It’s a big win for Filipino workers when the Government of Canada recently announced a pilot program launched to streamline the work permit processing for Canadian employers recruiting in the Philippines. Canada’s Minister of Immigration, the Honourable Marc Miller announced a pilot program known as CANWORK Philippines. This pilot program will streamline work permit processing for eligible Canadian employers and will allow employers to schedule group appointments for medical examinations and biometrics for potential employees. This will fast-track the processing of work permit applications for Filipinos.
In an interview with Nelson Rodriguez, owner of several fast foods including Edo Japan, Potato Corner, Cha Time, and Opa Greek, he was pleased with the announcement. Rodriguez is happy but disappointed that the food service sector has been excluded from the announcement.
The pilot is open to Canadian employers recruiting from the Philippines and hiring approximately 50 or more workers, or for critical occupations in sectors such as health care, construction, and agri-food. Rodriguez claimed that the fast-food sector is the second largest employer in Canada and that this sector has the biggest need for foreign workers.
Filipinos who receive a job offer from an employer in Canada are required to undergo biometrics and medical examinations as part of the processing of their work permit application. Booking appointment for biometrics and medical exam at times will cause delay in their immigration application to work in Canada. With this pilot, this will shorten the processing time.
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada or IRCC, is providing $200,000 dollars Canadian to the International Organization for Migration or IOM to support the adoption of fair and ethical recruitment standards in the Philippines. The funding will help the IOM to work closely with the Philippine Government, conduct training sessions, and promote IOM’s fair and ethical recruitment due diligence toolkit to organizations that are either involved or have an interest in recruiting talent in the country.
IRCC is aggressively conducting an ongoing campaign on its social media accounts warning Filipinos of fraudulent job offers. Kababayans are strongly advised to verify if the job offer is genuine and from a valid employer in Canada. Applicants should not pay a fee to obtain a job interview or job offer and to always check the source of information from IRCC only.
If you have questions regarding the above article, you may contact Marjorie at [email protected]
Source: Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC)
A word of caution: You should not act or rely on the information provided in this column. It is not a legal advice. To ensure your interests are protected, retain, or formally seek advice from a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant (RCIC) in good standing of CICC. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of RCIC’s.
