Canadian Work Permits 101 - What Do HR Professionals Need To Know?

There are really only two questions that HR professionals have when it comes to hiring foreign nationals in Canada:

1. Do I need to go to the trouble of getting a work permit?
2. How long will it take to get a work permit?

There are four common routes for a foreign national to come to Canada: as a business visitor; under the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) professional category work permit; an intra-company transfer work permit; and a work permit based on a positive Labour Market Opinion (LMO). There are other options; however, they are less frequently used and more complex in terms of processing. It is important to consider the qualifications of the foreign national, the specific goals of a particular project or assignment in Canada and the broader goals of the employer.