement Plan approved by the SINP before you begin working in Saskatchewan. Once your employer is approved, you may begin work in the province.
