Effective April 1, 2021, an “owner/operator” (foreign entrepreneur having a controlling interest in the Canadian business, at least 50.1% of the shares) willing to come and manage the business in Canada will be required to offer this job to qualified Canadians or permanent residents first.
Thus, Service Canada/ESDC [the Department of Employment and Social Development of Canada] removed the exemption (i.e., “variation: no advertisement or recruitment is required”). ESDC made it mandatory for all Owner/Operator LMIA applications to conduct reasonable efforts to hire Canadians and permanent residents before offering a job to a foreign worker.
