Work permit in Canada: Your guide to hiring with an EOR

Common challenges in securing a Canadian work permit

Securing a Canadian work permit presents several challenges, requiring a deep understanding of the country’s evolving immigration landscape. For organizations seeking to recruit international talent, navigating these complexities is essential to ensure compliance, speed, and efficiency.

Key challenges in the Canadian work permit process include:

• Canada’s immigration policies are constantly changing, requiring employers to stay updated on visa rules like Express Entry and the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP).
• Critical skill gaps in tech, healthcare, and engineering make recruitment challenging, with strict LMIA requirements proving the unavailability of Canadian talent.
• Immigration and Canadian labor market policies differ across provinces, such as Quebec’s unique immigration rules under the Quebec Skilled Worker Program.
• Work permit approvals can take months, delaying hiring plans and affecting operational timelines.
• High fees, including LMIA and legal costs, create financial burdens, especially for small and medium-sized businesses.
• Foreign credentials need validation from organizations like World Education Services (WES) or professional bodies, causing delays for regulated professions.
• High living costs in cities like Toronto and Vancouver can complicate talent relocation and integration efforts.
• Programs like the Global Talent Stream offer faster processing but require detailed knowledge of eligibility and application processes.

Partnering with an EOR emerges as a strategic solution to mitigate these complex challenges, enabling organizations to streamline work permit acquisition and ensure comprehensive compliance with Canadian immigration regulations.

Let’s take a closer look at how an Employer of Record (EOR) can simplify this intricate journey.

A step-by-step guide to procuring work permits in Canada

Navigating the complexities of Canadian work permits and immigration regulations can challenge even the most experienced HR professionals. Partnering with a well-established Employer of Record (EOR) offers a streamlined and efficient solution to manage the intricate Canadian work permit process.

Here’s a comprehensive step-by-step guide:

Step 1: Assess your hiring needs

Identify positions requiring foreign workers and confirm they qualify for a work permit. Ensure the roles align with Canada’s labor market needs and justify hiring foreign talent.

Step 2: Choose the right work permit type

Decide if the worker needs an Employer-Specific Work Permit (tied to a specific employer) or an Open Work Permit (allows work with any employer). Explore options like the Global Talent Stream for faster processing in high-demand sectors.

Step 3: Partner with an EOR

Engage an Employer of Record (EOR) to handle work permit applications, compliance, and administrative tasks. The EOR becomes the legal employer, simplifying the process.

Step 4: Submit the LMIA Application (If Required)

If an Employer-Specific Work Permit is needed, the EOR submits a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) to demonstrate the unavailability of qualified Canadian workers for the role.

Step 5: Prepare documentation for the work permit application

Gather the necessary documents, such as job offers and proof of the worker’s qualifications. The EOR ensures all documents meet Canadian immigration standards.

Step 6: Submit the work permit application

The EOR submits the work permit application to Canadian authorities, ensuring accuracy and timely submission to avoid delays.

Step 7: Monitor the application status

The EOR tracks the application’s progress, addressing any requests from immigration authorities for additional information. Once the application is approved, the worker receives their permit and can begin employment in Canada.

Step 8: Ensure ongoing compliance

The EOR manages compliance throughout the worker’s employment, handling payroll, taxes, and work permit renewals to ensure continued adherence to Canadian labor and immigration laws.

By leveraging the expertise of an EOR, businesses can overcome the challenges of navigating the Canadian work permit process. This strategic partnership streamlines hiring, ensures compliance, and allows companies to focus on what matters most: growing their team and business.

Let’s take a closer look at the key benefits of partnering with a Canadian Employer of Record for work permits.

Benefits of partnering with an EOR for Canadian work permits

Canada’s work permit landscape presents complex legal and administrative challenges. An Employer of Record (EOR), like Multiplier, offers a comprehensive solution to navigate these intricacies efficiently and strategically.

Navigating Canadian labor law complexity

An EOR like Multiplier provides expert guidance on Canada’s complex labor laws, ensuring adherence to payroll, employment regulations, and other legal requirements. This minimizes the risk of fines, legal disputes, and reputational damage.

Accelerated global talent acquisition

Multiplier streamlines the hiring process, enabling organizations to access and onboard high-caliber talent quickly and efficiently. This reduces administrative overhead and allows businesses to focus on core operations in Canada.

Optimizing workforce strategies

An EOR like Multiplier offers flexibility in hiring models, allowing organizations to engage independent contractors or full-time employees as needed. This adaptability helps businesses scale operations and respond to changing market conditions.

Elevating employee experience

Multiplier provides a seamless onboarding experience and offers competitive benefits packages tailored to the Canadian market. This improves employee satisfaction, engagement, and retention.

Cost-effective global expansion

By handling administrative tasks and compliance matters, Multiplier reduces operational costs and saves valuable time. This allows businesses to focus on strategic initiatives and achieve faster time-to-market.

An EOR like Multiplier streamlines the hiring process by reducing inefficiencies, avoiding costly errors, and simplifying compliance. Now, let’s explore how it compares to traditional methods.

Traditional work visa process vs. EOR-assisted process in Canada

Hiring talent for Canadian positions traditionally involves complex legal, administrative, and compliance tasks, requiring significant time and resources. This delays hiring and increases costs. In contrast, an Employer of Record (EOR) simplifies these challenges, providing a more efficient, compliant, and cost-effective solution.

Here’s is a comparison of both the approaches:

The EOR-assisted process minimizes the burden on businesses by handling legal entity setup, compliance, and administrative tasks. This allows companies to quickly onboard talent and focus on growth, without the headaches of managing complex immigration and payroll regulations internally.

Partnering with Multiplier for Canada work permits

Expanding into Canada doesn’t have to come with complex legal hurdles, compliance headaches, or long hiring delays. With Multiplier as your Employer of Record (EOR), you can skip the red tape and tap into Canada’s skilled workforce, all while focusing on what truly matters—growing your business.

Multiplier simplifies the entire Canadian work permit process. We ensure full compliance with immigration and labor laws while managing everything from document preparation and sponsorship to seamless onboarding. This means you can build your team without the stress of administrative overload.

Book a demo today.