Processing of visa for Canada-bound workers

The Canadian Embassy in Manila has provided guidelines on the issuance of visas for temporary work permits for those intending to work in Canada. To facilitate processing of applications, the Embassy has encouraged applicants to take note of the requirements on the list below. Processing of applications will be on a “first come, first served" basis. Tips to facilitate processing of temporary work permit applications: • Visa applicants are encouraged to provide as much information as possible on the following:

* Mode of recruitment – whether the worker was recruited through a recruitment agency or through relatives or contacts; * Mode of selection – whether the worker was selected through an interview, written examination, or any other procedures; * Steps taken to verify the worker’s level of competency in education, experience and of the English language; and * Type of compensation the worker will receive.

• The embassy requires applicants to submit a National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Clearance. But processing of NBI Clearance with notation No Criminal Record may take a longer time as the notation indicates some concerns. • Applicants must pass an Immigration Medical Examination at a designated clinic prior to the issuance of a temporary work permit. The medical examination request is normally made at the same time with the visa application. The timing does not mean the visa application is approved. • Work permit application costs CDN$150 (roughly P 6, 768) and the Embassy prefers payment in Canadian dollars. The amount is not refundable in case of visa denial. • Applicants should provide evidence that they will return to the Philippines. Applicants who have been unemployed for several years, single and has close relatives in Canada might be a cause for concern. However, a relative in Canada certainly would not bar acceptance of an application. • Both Filipino and Canadian workers get same wages for same jobs, otherwise employers could be charged for violating Canadian human rights legislation. • Processing of the labor market opinion (LMO) by the Human Resources and Social Development in Canada and of the Work Permit by the Canadian Embassy in Manila can be done at the same time for applicants with skills level A, B, or O (high-skilled areas). Only the Embassy issues work permit and only after receipt of the LMO. An application maybe refused if the Embassy does not receive the LMO within 90 days. • Workers applying under the Temporary Foreign Workers in Occupations Under Pressure Program will only be allowed to work for two years in Canada. • The Embassy encourages employers to consider the following criteria during the selection process:

* Philippine High School Level has only the equivalent of 10 years high school in Canada. In order to have the equivalent of Canadian High School, completion of an additional two years of studies is necessary. * Applicants must speak English or French enough to perform the job required and to function in Canadian society. * If the applicant fails on language, or education and/or experience, the employer must submit a letter stating the reasons why the worker is essential for the employer’s business operations. * The employer shoulders the worker’s travel cost, which should not be recovered from the worker. Employers must ensure that there are no recruitment fees paid by the worker to any recruitment agencies.

Source: Philippine Overseas Employment Administration, Avisory No. 25 Series of 2007