May 21, 2015 – Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) has announced a broadening of the Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) exemption category C-13 for repair personnel.
Previously, the LMIA exemption applied only to foreign nationals coming to Canada to repair industrial or commercial equipment covered by a warranty, after-sales or lease agreements. The warranty, after-sales and lease agreements requirements have been removed.
What does this mean?
Employers of repair personnel possessing specialized knowledge and skill to repair industrial and commercial equipment, who were previously excluded from the exemption, will no longer have to support an LMIA application and pay the $1000 application fee.
Instead, employers will be required to complete an Offer of Employment form and pay a $230 compliance fee, applicable to all LMIA exempt work authorizations. Repair personnel will need to show proof of payment of that fee in order to obtain a work permit at a Canadian port-of-entry.
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.