Owner/Operator Work Permit

Many business owners would be dissuaded from considering Canada as an option for the location of their company if they had to go through the same work permit process as other foreign nationals.

For a successful work permit application, the positive approval of a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) is usually required, this is where the difficulty lies in the standard work permit process.

For an LMIA to be approved, an employer must usually demonstrate that attempts were made to hire a Canadian for the position the foreign worker is taking. This involves advertising in specific sources for a certain amount of time, as well as filling in a recruitment report documenting how many Canadians applied and why none of them were suitable for the role. Because of the unwillingness to hire a foreign worker for a job that a Canadian could do, these applications are scrutinized closely and can be rejected if they do not conform to the exact requirements the government employs.

Despite this, many business owners could be eligible for an Owner/Operator work permit, which would mean that it would not be necessary for them to meet the advertising requirements of the LMIA . This makes the process much easier, as it eliminates what is usually the most problematic part of the work permit application.

This work permit, therefore, provides a facilitated route that allows foreign nationals to enter the country and run their business. Most business owners would be extremely reluctant to surrender the helm of their Canadian business due to a lengthy work permit application process, meaning they would often look elsewhere to start or expand their business. Thanks to the option this permit allows business owners, this issue is effectively addressed.