If you look forward to hosting business events in Canada, the Government of Canada is offering a work permit for business visitors who want to organize events in the province of Canada. A legal consultant can help you in entering Canada with an LMIA- exempt work permit.
A work permit is not required if the business visitor is not aiming to enter into the Canadian labor market like administrative support staff, conference delegates.
For those who are entering Canada to work, a work permit is required. Visitors can be granted a work permit through 2 main streams- International Mobility Program (IMP) and the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP).
Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) indicates to the Government of Canada that the province of Canada is left with not-so-qualified Canadian residents who are able to do a specified job. It is also obliged to show that there would be no harm to the Labor Market of Canada if foreign visitors are allowed to come to Canada to do those specified jobs. Visitors coming through the International Mobility Program (IMP) need not have an LMIA because it already offers a “significant benefit” to the economy of Canada and a few other social and cultural causes.
Let’s look at the scenarios when you require a work permit and when you don’t
Requires no work permit
- Visitors who are Organizers and Administrative support staff
If an event is being organized by a foreign organization, the organizers and administrative support staff of their team do not require a work permit because they are also included in the category of business visitors.
- Foreign organization’s event planners
Visitors working with a foreign company on a contract basis are exempted from getting a work permit, provided that their job description is similar to one of the following-
- Event accommodation Consultant
- Event Managers
- Destination marketing company worker
- Exhibit Manager
Requires work permit, no LMIA
- Setting up display- Employees working in a company will need a work permit to install booths or small standee stalls. Thus, a work permit is required but not with an LMIA.
Contact Service Providers
Contract service providers who are involved in the following activities are required to have a work permit
- Setting up and discarding the whole setup or the exhibit.
- All the work related to lighting, electrical work, carpet laying
- Decorative services include activities like audio-video management, stage setup
The visitors who are service providers and working for foreign events on a contract basis need to have a work permit. This does not necessarily require an LMIA until the supervisor is guiding its local subordinates.
The government of Canada hopes that the exhibitors engage Canadian locals for doing the labor work.
