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What questions will Service Canada ask during the interview for the Canadian employer’s LMIA application, both high wage and low wage stream? They have a list of questions they are trained to ask depending on the type of position, application, and other factors. Today we will be covering these questions as a tool to prepare you for the Service Canada LMIA application interview. We will also include some bonus tips on how to make sure you don’t make any ‘beginner’ mistakes in the way you speak with the Service Canada officer over the phone.
Keep in mind that not all employers will be interviewed over the phone for their application, depending on the size of the company, whether previous LMIA applications were approved or refused, location, and industry & occupation on the application. Keep in mind that agricultural and some other specific low wage labour intensive industries won’t be interviewed if they have already had previously approved LMIA applications, unless there is a red flag or discrepancy on the current application that you have submitted.
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The Service Canada officer’s goal is to determine these key points during the interview:
1) if your need to hire a temporary foreign worker is genuine or not.
2) If hiring this temporary foreign worker would take jobs away from Canadians or Permanent
residents of Canada.
Here are some of the general introductory questions they start with over the call no matter if it’s a high wage or low wage position:
Are you the one who signed the application?
What is the mailing address? Phone number?
Can I have your CRA number?
How many locations do you have under this CRA?
What is your representative’s name? phone number?
Who posted the job ads?
What is the legal name of your business?
Tell me about your business. Hint: They are looking for keywords based on the application and job ad.
What is the total number of employees on payroll under this CRA number?
Were any employees laid off in the last 12 months? What was the reason?
What is the reason for your request to hire a TFW?
Where will the TFW be working? Hint: Please note you cannot include ANY other location for work for the TFW if it was not stated in the job advertisement. Stick to one location if your ad stating the one address.
For how many hours a week? What is overtime pay? After how many hours? Hint: Stick to the same answers as the LMIA application (no deviation).
Do you have other foreign workers on payroll?
Do you have staff in that same role currently on your payroll? How many / How much are you paying them?
Is the TFW working for you now in Canada? Hint: They will ask this question if you have a foreign worker’s name mentioned already on the LMIA application
Please break down this position for me: title, job responsibilities, pay per hour, skills required.
Who was doing this job previously? (If no existing employee works this position)
What days/hours will they be working for your company?
How much are you paying with the same skills and years of experience in the same occupation?
Did the existing TFW apply under this job post? (i.e. how did you find them) [applicable if it’s not a no-name LMIA]
Who is handling your existing [Open Position] role?
What is the justification of why somebody with less experience or lower education cannot fulfill the requirements for this position? For example, if you had posted a job advertisement that requested a Masters degree for candidates to qualify for this position, you need to justify this requirement. Tip: They will challenge you to why you need ‘X’ years work experience for this position. You need to justify it in detail – no generalizations or vague info.
If you stated that the hiring of this TFW will lead to hiring of additional Canadians (i.e. 2 stated on your LMIA application), please have the following answers ready for this question: When/timeline to hire – what positions, etc.
What if you [the employer] cannot convert this applicant (TFW) to PR? Hint: Discuss your transition plan over the next [2] years to be less dependent on TFWs.
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Did the existing TFW apply under this job post? (i.e. how did you find them) [applicable if it’s not a no-name LMIA]
How much will they be paid overtime? Any other benefits? -> Stick to the same answers as the LMIA application (no deviation).
Will you provide accommodation for the TFW? If not, how will you assist?
Will you pay for their round-trip airfare?
Who is handling your existing _____ activities (related to this position)? Why do you need a TFW for this when someone is already handling these responsibilities?
What is the justification of why somebody with less experience cannot fulfill the requirements for this position? (if applicable) They will challenge you to why you need ___ years work experience for this position. You need to justify it in detail – no generalizations or vague info.
* They will challenge you to why you need ‘X’ years work experience for this position. You need to justify it in detail – no generalizations or vague info.
* At any point officers may ask if there are opportunities for Canadian co-op students, fresh graduates, internships, short-term summer jobs. Do give a positive answer to this [not applicable for senior positions]
* They might ask you if there is training provided for this position. (not for Senior positions). You must make sure to state that the training will be in the same location stated on the LMIA application and job ad (no other temporary location – if it’s applicable)
* Please note you cannot include ANY other location for work for the TFW if it was not stated in the job advertisement. Stick to one location if your ad stated the one address.
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Does the TFW need any sort of certification/licensing, registration to do this work?
What is the duration of the employment you intend to offer this TFW?
What sort of skills/experience do they need for this job?
If the foreign worker is not covered by the provincial/territorial health care from the day of arrival in Canada, will you pay for equivalent private health insurance until the TFW is eligible?
How many Canadians/PR applied?
How many Canadians/PR were interviewed for this role?
Why were they not hired? – provide details and justifications
Tip: Have detailed notes available on each of the interviewed candidates to justify how they did not meet the specific skill sets required for this position. You can mention that you have the notes available (documented) if they would like to see it.
* They will often ask you for the same information but rephrased into different questions. This is to ensure you respond with the same information. IT IS OKAY TO SOUND LIKE A BROKEN RECORD. (i.e. responding the same way over and over based on the question of the officer). This is acceptable and normal for interviews.
* Do not become defensive.
* Do not show any attachment to the designated tfw.
* Do not compare any of the candidates – only focus on THE skill set required to successfully perform all the tasks of this position”. You can compare the candidate against the job description only and skills listed on the advertisement used for recruitment.
* Do not use the words “ prefer” , “better” , “did not like” , “attitude” , “ punctual” , “I had a feeling” , “rude” , “uncertain” etc. Only concentrate on the facts and remove any of your biases or personal preferences on candidates.
* When the agent asks about the Canadian candidates interviewed, you can describe the top candidates as “they had good skill sets but the individual did not have all the skills required by our company to successfully perform all the tasks of this position”
* You can mention during your responses to questions about the interview candidates that you have your documented notes regarding each candidate that was interviewed.
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* “The other candidates had good skills sets, but….[same as above]”
* “This is a big commitment from our company for a permanent PR position to be offered to a TFW, but to grow our company in the next 2 years and recruit and train more Canadians while we grow, it is a position that is required to be filled with the correct skill sets. Otherwise, we won’t be able to grow”
* “We advertised on top platforms and paid a premium to make sure we target the most qualified Canadian candidates for this position.”
* “We are happy and look forward to being able to recruit in the long run from the local Canadian labour market.”
* “Considering the company's challenges in hiring qualified labour, we are planning to offer this permanent position to allow our company to grow, recruit and train Canadians locally.”
* “Canadian candidates who were interviewed, the most qualified one was invited for a 2nd interview but received another job offer.”
* “Our company requires a candidate that meets the skill sets for this senior position. The candidates which we interviewed did not meet the skills sets required to successfully perform all duties of this position.”
Review the LMIA application form before the interview.
You can apply for a no-name LMIA application both for High Wage and Low Wage stream, if it is not PR supported. After the LMIA is approved you can link the foreign worker’s name.
Know in detail all your recruitment activities and candidates who applied.
Make sure you know exactly what’s happened with any layoffs or resignations on your payroll during the past 12 months – since the officer can see every little detail about your company’s payroll.
You can withdraw an LMIA application before a decision is made by the officer, in case you feel you made a mistake and will likely be refused.
All applications are done online for LMIA.
LMIA applications can include High wage streams which are PR supported or non-PR supported, low wage streams which are not PR supported. If it’s not a labour intensive low skilled occupation, you may have to check your province’s high wage level and the occupations median wage on the Service Canada wage bank in order to have a chance of approval for your LMIA application.
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