Information for employers

Quebec welcomes foreign workers, particularly those who bring sought-after skills to the province. Strategic workers are particularly encouraged in that they help to sustain or create jobs for Quebec residents.

Temporary workers: employer requirements

To be authorised to employ a foreign temporary worker, an employer must:

• prove that s/he has made reasonable efforts to fill the post by recruiting from the local work force. S/he must have used the usual recruitment methods in order to prove that an effort has been made. However, in cases where both governments reocognize the shortage of labour in a given field, the employer may be exempt from this requirement.

• offer the foreign worker competitive work terms, equivalent to those offered for a similar post. This means providing a description of the duties involved, the requirements (level of education, experience, and, where relevant, membership of a professional body or association) and the agreed work terms of people already working in that capacity.

Other considerations when assessing the job offer:

• Will employing this worker create or maintain jobs for Candaian citizens and permanent residents?

• Will it develop or transfer skills or knowedge to the advantage of Canadian citizens and temporary residents?

• Does the job address a labour shortage in the profession or trade in question?

Exemptions

The employer is not obliged to have a temporary job offer validated by RHDSC and MICC if the worker concerned has been exempted from obtaining a CAQ (acceptance certificate for temporary workers or certificat d'acception pour travail temporaire to work temporarily in Quebec. This applies where:

• the duration of the contract is under six days
  
• the worker is exempt from obtaining confirmation of the job offer from RHDSC (Ressources humaines et Développement social Canada) and MICC (ministère de l'Immigration et des Communautés culturelles)
  
• the worker is exempt from the need to hold a work permit issued by Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) the workers is exempt from confirmation of the job offer by RHDSC and MICC the worker is exempt from holding a work permit issued by Citizen and Immigration Canada (CIC)

Employing a low-skilled worker

If the employer wishes to employ a low-skilled worker (levels C or D in the Canadian classification, excluding agricultural workers) he must:

• show that s/he has used the usual advertising routes to attempt to employ local workers

• cover all costs relating to the employment of the foreign worker, including a return air ticket

• make a contract with the employee giving the exact job description

• help the employee to find suitable accomodation

• provide medical insurance for the period before the worker is covered by Quebec's health insurance scheme

• register the employee with the Commission de la santé et de la sécurité du travail (Health and Work safety Commission)

Tax holidays

A tax holiday from the personal income tax payable in Quebec may be accorded to foreign experts or researchers. The employer will need to submit an application for an eligibility certificate (certificat d'admissibilité) to the Research, Science and Technology mission (mission Recherche, Science et Technologie) of the Ministry of Economic Development, Innovation and Exportation (Ministère du Développement économique, de l'Innovation et de l'Exportation). The purpose of the tax holiday scheme is to assist employers who are having difficulties in finding, in Quebec or elsewhere in Canada, workers who have the skills necessary for scientific research or experimental development.

Investment Quebec also offers an income tax holiday scheme for certain foreign specialists. For the workers to qualify the employer must be declared eligible under the terms of the scheme.