Job Alliance provides a turnkey service allowing you to focus on your daily tasks, rather than immersing yourself in the complex foreign recruitment process for which our experts are trained. However, you are required to get involved to some extent along the way to complete the process. For example, the employer should be more closely involved with the employee’s integration into the company, which will ensure better worker retention in the long term. To learn more about the integration work required, read our blog article on the topic.

Whether hiring a temporary or permanent worker, the employer must comply with certain obligations. For example, you must ensure that your foreign workers have their work permits and that they respect their hiring conditions. At the same time, your business must remain active during the permit term, meet its commitments to the employee, and provide a healthy work environment. A complete list of employer responsibilities is available here.

The work permit is granted for the position specifically indicated in the initial permit application. Therefore, it is impossible to change position within this permit period. However, it is possible to apply for another job title upon permit renewal. A wage increase is permitted at any time during the permit period.

This is a very good question that is very frequently asked. Unfortunately, there is no simple answer, since it depends on certain factors, such as the external professional services you retain to assist you throughout this process (custom or turnkey), the type of position to be filled (high or low wages), the number of workers you want to hire, and sometimes the country of origin.

For more information on the subject, read our blog article on the subject or contact us for a free, no-obligation quote.

Absolutely. If the foreign worker’s performance is unsatisfactory and they do not perform the tasks stipulated in their contract, you have two options: provide them with the required notice or pay them an indemnity. The offices governing employment standards in each specific province can provide further information about this.

In addition, you should know that Job Alliance offers a three-month candidate replacement guarantee if the candidate is terminated, and six months in the case of a voluntary departure. This guarantee, which greatly reduces your investment risk, is offered at a reasonable cost for a single hiring, and is offered for free in the case of multiple hires.

The average duration of the work permit is 24 months. Since the permit is directly related to your business, the foreign worker cannot change employers. In addition, the worker may apply to renew the permit for a supplemental period before the end of the current period. Lastly, if they meet the government’s criteria, the worker can apply for permanent residence, which, if granted, will enable them to work for your company for many more years! Many employers have found that these workers are very loyal to the company that gave them this invaluable opportunity for a better quality of life.

The worker’s wages depend on several factors. For example as a first step for requests made in Quebec, your application will be examined by the Quebec Ministry of Immigration, Diversity and Inclusion. They check whether the proposed wages correspond to the wages of a Quebec worker in the same job category with a similar level of experience.

If the job you are offering is covered by a collective agreement or a decree, the salary must comply with the provisions therein. Otherwise, the Ministry will refer to the official document from Emploi Québec (article in French only) to establish the hourly wage.

Finally, the same labour standards rules or the collective agreement apply to the foreign worker.

Before a candidate is selected, we conduct an exhaustive study of the candidate’s deep motivations in order to ensure that they are serious and will fulfill the requirements.

It is important to know that foreign workers are eager to immigrate to improve their quality of life. When they are selected, they feel very privileged. This recognition makes them loyal and dedicated employees, and they develop a strong sense of belonging to their adopted company.

During the process of obtaining work permits, we will organize language-learning workshops so that the selected candidates can perfect their language skills before they arrive in our country. Once the hiring is complete and the legal documents have been obtained, we begin the steps related to getting the candidate to Canada and getting them established here. This includes purchasing their airline tickets, furniture
and clothing appropriate for the season, as well as helping them with their first visit to the grocery store, etc.

When workers arrive on Canadian soil, a Job Alliance representative will greet them at the airport, as well as help them apply for private health insurance and a Social Insurance Number (SIN), open a bank account, get telephone service, etc.

Lastly, the employer will help newcomers learn about their host city, the company, and local customs and traditions, which is a key step to ensure a positive integration experience.

Although we recruit mainly in countries in which French or English is the second language, the language skills vary from one country to another and from one candidate to another. However, we do make sure that the candidate arrives with a basic knowledge. We provide 250 hours of second language classes to workers before they arrive in Canada. Lastly, employers who wish to do so may invite their workers to take a French or English developmental program (usually provided free of charge by the government, if required). For more information about the different language training and education provided, check out the following links:

In Quebec

• https://www.immigration-quebec.gouv.qc.ca/en/french-language/learning-quebec/index.html
• https://coursdefrancais.ca/en/francization/

Elsewhere in Canada

• https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/new-immigrants/new-life-canada/improve-english-french/classes.html

We know that managing many documents and official forms is cumbersome and complex for any manager not specialized in international recruitment. Fortunately, our experts are trained in this field. They will handle the entire process, so you have peace of mind. With respect to pre-employment documentation, the employer’s responsibility is limited to completing a web form, provided by Job Alliance, which collects all the information required to begin the process.

It depends on the level of support that the international recruitment firm provides you. At Job Alliance, we offer a turnkey foreign worker hiring service, because we know that the foreign worker recruitment process can be arduous and tedious for those uninitiated in immigration, in addition to requiring a considerable time commitment. In order to optimize the process and enable you to focus on your day-to-day tasks, Job Alliance’s legal and immigration experts will handle all the steps leading up to the temporary foreign worker’s arrival, from identifying your workforce needs, to hiring and helping the worker establish themselves in our country. Only certain steps require the employer’s involvement. You will find the details of the responsibilities of each one in our blog article on the subject.

In order to hire a foreign worker, you must validate their eligibility for the various employment and immigration programs and ensure that they meet all the criteria, in particular by ensuring that a local worker cannot fill the job. Once the criteria are met, the applications approved and the permits obtained, thanks to Job Alliance’s help, all you have to do is prepare for their arrival.

The process of hiring a temporary foreign worker is quite complex and time- consuming for anyone who does not specialize in immigration. Beyond human resources, it entails of a host of administrative and legal steps that require the expertise of legal and immigration specialists. Read our blog article “What is the process to hire a foreign worker” for a summary of these steps, as well as our article “What are the employer’s responsibilities in the temporary foreign worker hiring process?” for more information on the subject.

When foreign worker recruitment specialists who know how to submit the right applications immediately handle the process, there is less delay. In this case, it takes about 10 months, a timeframe due primarily to government processes. *Considering the quality of the candidates and the candidate retention guarantee (usually applicable for the initial 24 months of the permit, plus renewal possibilities), the wait is well worth the effort. Moreover, when considering the financial losses generated by a vacant position and the high turnover rate among local workers, it is not surprising that hiring foreign workers is the best solution.

Are you sceptical about the profitability of hiring foreign labour? Check out the next page, it will convince you otherwise.

* This period is subject to change based on any changes to government policies and how busy the various government agencies are at the time of processing.

All positions must be assessed against different criteria, including the existing shortage, region and type of industry. However, the types of employment in the Temporary Foreign Worker Program can be grouped into four major categories:

•  Low wage
• High wage
• Agricultural
• International talent

Job Alliance specializes in high wage jobs, and sometimes also handles mandates for low-wage positions. Please consult these links for a summary of each program’s requirements:

TFWP – Low wage: https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/services/foreign-workers/median-wage/low/requirements.html

TFWP – High wage: https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/services/foreign-workers/median-wage/high/requirements.html

TFWP – International talent: https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/services/foreign-workers/global-talent/requirements.html

TFWP – Agricultural: https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/services/foreign-workers/agricultural/agricultural.html

For more information on high and low wage jobs, check out our blog post called:

“Demystifying the kinds of jobs that can be filled by foreign workers au Québec”

Contact us to check if your vacant positions are eligible for any part of the Temporary
Foreign Worker Program (TFWP).