Quebec adds 65 new in-demand jobs to its occupation list

It is well-known that Quebec is the only province among all the ten Canadian provinces that have been granted autonomy, allowing it to administer its own immigration process and has a different set of eligibility criteria for immigrants. Recently, it has been noted that due to the ongoing pandemic restrictions, there has been a significant drop in the number of efficient, skilled workers in certain industries.

To minimize this difference, Quebec and the Government of Canada have signed an agreement in August of 2021 which allows a larger number of occupations to benefit from the facilitated Labor Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) processes under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program. Consequently, on 27th May 2022, Quebec added 65 in-demand occupations that enable it to hire temporary skilled workers through a much simpler process to fill various vacant positions in diverse occupations.

Until late February 2022, the list included 222 occupations, updated to 287 targeted occupations. Out of these 65 jobs, 60 professions, added in 2022, come under the Level C of the National Occupation Classification (NOC) list. In other words, they are entry-level positions and require only a high-school diploma or on-job experience.

Usually, the facilitated LMIA list is updated once every year, on February 24. Even the occupations on this list are generally highly skilled positions. As a result, the facilitated process to be followed now will remain the same as a regular LMIA application with some differences for Quebec employers.

The differences are as follows:

• Employers hiring skilled immigrants do not need to provide proof that they are making recruiting efforts to fill in vacant positions. But, they are encouraged by the province to hire a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident.
• Normally, employers have to submit a transition plan. Now, it is required for the first application for an occupation in a particular location. It has to be submitted only for the second occupation and location.
• The applications for facilitated LMIAs have to be approved by federal and provincial authorities. Therefore, it is necessary to submit the applications to both the Department of Social Development and the Ministère de l’Immigration, de la Francisation et de l’intégration (MIFI).
• The wages of the temporary foreign laborers must be consistent with those paid to Canadians and permanent residents.
• Moreover, if the position to be filled is covered by a collective agreement, the employer must pay the rate mentioned in the agreement, along with benefits offered to Canadians and permanent residents.

Have a look at the new occupations that were added to the facilitated LMIA list along with their NOC codes:

So, if you are interested in moving to Canada, take this opportunity and book a free consultation with IELTSMaterial GIS to know more details.