LMIA Not Required for Lululemon

A week ago, IRCC (Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada) announced that lululemon, a leading brand in athletic apparels, can hire foreign workers without LMIA for multiple positions. They are now allowed to hire high-skilled workers from outside Canada for their British Columbia locations. This is a good news for the high-skilled workers outside Canada trying to immigrate to Canada with a work permit.

IRCC recognize Lululemon as a significant investment project under the Canada-British Columbia Immigration Agreement. As LMIA application cost money and time for the Canadian employers or business owners, it’s not opted by most of them to hire employees. Through this announcement IRCC not only made it easy for Lululemon but also gave a ray of hope for the other business owners accross Canada.

As an apparel giant with international footprint, Lululemon is now expanding their business from their hometown, Vancouver, British Columbia. This will require them to recruit multiple workers for various positions.

How this will help the newcomers in Canada?

Newcomers who are already in Canada as a student or on work permit (whose work permit is about to expire) can look for openings in Lululemon Vancouver locations. As no LMIA required for the job, the hiring process will be quicker and successful candidates can acquire work permits sooner.

What about the job seekers outside Canada?

Usually all employers in Canada require LMIA in order to hire a foreign worker from outside Canada. The recruiting agencies or employers are supposed to provide the proof that they have an LMIA to the job seekers in the beginning of the hiring process. Obtaining an LMIA is a lengthy process that requires time and money. Employers are often not able to go through this process if there is an immediate requirement to fill the position and so they either hire the workers from other companies for a much higher salary than they can afford or completely drop the service/product line.

Again here, as Lululemon is exempted from needing to apply for LMIA, they can hire high-skilled foreign workers from outside Canda without going through the lengthy process. They can quickly recruit workers from other countries which will help in their business development and expansion. On the other side, the high-skilled job seekers from other countries can utilize this opportunity to get a job in Canada soon and immigrate to Canada quickly.

We can Help

Are you a foreign worker looking for jobs in Canada or are you an employer looking to apply for LMIA? Please drop us a line and we can find the suitable options for you.