Canada Proposes Language Rules for IMP Work Permits

According to Envoy Global’s Canada Team Lead and Licensed Practitioner Daphne Wong, if implemented, the new requirement would hold significant consequences.

Visa-exempt applicants who would usually benefit from faster processing at a port of entry would be the most impacted, given that applications for them would typically require less paperwork and are quicker to turn around. Visa-requiring applicants typically take longer to submit due to additional supporting documentary requirements, which are country-specific, and may not be as impacted from a timeframe perspective. All applicants, despite most likely being fluent in English or French already, would then need to complete a language test in advance, which could impact urgent travel timelines and impact business deliverables.

To further complicate matters, applicants who may not have strong language skills but who are extremely specialized in particular trades or professions would also be greatly impacted, as would their prospective employers in Canada, who may not have the skillsets from the local market available to meet their business needs.

In time-sensitive situations, employers may need to consider alternative approaches, including:

• Short-term work permit exemptions (if qualified).
• Utilizing existing personnel within Canada (such as citizens, permanent residents or already authorized foreign workers).
• Prior to selecting an individual for transfer or hire, conducting an internal review of suitable candidates who may already have language testing completed, that is approved by the Canadian government.

It’s also worth noting that limited appointment availability at language test centers could further extend timelines for both testing and result processing, thereby impacting the actual date of the work permit application submission and subsequent adjudication of the work permit application.