Lululemon gained recognition as a Significant Investment Project. Usually, IRCC provides the designation of a Significant Investment Project if the firm begins to function in a specific province. This will eventually lead to some solid growth in the provincial labor economy. This would take place without the need to disorient Canadian jobs.
Additionally, British Columbia can easily recognize significant investment projects through Canada-British Columbia Immigration Projects. These projects will have the potential to do away with the LMIA process.
Lululemon gained recognition as a Significant Investment Project
A Canadian firm called Lululemon specializes in athletic clothing. With over 600 company-operated stores worldwide and 29,000 employees in 17 different countries, Lululemon is a developing international business.
The worldwide headquarters of Lululemon and its expanding personnel gained recognition from the federal and provincial governments. They were considered a substantial investment project under the Agreement on February 28th, 2023. Lululemon can now hire foreign workers without having to apply for an LMIA for a number of high-skilled positions.
To hire the staff it needs for a large business expansion in Vancouver, Lululemon applied for certification as a significant investment project. Per the Ministry of Municipal Affairs, the expansion will generate millions of dollars for the economy. Besides this, it will support 3,500 full-time employees throughout British Columbia. The workforce in the province will also profit from this over time. This is because highly qualified international workers will share their knowledge and skills with British Columbians.
Labour Market Impact Assessment- a brief
Any Canadian employer who seeks to hire a foreign national worker does need to get the LMIA done and submit it to the Canadian government. The primary objective of an LMIA is to verify the kind of impact foreign worker hiring might have on the Canadian economy. However, the LMIA impact could be positive or neutral, but it shouldn’t be negative. Moreover, Canadian employers will have to demonstrate that they made the possible efforts to fill in the vacancies with Canadians first. However, it is only because of the lack of appropriate Canadians for the vacant positions that they require foreign nationals.
Per the standards, those under the International Mobility Program don’t require an LMIA submission. The IMP works with the aim of spreading its social, cultural, and economic benefits.
Lululemon gained recognition as a Significant Investment Project- what about the eligibility conditions?
The Significant Investment Project allows an individual to gain eligibility for a work permit if they provide specific documents while submitting their work permit application. They’re as follows:
- A Letter of Support from the province displaying the Significant Investment Project’s name. It also shows the person’s complete birth date and name.
- The letter must also comprise details of the employer and the employment offer.
- Display that the job offer is exempt from the LMIA requirement.
Details of the former Significant Investment Projects
IRCC acknowledged the Microsoft Canada Excellence Centre as a Significant Investment Project. It is also referred to as Microsoft Vancouver and is used as a source of training and development. This also functions to execute some substantial development projects.
Microsoft Vancouver is a major investment that generates new local work possibilities. The Canada-British Columbia Immigration Accord exempts from LMIA both international trainees and key personnel who work at the global training program.
IRCC believes that:
- These interns aren’t competing with local workers or entering the Canadian labor market.
- The work that the worldwide employee conduct depends on the core staff.
