What Do the New Changes to the Owner-Operator LMIA mean?

Cancellation of the Owner-Operator LMIA Program as we know it

Nearly four months after news first broke that Service Canada and IRCC were considering making substantial changes to the Owner-Operator LMIA program, Service Canada officially announced on February 18, 2021, that they plan to revise the program entirely as of April 1, 2021. Understandably, this has left many business owners scrambling to figure out where they stand โ€“ are pending applications being thrown out? Are there any other options for business owners that want to open and operate a business in Canada? What are the best alternatives to the Owner-Operator LMIA Program?

While this news went far beyond what Service Canada and IRCC were rumoured to be changing, there is hope yet!

The Owner-Operator LMIA was only one of many programs business owners can use to run their business in Canada and as we reported in November 2020, no longer the most ideal program for business owners hoping to relocate and run their businesses in Canada and get those needed 200 CRS points for their Express Entry application.

So, now, what are the alternatives to the Owner-Operator LMIA Program?

LMIA-Exempt Programs

These programs are independent of Service Canada and are less likely to change spontaneously. They are tried and tested programs that we have seen high rates of success with.

The C-11 Significant Benefit Program

The C-11 Work Permit program allows foreign entrepreneurs and investors to come to Canada and work in a Canadian company that they own that provides significant economic, social or cultural benefits to Canada. This is an LMIA exempt work permit, which means that foreign entrepreneurs can apply for a work permit to the Canadian immigration authorities without the need to secure a positive LMIA decision.ย 

The C-12 Intra-Company Transferee Program

The Intra-Company Transfer Program (ICT) is a work permit program for foreign business owners with active and successful companies already operating in their home countries. This program allows business owners to expand their businesses to Canada, transfer executive or managerial employees, or employees with specialized knowledge and provides a pathway to settle in Canada permanently.

You can find answers to your ICT-related questions in the FAQ section of our website.

Treaty-based Work Permit Programs

There are many work permit programs available to business owners from treaty countries like the USA, Mexico, Chile, Australia, Japan, Vietnam etc. These Treaties offer specialized programs to foreign business owners and entrepreneurs looking to do business in Canada. Check-in with us to see if you qualify under a Treaty to explore your options.

The LMIA Programs

The Owner-Operator LMIA Program

The Owner-Operator LMIA Program will continue to be active until April 1, 2021, and as a result, applications submitted before this date will still be considered. If your sights are firmly set on this program, there is a small window of opportunity left to apply under this program.

The Regular LMIA Stream

Business owners of Canadian companies also have the option of applying for an LMIA-backed work permit as employees of their companies. Under the regular stream, the business will need to first apply for an LMIA for the position they are hiring in, and once they receive a positive decision, they can apply for a work permit.

What about business owners already in Canada under the Owner-Operator LMIA Program?

While Service Canada hasnโ€™t announced its plans or intentions to transition the business owners that are currently in Canada under the Owner-Operator LMIA program, we expect there will be more news about this in the weeks to come. Unless they announce otherwise, this new decision will not apply retroactively, which means that valid LMIAs will continue to be valid until they expire. What you will need to keep your eye on are LMIA extensions and renewals.

Contact Us For Clear Guidance

The bottom line is, whatever path you decide to take, we will be here to see you through it.

Sobirovs Law Firmย is committed to helping our clients pick the most favourableย strategiesย through changing policiesย andย global pandemics. We work with various Canadian organizations that attract foreignย investmentย to many regions of Canada.

If you are determined to come to Canada through business immigration and have enough financial resources to do so, we will do our best to find the most suitable options for you. Weย take the extra mileย for our eligible clients.

If you are feeling uncertain about your future with these proposed program changes or if you have questions about what strategy may be best for you, donโ€™t wait,ย contact usย today and book your 1-hour Strategy Meeting with your senior immigration lawyer.

Bringing You, Your Tech Talent & Your Business To Canada

Get started and make your first step towards Canada. Book your 1-hour strategy meeting with a licensed Canadian immigration lawyer.

Immigration to Canada can be very complicated for businesses, business owners, and foreign employees. Hiring business immigration lawyers with the skill, experience, and patience is often crucial to successfully navigating this complex process. The experienced professionals at Sobirovs Law Firm offer tailored legal services in all business and corporate immigration matters. Contact us for more information on how we can help you meet your immigration needs.

We have worked with & represented clients from all walks of life. Always just one call โ€“ or click โ€“ away, weสผre happy to help you begin your & your familyสผs journey to Canada.

