Information for employers

Labour Market Impact Assessments (LMIAs)

Labour Market Impact Assessments (LMIA) for non-Canadian hires are processed through Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC)/ServiceCanada. Applications for LMIAs are completed and submitted centrally through the Legal and Immigration Services Office by the Senior Immigration Consultant, Frances Hannigan. To begin the process, please email Fran at fhanniga@uwaterloo.ca or call at ext. 36332.

Advertising Requirements:

ESDC/ServiceCanada requires specific advertising in order for a LMIA to be considered. If a position may require you to hire a foreign national, you must follow these advertising requirements as part of to the recruitment process:

Faculty Positions - Hire a foreign academic  

Non-Faculty Positions - Hire a temporary foreign worker  

Foreign worker academics websites:

• ESDC home page for foreign worker - academics
• ESDC page for foreign worker - academic exemptions
• Immigration, Refugees & Citizenship Canada (IRCC)'s guidebook for hiring foreign workers

Inviting/Hiring Foreign Nationals

Immigration Regulations R179 and R183 require that any visitors coming to Canada to conduct business must have a letter of invitation indicating where they are conducting that business, the purpose for which they are here and the dates they are visiting. As the University is beginning to put into place policies that will help it adhere to these Regulations, formal invitation letters are now required for all visitors coming to the University of Waterloo for any business purpose. As a matter of good record keeping (per University Policy 46), letters of invitation should be formalized to ensure appropriate compliance with the University’s statutory and regulatory obligations.

Any invitations to non-Canadian/non-CPR visitors and/or workers to the campus must first be confirmed for Immigration. 

If you are planning to invite a graduate student to visit, please consider using the International Visiting Graduate Students (IVGS) Program. This program allows the graduate students to use their time spent here toward their degree program at their home institution.

Once you know how best to invite your visitor.....

Visitor Reference Chart (2024)  will provide to you an idea of what kind of immigration will be needed by your visitor/worker to come to Canada.

Complete the Checklist (instructions listed below) for review by Frances Hannigan.

Please include the following paperwork with the checklist:

• Non-Faculty Appointment Form or Temporary Employment Authorization Form - downloaded from HR (all signatures are not required for Immigration review)
• email/memo/letter authorizing the visit
• Funding information for the visitor (e.g., award letter from funding agency)
  • If an honorarium is to be considered for the visitor, please review the Human Resources guidelines on honoraria first when including information about this in the paperwork.
• Current immigration documentation for visitor if already in Canada

Once reviewed, a formal letter of invitation must be sent to the visitor/worker in order to facilitate the application for immigration documentation. Specific wording is required to be included in the letter. A template of a Letter of Appointment for visitors/workers can be generated and downloaded for use.

Invitation Letter (for appointments of 121 calendar days or more)

Short-term Invitation Letter (for appointments of 120 calendar days or less)

Information for Foreign Nationals (information sheet to be provided with the appointment letter)

Please provide the following information for the Checklist Request Email (lis-imm@uwaterloo.ca):

• Requestor’s name:
• Requestor’s email :
• Send to:  Frances Hannigan
• Client: Faculty of XX
• Sub-Client: Dept. of YY

• Description: Foreign Visitor Checklist request for: name of Invitee/PDS/Visitor

• Invitee’s/PDS/Visitor’s Information
• Name:
• Address:
• Date of Birth:
• Email:
• Country of Citizenship:
• Dates of the visit: Start & End dates
• Principle Investigator/Supervising Host Professor:
• Degree Earned:
• Extension of existing appointment: Y/N
• Appt Type: i.e. Visiting Scholar
• Funding Type: i.e. Self Funded (No return position)

Documents to be attached:

• NFAF – completed but not necessarily signed
• CV
• Highest Degree – if applicable
• Award Letter – if applicable
• Letter of Return – if applicable

Based on the Immigration comments noted in the Checklist, an Employer Compliance may need to be made to support the visitor's immigration application.

Please include the following paperwork with the request:

• Work Order number to charge back the $230 submission fee for the Employer Compliance
• Signed Letter of Appointment
• Visitor's biometrics page of their passport

For Employer Compliance Request (lis-imm@uwaterloo.ca):

• Requestor’s name:
• Requestor’s email:
• Send to:  Frances Hannigan
• Client: Faculty of XX
• Sub-Client: Dept. of YY

• Description: Employer Compliance request for: name of Invitee/PDS/Visitor

• Invitee’s/PDS/Visitor’s Information
• Name:
• Country of Citizenship:
• Dates of the visit: Start & End dates
• Principle Investigator/Supervising Host Professor:
• Work Order #:

Documents to be attached :

• Welcome Letter/Appt. Letter
• Passport biodata page
• Award Letter – if applicable
• Letter of Return – if applicable