LMIA no longer applicable ?

[Raul_Rincon]

Hello! I used to work in Vancouver Island BC (as cook), my ex-employer is trying to hire me again, she still doesn't know if she should apply for an LMIA through the foreigner worker program or through the federal skilled trades program, either way I am so afraid that this will no longer be possible since I read in a website the following information:
"As of April 30, 2015, the Temporary Foreign Worker Program uses the latest Labour Force Survey results for the unemployment rates in regions across Canada. These rates determine which regions are eligible for employers to submit Labour Market Impact Assessments (LMIAs) for low-wage/lower skilled occupations in the Accommodation and Food Services sector and the Retail Trade sector. LMIA applications for these sectors will not be processed in economic regions where the unemployment rate is 6 per cent or higher".
According to the info they posted Vancouver Island and Coast's unemployment rate is 6.1 so that means my ex-employer should not even try to apply for an LMIA anymore?
PLEASE I REALLY NEED HELP WITH THIS
THANK YOU FOR READING!

 

[Riley Haas]

Hi Raul,
That information is correct, but it applies to "low wage" jobs (which implies low skill). I seem to remember you have education and this may not apply to you. Also, if you are applying as a skilled worker, it doesn't affect you because it is only for TFWs.

Hope this helps.

Riley

 

[Raul_Rincon]

First of all, thank you as always for responding, now, I am a little confused with what "low wage" really covers, according to the website I looked at, British Columbia's Median Hourly Wage is $22 and as I said my ex-employer is trying to hire me as cook so I am positive that she is gonna pay me less than $22 per hour so that automatically gets me in the "low wage" category, doesn't it? so as you said the information I read is correct she should not waste her time applying for an LMIA in the temporary foreigner worker category, but you also said this does not affect the federal skilled workers's LMIAs, what about the "FEDERAL SKILLED TRADES PROGRAM"? can she try in this category? I qualify better for the TRADES PROGRAM than for the SKILLED WORKERS, what should my employer and I do? I hope you can give me some advice.

Thank you very much!

 

[Riley Haas]

Hi Raul,
Yes, these rules only apply to the Temporary Foreign Workers program, they do not affect either the FSW or the Federal Skilled Trades program.

As for the median wage - unfortunately what ESDC says is the median wage and what the actual median wage is are very, very, very different things. So even though the median wage in BC is unlikely to actually be $22 per hour, you have to go with what they say, regardless of how accurate it is. This is always a massive hurdle for people applying for work permits, even before the high wage/low wage streaming, simply because the government's data is inflated for some reason.

It sounds like Federal Skilled Trades is far and away your best bet.