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Our Clients Sayโ€ฆ

Yemi Okunbor
Yemi Okunbor
From the initial consultation to the successful acquisition of my permanent resident card, the entire process was seamless and stress free.A big thank you to the entire Sobirovs team, especially Yulia, and Farouk. They demonstrated exceptional expertise and professionalism throughout, guiding me with precision and clarity. Their commitment to providing personalized and thorough assistance made a significant impact on my overall experience. Thank you, Sobirovs law firm for your exceptional service and for making my journey to permanent residency a smooth and gratifying experience.
Kenneth Leong
Kenneth Leong
I must say that SOBIROVS has an excellent team to guide us to getting our work permits approved. I want to personally thank Feruza, Judy, Owen and Medina in getting us "pass the gates". Not to mention the entire team that is behind the scene. My family and I are deeply grateful for their excellent work and professional advice. A special thanks to Ms Judy for her untiring dedication to making this opportunity a reality for my family and I. We have full confidence in Feruza and her team and I will continue to use their services for the next step of our application for PR status later on.
Siarhei Vasilyeu
Siarhei Vasilyeu
My family (5) have chosen Sobirovs for our ICT visa application, and now we confidently recommend them! Right from the start you will be assigned a special team within their firm who will be busy with your plans, needs and documents. The process is organized very efficiently, what is crucial when you run your own business on your side. Once the documents submitted to IRCC, the pre-submission team entrust your case to post-submission group, who monitor the progress and keep you constantly updated what's going on with the case. As a result, our ICT application was approved in just several weeks from submission, just wooow. Thank you and thumbs up for Monique, Mariam, Owen, Madina, and Ms. Feruza who was our lead lawyer. Sobirovs is your smart choice, they know how to do the rest.
Muzammil Habib
Muzammil Habib
I would like to thanks Sobirovs Law Firm team especially Monique, Mariiam Jamal, Owen and Ms. Feroza. They done a great job and help me to get ICT work permit. Their team work was excllent and they worked professionally. Here I would like to present my special thanks for Monique who communicated with me nicely. She respond me quickly whatever I have questions in my mind. She is so nice I like her working style. In the end I can say that all of them are really professional. Thanks for all this. Hope to see you soon.
Rahul C
Rahul C
Exceptional service of the utmost quality and professionalism. I extend my heartfelt gratitude to the entire team, with special acknowledgments to Nity, Judy, Feruza, Owen, and Medina, for their invaluable assistance in securing the approval of my application. I am sincerely appreciative of the outstanding service and unwavering support provided. This is by far the best immigration law firms in Canada who work with complete transparency.
Ulugbek Holmatov
Ulugbek Holmatov
Great job ๐Ÿ‘๐Ÿ‘๐Ÿ‘๐Ÿ‘ Great leader, Rakhmad Sobirov for his leadership skills and great managers: Feruza, Monique, Mariam, Owen, Madina for their respective professionalism ๐Ÿ‘Œ๐Ÿ‘Œ๐Ÿ‘Œ Well organized and professional law team for Canadian immigration. I really enjoyed with my Canadian business visa process. I really appreciate Sobirovs Law firm for their great service and experience. P.S.: This law firm was selected by Our company among top 5 law firms for Canadian business immigration process Great successes๐ŸŽ‰
Thomas Bulmer
Thomas Bulmer
Mariam, Monique and the team have been great to work with. Sobirov's has helped a number of our team members identify, apply for and get granted the necessary visas for us to set up our Canadian enterprise. Recommend.
Jason Tsarouhas
Jason Tsarouhas
Mariam and her team have helped us migrate our entire workforce from Australia to Canada. We couldn't have been more prepared by the time we made it to the border. The team were accessible, informative and detail orientated which is exactly what you want when you have stresses of moving your company and life to the other side of the world! A HUGE thank you to the team for their efforts so far and future work we'll be doing together! Jason, Learning Online!
Victor Arakaki
Victor Arakaki
We're incredibly grateful for the fantastic work done by the entire Sobirovs team!. While our work permit application had its share of challenges, Feruza, an outstanding lawyer with extensive expertise in business immigration, played a pivotal role. Her leadership and guidance were so important in getting our Work Permits approval. We must also acknowledge the exceptional contributions of Judy Lee, Nitty, Monique, Rachel and the rest of the team who supported us on this journey. It's clear that we'll continue to entrust Feruza and her team with any of our future legal needs. We have full confidence in Feruza and her team and highly recommend their services.
Hardik Vyas
Hardik Vyas
Rating: โญโญโญโญโญ I cannot express enough how impressed and satisfied I am with Sobirovs Law Firm's immigration services. Their professionalism and extensive knowledge in the field of immigration are truly outstanding. We recently applied for an ICT (Intra-Company Transfer) application, and to our amazement, we received a decision within just two months from the date of application. This prompt and efficient service reflects the exceptional quality of Sobirovs' work. I would like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to Feruza, Mariam, Monique, Owen, and the entire post-submission team who guided us through every step of the application process. Their dedication, expertise, and willingness to assist were invaluable throughout the entire journey. We are now filled with excitement as we embark on our new journey, thanks to Sobirovs Law Firm's assistance. Without a doubt, we will be relying on their services for all our future matters related to permanent residency or immigration services. I wholeheartedly recommend Sobirovs Law Firm to anyone seeking top-notch immigration assistance. Their commitment to their clients and their ability to deliver results is truly commendable. Thank you, Sobirovs, for making our dreams a reality!

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