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LMO Exemption for Some Quebec CSQ Holders and Francophones

Jun 20th, 2012 On June 1, 2012, Citizenship and Immigration Canada (“CIC”) introduced two new Labour Market Opinion ("LMO") exemptions. The first is for some Certificat de sélection du Québec ("CSQ") holders. The second is for certain francophones intending to work outside of Quebec.

As well, on June 11, 2012, CIC updated its re-configuring of the U.S. processing network.  

LMO Exemption for Some CSQ Holders

Effective June 1, 2012, temporary foreign workers residing in Quebec who hold a skilled CSQ and who are waiting for a decision in regards to their applications for permanent residency will be able to renew their work permits without having to obtain LMOs.  

Such applicants must either be: 

- seeking to extend their work permit for their current employer; or

- seeking to renew their current work authorization with a new employer in the province of Quebec; or

- be a foreign student who has obtained a post-graduation work permit and has a job offer in the province of Quebec; or

- be a work permit holder through the International Experience Canada program.

The work permits will be valid for the duration of the job offer and cannot exceed two years. Only employer-specific work permits may be issued. 

Francophones Destined Outside Quebec

On June 1, 2012, CIC also announced that francophones destined to a province other than Quebec who will be working in a high skilled occupation are also exempted from the LMO requirement.


To qualify for the LMO exemption, applicants must:

- apply at a visa office outside Canada;

- have been recruited through Destination Canada or other events coordinated with the federal government and francophone minority communities;

- be going to work in an occupation which falls under National Occupational Classification 0, A or B;

- have French as their habitual language; and

- be destined to a province other than Quebec.

It is important to note that the job itself does not have to require French. There does not appear to be any limit on how many times the work permit can be renewed.

Re-Configuring the U.S. Network

In a previous newsletter, we detailed changes that CIC made to the North American processing network.  On June 11, 2012, CIC further restructured the U.S. network.

Effective June 18, 2012, the Seattle, Detroit, and New York City consulates will no longer be processing new Temporary Resident Permit ("TRP"), Criminal Rehabilitation ("Rehabilitation"), or Authorization to Return to Canada ("ARC") applications.

Only the Los Angeles and Washington D.C. consulates will process these applications.  Furthermore, applicants residing in the United States will not be able to choose which consulate to submit their application to.  

Applicants living in the United States east of the Mississippi River (including in Puerto Rico, Bermuda, and St. Pierre et Miquelon) must apply to the Washington D.C consulate. Applicants residing in the United States living west of the Mississippi River must apply to the Los Angeles consulate.

Applicants residing in Canada who need to apply for a TRP, Rehabilitation, or ARC may apply at either the Los Angeles Consulate or the Washington DC Consulate.  

As well, the Washington DC consulate will no longer process Temporary Resident Visa applications.  

The following table more clearly shows the breakdown of the new immigration duties of the US Consulates. 

New York	Los Angeles	Washington D.C.	Detroit	Seattle
Visitor Visa	Visitor Visa		Visitor Visa	Visitor Visa
Study Permit (U.S. Residents East of the Mississippi)	Study Permit (U.S. Residents West of the Mississippi)
Work Permit (U.S. Residents East of the Mississippi)	Work Permit (U.S. Residents West of the Mississippi)
	TRP (U.S. Residents West of the Missippi)	TRP (U.S. Residents East of the Mississippi)
	Rehabilitation (U.S. Residents West of the Mississippi)	Rehabilitation (U.S. Residents East of the Mississippi)
	ARC (U.S. Residents West of the Mississippi)	ARC (U.S. Residents East of the Mississippi)

Individuals with applications in processing do not need to take any steps to ensure that the processing of their applications will continue.


More information on the LMO exemption for certain CSQ holders can be found here.

More information about LMO exemption for certain Francophones can be found here.

More information about the further changes to the US processing network can be found here.


Article courtesy of Ryan Rosenberg & Steven Meurrens, Canadian Immigration Lawyers based in Vancouver BC. 


Copyright 2012 © No text or graphical material may be copied without the express written permission of Larlee Rosenberg.

Tags: immigration