As previously reported on this blog, the Labour Market Opinion exemption for Information Technology workers ended on September 30th. However, Citizenship and Immigration Canada (“CIC”) advised British Columbia and Quebec employers that they will continue to be exempt from the LMO requirement. In British Columbia, the exemption will last until September 30, 2011. In Quebec it will last until further notice.
In British Columbia, employers are now required to notify Service Canada and the Ministry of Advanced Education and Labour Market Development of their intention to hire temporary foreign workers in one seven IT occupations. After notification has been made, the foreign worker can apply for a work permit without having to obtain an LMO.
The seven IT positions that remain LMO-exempt in British Columbia and Quebec are:
- Senior Animation Effects Editor
- Embedded Systems Software Designer
- MIS Software Designer
- Multimedia Software Designer
- Software Developer – Services
- Software Products Developer
- Telecommunications Software Designer
On January 5, 2011, CIC announced a change in the salary range for British Columbian and Quebec companies wishing to hire foreign workers in one of the above listed positions. A work permit will not be issued unless the prospective foreign worker’s salary is in line with the following salary ranges:
| 1997 — Salary Range | 2010 — Salary Range* | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Job Title |
Low | High | Low | High |
| Senior Animation Effects Editor | $65,000 | $100,000 | $85,000 | $130,000 |
| Embedded Systems Software Designer | $45,000 | $95,000 | $60,000 | $120,000 |
| MIS Software Designer | $45,000 | $95,000 | $60,000 | $120,000 |
| Multimedia Software Designer | $35,000 | $80,000 | $45,000 | $100,000 |
| Software Developer – Services | $40,000 | N/A | $50,000 | N/A |
| Software Products Developer | $45,000 | $95,000 | $60,000 | $120,000 |
| Telecommunications Software Designer | $45,000 | $95,000 | $60,000 | $120,000 |
For the purposes of processing, the change in salary criteria will come into effect on February 1, 2011.