Hiring Internationally

How hiring international candidates works.

Hiring from outside Canada follows a defined process, with government requirements at every stage. This page covers why employers choose this route, and what the process generally involves.

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Why hire internationally

When local hiring isn't enough.

Most employers turn to international hiring after they've already tried to fill a role locally - not instead of it. It's a solution for positions that stay open too long, roles in industries with chronic labour shortages, or specialized skills that are hard to find in your region.

Hiring internationally isn't a shortcut. It's a regulated process with real timelines, real costs and real obligations - but for many Central Alberta employers, it's the difference between an empty position and a filled one.

The two main paths

Two ways to hire from outside Canada.

Which one fits depends on the role, the timeline, and how quickly you need someone working.

Hiring someone who isn't in Canada yet

Temporary Foreign Worker Program

You've identified a role you can't fill locally, and you want to bring in a specific worker from outside Canada. This path requires proving you tried to hire locally first, then getting government approval to hire from abroad before the worker can apply for a work permit.

Supporting someone already working for you toward permanent residency

Retention pathway

This applies when you have a foreign worker already in Canada - on a work permit, as a graduate, or through another temporary status - and you want to help them (and your business) plan for the long term. This path is about retention: keeping a good employee by supporting their move toward permanent status.

Employers often need both paths at different points - the first to bring someone in, and the second once that person has proven themselves and you want to keep them.

The general process

What the process involves.

At a high level, hiring internationally follows five stages.

1

Show you searched across Canada first

Before you can hire from abroad, you generally have to show you tried to recruit locally first and couldn't fill the role.
2

Get approved to hire from outside Canada

This is where government authorization comes in. The specific requirements depend on the role, wage and location - this is where a licensed immigration professional matters.
3

The worker applies for their permit

Once you have approval, the candidate applies to come to Canada. This step is on their side, but delays here affect your timeline too.
4

The worker arrives and starts

Travel, arrival and onboarding.
5

Ongoing obligations once they're on staff

Wage requirements, working conditions and record-keeping don't end once the worker starts. Employers stay accountable for the terms they committed to.

The exact steps and timelines vary depending on the pathway and the role. This page gives the shape of the process - the specifics are worked out with a licensed immigration professional.

Key terms and programs

The words you'll keep running into.

Every one of these turns up in government forms and consultant conversations. Open the ones you need.

LMIA (Labour Market Impact Assessment)

A government decision confirming that hiring a foreign worker will not negatively affect the Canadian labour market. In practice it is the approval you need before hiring from abroad, and it is why the local-search step comes first.

Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP)

The program used when you need an LMIA to hire someone from outside Canada. This is the route for roles you have genuinely been unable to fill locally.

International Mobility Program (IMP)

The umbrella for work permits that do NOT need an LMIA - intra-company transfers, CUSMA professionals, post-graduation work permits and others. Worth checking first, because it is faster and usually cheaper.

Francophone Mobility

An LMIA-exempt stream for hiring French-speaking workers from outside Canada, covering most NOC TEER 0–5 roles. One of the quickest routes if your candidate qualifies.

Alberta Advantage Immigration Program (AAIP)

Alberta's provincial nominee program. Its worker, entrepreneur and agriculture streams support employer-driven hiring and can form part of a route to permanent residency.

Not sure which path fits your role?

Connect with a licensed immigration professional to learn how they can help and find the international hiring pathway that's right for you.

Find an Immigration Professional

Work Central Alberta does not provide immigration advice. We refer you to a licensed professional regulated to advise on your file.

Two main pathways

LMIA vs. LMIA-Exempt

Foreign workers generally come to Canada through one of two routes, each with its own eligibility requirements.

LMIA-based work permits

For roles where no Canadian citizen or permanent resident is available to fill the position, employers can apply for a Labour Market Impact Assessment to hire a foreign worker. This path involves demonstrating the recruitment effort and getting government approval before the worker can apply for their permit.

LMIA-exempt streams

Certain hires, such as those under international trade agreements, intra-company transfers, or specific mobility programs do not require an LMIA. These streams exist for defined categories of workers and employers, and eligibility depends on meeting the specific criteria of the program rather than proving a labour shortage.

Special programs

Programs built for Central Alberta employers.

Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) - Agricultural Stream

LMIA-based work permits for roles in primary agriculture, food processing, and related occupations facing chronic local shortages. This is the pathway most Central Alberta employers in agriculture and food processing rely on when the local labour pool can't fill a role.

Alberta Advantage Immigration Program (AAIP)

Alberta's provincial nominee program. Employer-driven streams (including the Alberta Opportunity Stream) let employers support a foreign worker already on staff, including many already working under an LMIA-based permit, toward permanent residency - helping retain trained employees long-term.

Francophone Mobility

An LMIA-exempt pathway for hiring French-speaking foreign workers. Particularly relevant for Central Alberta meat and food processing employers given the strength of the francophone candidate pool in this sector.

The mandatory job-post filters

Tell international candidates exactly what's possible.

When you post a role, our builder makes two filters mandatory so international job seekers can self-select. It dramatically reduces unqualified applies.