Dreaming of a life framed by the towering peaks of the Rockies, the lush forests of the coast, or the thriving, cosmopolitan streets of Vancouver? 🌲🌊🏙️ British Columbia, Canada’s westernmost province, offers a uniquely diverse range of experiences – and your journey could start here, today.
1. Securing a Work Permit: If you’re a non-Canadian aspiring to work in B.C., your first step is usually securing a valid work permit. This is the golden ticket, giving you official permission to join the thriving workforce of B.C. There are certain situations where you could be eligible for an open work permit even without a job offer, freeing you up to explore and seize diverse opportunities.
2. Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA): If an open work permit isn’t feasible, fret not. Your journey to B.C. can still be achieved with a job offer from an employer. However, the employer must receive a positive LMIA, showing no Canadian citizens or permanent residents are available to fill the job. Once they have the positive LMIA, they’re free to recruit you as a temporary foreign worker.
3. The Need for a Visitor Visa: In addition to the work permit, you may also need a visitor visa to enter Canada. This visa will give you the ability to explore the beauty of Canada while working.
4. Rights in B.C.: As a temporary foreign worker in B.C., you’ll be treated with the same respect and have access to the same rights as any local resident. This ensures a fair, respectful, and rewarding work environment.
5. Getting a Social Insurance Number (SIN): This nine-digit number is your key to work in Canada and avail of government programs and benefits. Keep this number confidential and secure.
6. Extending Your Work Permit: Is your current work permit nearing expiry but you’re not ready to leave? No worries! Apply for an extension at least 30 days before it expires. However, remember that your work permit can’t extend beyond the expiry date of your passport.
7. Employer-specific Work Permits: If your job is extended, your current job changes, or if you have a new job offer, you’ll need to apply to extend or amend your work permit.
8. Open Work Permits: If you currently hold an open work permit, you may be able to extend it, given that you’re still eligible to work in Canada.
9. Transitioning to Permanent Residency: If you’ve fallen in love with B.C. and want to make your stay permanent, there are several options available. From the BC Provincial Nominee Program for skilled and semi-skilled workers and international graduates to the federal Express Entry system, your dream of permanent residence in Canada can become a reality.
Follow us at @immigration2c for more information on #CanadaImmigration and step-by-step guidance on how to make British Columbia your new home. 🇨🇦🍁🌍