Canadian job offers: The difference between temporary versus permanent job offers

There are essentially two types of job offers that a Canadian employer can make: a temporary job offer and a permanent job offer.

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A permanent job offer is an offer of Canadian employment that is made for indeterminate period of time. Individuals can only begin working once they receive a Canadian immigration visa.

A temporary job offer is an offer of Canadian employment that is made for a specific period of time – for example, six months or one year. In most cases, individuals can only begin working after they have received a Temporary Work Permit (TRP).

What are the advantages of a permanent job offer?

Under Express Entry, candidates who are successful in obtaining a permanent job offer supported by a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) are awarded an additional 50 or 200 points under the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS), depending on the job you’ve been offered.

Job offers with NOC codes beginning with 00 get you 200 points, which are senior management occupations. All other job offers with a NOC TEER category 0, 1, 2 or 3 get you 50 points.

Canada uses the CRS to rank skilled worker candidates who want to immigrate to Canada through Express Entry.

Although the CRS bonus points do not guarantee that a candidate will be invited to apply for permanent residence in Canada, the fact that they have obtained a qualifying job offer means that they are more likely to be issued an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for permanent residence in a subsequent draw from the Express Entry pool.

Achieving permanent residency entitles you to live and work anywhere in Canada, sponsor family members for Canadian permanent residency and gives you the opportunity to apply for Canadian citizenship after three years.

What are the advantages of a temporary job offer?

A job offer is the starting point for obtaining a Temporary Work Permit (TRP). Coming to Canada on a work permit is the quickest way to enter Canada and begin working. IRCC’s work permit processing standards are 60 days for work permit applications submitted from outside Canada.

In addition, the Canadian employer of a work permit holder can offer the individual a permanent full-time job. The new job offer will be considered arranged employment in Canada under the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP).

Arranged employment means you have a valid job offer from a Canadian employer. Having a valid job offer affects your eligibility under the FSWP and your points toward your total score in the CRS, as arranged employment is worth 15 points toward your score under the FSWP selection factors.

Can I apply for a temporary work permit and for Canadian immigration?

You can apply for permanent residence status and temporary status. Canadian immigration policy recognizes the concept of dual intent.

Dual intent refers to the simultaneous processing of an application for permanent residence and an application for temporary status, therefore demonstrating the intention to both reside in Canada permanently and only temporarily, at the same time.

Under Canadian immigration law, temporary residents must show an intent to leave Canada after their approved length of stay. However, they may also make their intent to stay in Canada as permanent residents known to Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) when applying for temporary residence.

How to identify fake job offers

Job seekers are in a vulnerable position, so it is important to protect yourself against scams and fraud. When you receive a real job offer, it will be from a company you know. Either you have applied for the position, or you were introduced to them through networking.

Some clues that may indicate that you have a fake job offer include:

• If you didn't apply for it, it's probably not real. Fake job offers are usually unsolicited. They come from companies you have not heard of or for jobs that you didn't apply for.
• They may offer a high salary, and have vague requirements that make them seem like anyone could be a good candidate (over age 18, no experience required, etc.)
• The sender's email address may be suspicious— or it may not. Legitimate business owners do use free email services like Gmail, but it is more likely that companies will have their own domain names in their email address.
• A fake recruiter may ask you to pay money in order to get the job offer. They may give you a cheque to buy supplies with, which turns out to be fake and you are left on the hook for whatever you purchased. You should not have to pay for a legitimate job offer, or do any transaction activities.
• They ask for personal information, such as your home address and your Social Insurance Number (SIN). You should never give out your SIN unless it is legally required. Employers only need your SIN after you are hired.

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